How to run

Are you running for the Board of Directors?

• Read about the various positions on our website (or for the formal version, check out the UVSS Bylaws).
• While you’re on the UVSS website… read UVSS policies generally, as they govern the day-to-day work (alright, you can skim them).
• Definitely don’t skim Electoral Policy. It’s the rules and regulations that the Electoral Office uses to organize elections – and scrutinize candidates. 🙂

Are you posing (or opposing) a referendum question?

• Read about the referendum process in the UVSS Bylaws.
• As you can see, any undergraduate student can initiate a referendum to establish, change, or remove UVSS fees. The easiest way is through a Board motion (4.7.b.i), but you can also get the signatures of 10% of UVSS members (all undergraduate students are UVSS members, so 10% of ~19,000 people in 2023).
• Any accepted referendum question will usually go on the same ballot as the candidates for the Board of Directors.
• If you wish to oppose a referendum question posed by the Board of Directors (and announced in the “call for nominations” email that UVic sends out to all undergraduate students), fill out and submit the Referendum Opponent Form by the end of the nomination period.

Are you interested in representing an Advocacy Group?

• Representatives of the five Advocacy Groups are Directors too, as you can see in the UVSS Bylaws.
• You can represent an Advocacy Group on the UVSS Board by being elected via the Group’s own process (usually an election at their Annual General Meeting in the Spring).
• For more info, check out the Groups’ individual websites, or contact the UVSS Director of Student Affairs.

• Check out the timeline. Does it work with your schedule?
• Do I understand the requirements of a campaign?
  • Back to good ol’ Electoral Policy. Are you prepared to follow the rules and regulations set out in this policy, and do you have the time and capacity to dedicate to around a month of preparing and running a campaign?

Your nomination form, description of why you’re running, and selfie are due by a strict deadline. Be sure to check it in the elections timeline!

• Set up linked Facebook and Instagram accounts (or even a website) as soon as possible, so you’re ready to go as soon as campaigning starts. But be sure to keep them private/hidden until then – or risk penalties!
• Feel free to share Electoral Office posts whenever you want. The Officers are impartial and only post neutral materials (e.g. the voter information guide, which contains your photos and platforms), so go nuts.

The Electoral Office hosts this session to go over candidate responsibilities and important policies, and answer any questions before campaigning starts. Find the date and time in the timeline!

• We encourage you to have a buddy to support you through the process. Officially, you can have a campaign manager to help you out, but it’s optional. You must provide their info to the Electoral Office at least 24-hours before the start of the Campaign Period.
• Include links to any social media accounts you’re using.

Campaign period! This is it! Time to publish the pages and accounts you made for your campaign. Start sharing content, encourage your friends to share posts, and make sure everyone knows to vote online during voting days!

This is your chance to get face time with voters. The more events you attend, the better your reach – and potentially, your chance at winning! Hosted by the Electoral Office, these informal events take place in the week or two before voting days.

• Electoral Officers need to know how much you spent (even if it’s $0) and see the corresponding receipts.
• Anything you used to campaign – Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, posters – must be removed no later than midnight on the last day of the campaign period.

The Electoral Office will publish the official results on their website. This usually happens the same day as polls close, but it may be delayed if there’s any complaints. So be on your best behaviour!