Absolutely Sabbulous!

This year’s provisional candidate list for the Officer Elections was released last Friday, and the spread of nominations include a greater spread of people including more women, Postgraduates and ethnic minority students.

There are 15 women running this year for the seven sabbatical positions, which is a large increase from just three last year, only one of whom was elected. In addition, the list consists of 6 postgraduates, an increase from 2011, and more non-white students than have previously run.

According to Chris Luck, SU Democracy Officer, this is in part due to the extensive publicity that has been promoting the elections, through guidance from other students’ unions. “Advice we got was to advertise the benefits of the roles in terms of employability and in terms of what you can do”, he explained.

Other tactics have involved mass emails to students to inform them of the roles, contacting SSLCs and people already involved in Union activities.

The total number of candidates running for a sabbatical position is at its highest in at least four years, with a total of 37 nominations for the seven jobs. A popular explanation for the increase in candidates is the lack of stability in the current job market, which could encourage more students to postpone job hunting for an extra year. But Luck insists that the SU has done more than ever to promote the elections, but also highlights the “employability factor” that the position can offer graduates.

Izzy John, the sole female Officer in this year’s sabbatical team, is pleased that the elections have attracted a greater spread of students. “I wanted to encourage more women to run because it really is a fantastic job,” she said. “It boosts your confidence and gives you incredible opportunities. It’s also great to see postgraduates running, some non-whites, and I hope that’s reflected in the overall team.”

However, she warned against complacency, insisting that “some may look at the high numbers of women running this year and will think there is no need to work further to encourage minority candidates. Just because we have a good year this year, doesn’t mean it will always be the case. This is about socialised expectations of women that don’t go for leadership positions”. said the incumbent Welfare Officer, who will not be running to retain her position.

Current Societies Officer Matthew Rogers is the only one of this year’s sabbatical team to run for another term – this time as President.

The deadline for online manifesto submission is noon on Friday 24 February., and copies of each candidate’s manifesto will also feature in a special edition of the _Boar_. Candidates are also expected to produce a campaign video, which will be shown on the digi-screens in the Atrium.

Week 8 will see the majority of the campaigning, with publicity campaigns officially allowed to commence from 9am on Monday 27 February. Candidates will be able to participate in two ‘Question Time’ events in the Atrium, on Monday and Tuesday of Week 8, before polling begins at 9:00am on Wednesday, lasting 60 hours, before it closes at 9:00pm on Friday. The eventual winners will be crowned at a special ‘elections’ Tob Banana that evening.

Campaigning regulations are tight: candidates must declare everything from expenditure on materials to fancy dress costumes. Expenses must reach no more than £30 for aspiring full-time officers, or £15 for part-time candidates.

Democracy rules further state that attacks may ‘NEVER be of a personal nature’. Organisers and candidates will therefore be anxious to see whether a new, annonymously-run facebook page entitled ‘Warwick Scandals’ will succeed in allowing candidates to produce ‘a bit of dirt’ on one another without being caught. The owner of the page claims to have heard from some unnamed candidates already.

More information on the electoral process is available from the Democratic Services Office, located in SUHQ.