This document provides candidates with information about the voting process, rules, publicity, and expenses for the upcoming student elections. It explains that Brunel uses an alternative transferable voting system, how to vote online, what candidates can spend their budgets on, how to register slates, approved locations for publicity, and outlines the role of the Democracy Committee in overseeing a fair process. Candidates are directed to the elections website for full details and rules.

1. Candidates Briefing

2. AGENDA
• Voting Process
• Rules (Including slates, expenses)
• Publicity

3. VOTING PROCESS

4. WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE VOTING?
• We use the Alternative Transferable Vote system
• Voters rank their candidates in order of preference (1,2,3,4 ETC…)
• If a candidate receives over quota of the “first preference” votes they are elected immediately
• If no candidate receives more than quota of the “first preference” votes then the candidate with
the least votes is eliminated and their “second preferences” are redistributed to the other
candidates
• If any of the candidates has received more than quota of the votes they are elected
• If no candidate has more than quota of the votes then the above process is repeated: the candidate
with the second-least votes is eliminated and their “third preferences” votes are redistributed.

5. HOW TO VOTE
Students can vote online by going to
www.brunelstudents.com/vote
If a student has problems voting it is likely that
they have opted out of Union membership. They
need to go to the Student Centre to Opt back in.

6. Step 1
Go to BrunelStudents.com/vote

7. Step 2
Click on the position you would like to vote for

8. Step 3
Make sure you have a look at Manifestos to
help you make an informed choice

9. Step 4
Review your vote, make sure it’s in the correct
order

10. Step 5
Click Cast Vote

11. Step 5
You will get a confirmation message to show
your vote has been cast.

12. RULES

13. PRINCIPAL RULES
• All candidates must act in the interests of a fair
election
• All candidates shall abide by the Constitution, its
Bye Laws, Union Policy and the Law of the Land
throughout the elections process
• Do not do anything that another candidate
cannot do
• Treat all other students and staff with respect

14. BEHAVIOURAL RULES
• All candidates will be held liable for the actions of anyone acting
on their behalf
• There must be no ‘negative campaigning’, such as candidates or
their supporters making unsupported attacks on other candidates’
or making attacks of a personal nature against other candidates.
Any challenge which is not deemed to be of a personal nature is
allowed.
• No candidate shall seek to gain advantage over another candidate
by spending more than the allowed limit because they have
greater funds or resources at their personal disposal.
• No candidate shall Seek to gain advantage by breaching the set
timetable for the elections
• Every member has the right to vote freely; as such candidates
should not be influencing students who are in the process of
voting.
• Publicity must be approved by Democracy committee and can only
be placed in agreed locations

15. BREACH OF RULES
Any breach of the rules may be punished. Democracy
Committee will rule on any sanctions they feel necessary
to ensure the fairness of the elections. These sanctions
include:
• A warning
• A fine on the permitted campaigns budget;
• Restricted level of publicity available to candidate;
• Suspension from campaigning for a specified time;
• Total disqualification

16. ENDORSEMENTS
During the Union elections Clubs and Societies are able to endorse candidates.
Endorsing a candidate means that the Club or Society can use their official accounts
to promote the candidate they are endorsing during the elections.
In order to ensure free and fair elections the Union has a process in place by which a
club or society can endorse. This decision must be made by 50%+1 of registered
committee members and must follow the process outlined below:
Notifying the Union of any endorsement via email; this email must cc in all the
members of the committee.
OR
fill in the form provided at hustings and return to the Union within 48 hours of
hustings.
If the candidate being endorsed is on the committee they should not be promoting
themselves, but instead another committee member should take up this
responsibility.

17. WHAT CAN I SPEND MY
BUDGET ON?
• Printed Publicity
• T-shirts
• Card
• Paint
Nominal costs are available on the website.
These costs are based on the cost of buying an item second hand or from a low cost
supplier, and are designed to cover items you may already have around the house which
you wish to use as part of your election campaign.
• Costumes
• Blue tac
• Balloons
• Etc……

18. EXPENSES
• Student Officer positions have £100 to spend plus £20 print credits at the
Union;
• Student Trustees and Chair positions have £30 to spend plus £20 print
credits at the Union;
• The Union will not cover any of your costs except the £20 print credit for
printing done at the Union;
• Keep all receipts and submit them with your Expenses Form; This is
available under the candidates resources section of the election website.

19. SLATES
• You may wish to run as a state – this is when you form a group with other
candidates.
• You must register your slate by the start of campaigning by e-mailing
Rebecca Davies.
• If you run as a slate you are liable for each others actions
• Slates also receive an alternative allocation of funding.
(£20 x n) +(n1+n2 +n3+n4+n5)
N1 = £100
N2 = £100/£30 x .75
N3 = £100/£30 x .55
N4 = £100/£30 x .40
N5 = £100/£30 x .30
N6+ = £100/£30 x .20

20. PUBLICITY

21. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Hamilton Centre Hall waysLocos – behind the pool
table and on the disabled
ramp

22. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
External Non-moving
glass on lift
External Pillars &
Lecture
Centre
Internal Pillars 1st floor Notice Board
Stair Wells
Windows of ground floor
computer room

23. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Glazed Walkway facing the
Quad
John Crank

24. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Railings External Pillars
The
Concourse

25. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Union Notice Board
Area outside of the
lab in SJ128

26. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Old reception notice
board
Mary Seacole
Room 111

27. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Ground floor walls
and Windows
Isambard Amenities

28. PUBLICITY LOCATIONS
Halsbury: Ground
floor PGR Common
Room
OTHER LOCATIONS
Tower B: Orange
wall in entrance

29. OTHER AVAILABLE AREAS
If there are locations you wish us to see if we
can gain permission please just drop Rebecca
Davies an email.
We will place a copy of your manifesto in:
• Michael Sterling PG kitchen
• Hamilton Centre Atrium

30. OUT OF BOUNDS
• Fire Doors
• Lecture centre ground floor foyer windows
• Any where in the Bannerman centre including
the Library
• Toilets
• External Glass areas of the Hamilton centre
• Junction
• Brewsters

31. BE AWARE
• Publicity should only be put up using
blue/white tac.
• When flyering try not be a litter nuisance by
collecting up any publicity that is left lying
around
• If you put posters up on the outside of
buildings there is a risk that they will be
damaged by the wind and rain.

32. HEALTH AND SAFETY
• Please be aware of your own safety when
campaigning and putting up publicity.
• Assess the situation: If the spot you wish to
put a poster on is too high do not stand on
unsuitable equipment.
• Wear suitable footwear

33. DEMOCRACY COMMITTEE
• All of our elections within the Union are
overseen by the Democracy Committee.
• Democracy Committee meet regularly
throughout the Elections process and to make
sure no one can complain about bias or
favouritism, ALL of the committee agree to
not express interest or support for any
candidates.

34. COMPLAINT OR QUESTIONS
• Complaints regarding the conduct of any
candidate’s campaign must be submitted, in
writing via Rebecca Davies.
• Complaints about campaigning need to be
received prior to the account. As a result the
deadline is the close of voting.
• If you have any questions regarding the
elections process or you are unsure if
something is allowed please email the Union.

35. SUMMARY
Following this briefing you should now be familiar with:
• The rules of the election and the official documentation
of these rules. Along with the Role of Democracy
Committee.
• Where you can place publicity and the approved
expenditure
• What opportunities you have been provided
• The voting process and how to vote
• The timeline of the elections
You will find all the details around the elections, along
with the rules at:
www.brunelstudents.com/elections