NEC elections 2008/09

So you’re interested in standing for a position on the National Executive Committee but are not sure how to go about it? Worry no more, here’s officeronline’s ‘10 step guide’ to standing for election.

1. Make sure you’re eligible to run
In order to be eligible to run for any of the positions on the National Executive, you must be a member of an NUS-affiliated students’ union, a member of the National Executive or a member of an NUS committee, at the close of nominations (Friday 1 February 2008).

2. Choose your position(s)
During Annual Conference (1-3 April 2008), elections take place for 18 of the 27 places on the NEC.

The full-time posts elected are:

• National President
• National Secretary
• National Treasurer
• Vice-President Higher Education
• Vice-President Further Education
• Vice-President Welfare

The block of twelve (without portfolio) NEC are also elected at Annual Conference. All other places on the NEC are elected at Liberation and Special Nation Conferences.

3. Talk to a sitting Exec member
If you’re interested in standing for election but want to find out a bit more information about what’s involved from someone who’s already been through it, then you’re in luck.

National President Gemma Tumelty and National Secretary Stephen Brown are both available to talk to you about their roles and the Exec in general.

Phone 0871 221 8221 or email mailto:gemma.tumelty@nus.org.uk or Stephen.brown@nus.org.uk.

4. Download the nomination form
So, now that I have confirmed I am eligible and I have picked the position I want to run for – what do I do now?

Download a copy of the nominations form from officeronline.

Or request a copy by contacting events@nus.org.uk or Elaine.bruce@nus.org.uk.

Post or in person:
NUS HQ, Centro 3, 19 Mandela Street, London NW1 0DU
Tel: 0871 221 8221
Fax: 0871 221 8222
Text phone: 020 7380 6649

Details of election regulations and how to complete your election manifesto are on the nomination form. If you have any queries please contact the events team.

5. Gather your nominations
OK, so what’s next? You need to be nominated by between 10 and 15 people from at least three different students’ unions (all of which must be members of NUS).

Your nominators can only nominate you for the position. If they nominate more than one person for a post, all of their nominations are void. With this being the case, we recommend you get more than the minimum number of nominations.

A nomination should look something like this:
I (nominator name),
of (their students’ union name and yearbook number [found in NUS Directory]), nominate (your name) to the office of (the position you’re standing for) for 2008-09).
Nominator name …..
signature …..
date …..

6. Send in your information

Your nominations need to be included with the nominations form and returned to NUS Events team at the above address no later than 5pm, Friday 1 February 2008.

Please note that your completed nominations form must be received by events team before this deadline. One minute late and it may not be accepted.

With your nominations, you also need to include:

• The positions you wish to stand for (e.g. President, Treasurer, etc)
• Your full name and address
• Your signature confirming your consent to be nominated
• A declaration of eligibility signed by you (e.g. I am a member of XXXX students’ union and will be eligible to take up a position on the NUS NEC in July 2008.
  Signed….(your signature)…

You can also include, although it is not compulsory:

• A description of your political status, not exceeding six words (e.g. Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, Socialist Workers, Independent, etc).
  
• Your manifesto. Here you can outline what you plan to achieve during your time in the position as well as highlighting your past successes and experience. Your manifesto should be A3 in size and will be reproduced in black and white.
  Your manifesto, and campaign, should also be accesible to all students. NUS has recognised that accesiblility standards are not necessarily common knowledge and has, as a result, created a handy guide for those wishing to stand. This should help answer your questions and allow everyone to create effective campaigns that all other students can access.

You must submit the information on your union’s letterhead paper – if this is not possible, some other evidence of your membership of that union, and NUS, will be required.

Nominations must be submitted to NUS headquarters by 5pm on Friday 1 February 2008 (eight full weeks before the first day of Annual Conference).

A list of all candidates standing for each position (and their manifestos) will be posted on the officeronline website on Monday 18 February 2008.

7. Prepare for Annual Conference
A list of those standing for election, and their manifestos, is circulated to all constituent members as Conference Document 7 (CD7). Should there be any objections to the eligibility of a candidate to stand for a position on the National Executive, the Elections Committee must receive these by a set date (which will appear in CD7).

8. Come to Annual Conference and take part in the hustings
Prior to the elections, a hustings session will take place at Annual Conference – allowing each candidate to make a speech to the conference.

9. Appoint a counting agent
NUS uses paper voting and the single transferable voting system, details of which can be found in the NUS constitution.

As a candidate, you may appoint one counting agent who will observe the counting of the votes. The agent must obey any directions given by the returning officer who oversees the counting. No other person may attend the count.

Following completion of the count, the results of the election are declared orally to Conference and counting sheets are displayed. The result of the election is considered final if not challenged before the close of Conference.

10. Celebrate the election of a new NEC
Successful candidates elected at Annual Conference will take office on 1 July 2008. However, they may need some form of handover with their predecessor that will begin before this date.

It’s an engaging process, and hopefully one you’re looking forward to taking part in. Nominations close at 5pm on 1 February 2008. If you require any further information, please contact Elaine Bruce, NUS Democratic Services Coordinator at Elaine.bruce@nus.org.uk or call 0871 221 8221. Text phone users should call 020 7380 6649.

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