Spring Elections Working Group (24th January 2014)

David Martin welcomed everyone to the first Spring Election Working group meeting of 2014. It was decided that, in future, extra invites would be sent out to individuals (staff or students) based on the items on the agenda. 

David Martin suggested to the committee that a period of online-only campaigning be added. Nominations will close on Monday 17th February, 12pm and the reveal of candidates will occur on Tuesday 18th February. After the candidates names are revealed, online-only campaigning will commence until 12pm on Thursday 20th February after which physical campaigning can start.

The Working Group voted to approve this; 3 voted to approve this.  

David Martin presented the group with last years Media Pack. He suggested making no changes to this except the removal of the Radio option as previously this option has not been very popular and is very rarely used.

David Gilani suggested giving candidates a designing service where other students design campaign posters for the elections and SUSU can publicise it. The group  were in general agreement with this idea.

The group voted to approve removing the radio option from the Media Pack: 3 voted to approve this.

Regarding the designing service, David Gilani said he would ask around for more details about who would be interested in designing campaign posters and how much they would charge. In the interest of fairness, students who offer their services as designers will only be promoted by SUSU on the condition that they only take on one candidate per position.

Guy informed the group that a 10-point summary option would be introduced as well as full manifestos. The group welcomed this.

The group decided to put a 500 word limit for Student Leader, Student Trustees and Union Councillor candidates' manifestos. There will be no word limit on Sabbatical Officer manifestos. 

After discussion with the University, it was decided that the idea of translated emails would go no further. Nickola explained that this has brought up more issues surrounding communication to students that need to be dealt with.

Claire Gilbert explained that she was planning on visiting student groups in the Student Communities Zone to talk about the upcoming elections, however she has had a poor response from the majority of groups and has no other way of contacting them.

Last year, voting booths were manned by staff and members of the Spring Elections Working Group. Claire Gilbert volunteered to help out. David Gilani suggested asking if other staff members (e.g. Student Activities) would be willing to help out. Guy said that this will be brought up in a meeting between Zone Coordinators and Assistants next week.

David Martin introduced this topic and explained what E-Choice and P-Choice are. Guy asked the group to think about new names for them. The deadline for this is up until voting opens, but preferably earlier than that.

David Martin explained that there is a plan for marketing to go around sites and halls during the voting period with a mobile voting station and currently the plan is one day at each site (SGH, NOC and Winchester), possibly more if the budget allows it. David Martin asked if two days at each site were possible instead. Guy said he would ask CMT aboout this. Halls will have member of the marketing crew based at each site and it will be there responsibility to get people to vote.   

Claire asked that sabbatical candidates be given the opportunity to visit sites before any campaigning starts so they can familiarise themselves with the different campuses.

David Martin and Oli Coles will be going up to Winchester Monday and will promote the elections when speaking to students. 

The committee decided on the following:

• during the nomination period (7th-17th February), sabbatical candidates who wish to visit other sites will be given the opportunity to do so with a one day trip to see SGH, NOC and Winchester (no campaigning allowed)
• during the voting period (24th-28th February), sabbatical candidates will be given the opportunity to spend two hours at each site campaigning 

The group decided to keep the budgets for candidates the same as last year; £30 from SUSU, £30 or their own money and £30 that can be reimbursed. The only major change from last year is that this year, the Democracy Department will not accept any paper receipts; all receipts will need to be uploaded online. Guy clarified that affixing material is free and does not count towards budget and also that cash will be given out from the cash machine and not from petty cash.

David Martin introduced this topic and asked the committee for some suggestions:

• David Gilani suggested having Surge Radio playing out on the redbrick each day of the week during the voting period
• Claire informed the group that flash mobs are not possible on the redbrick; Guy and David Gilani asked to see the risk assessment for this
• Claire suggested a physical totaliser with prizes on the redbrick
• the projection of the election logo on a building on campus
• freebies (e.g. sweets) attached to leaflets with information about the elections 
• large ballot box with the elections logo filled with sweets/leaflets
• busking sabbaticals promoting the 10 myths of elections

Guy informed the group of 'Election Myths' that had been compiled and asked how these can be publicised around campus. Claire suggested having these on lecture screens or setting default computer screen backgrounds.   

The meeting ended at 1pm. The next Spring Elections Working group will be held on Thursday 30th February at 12pm in the Boardroom.