The UCD Students’ Union (SU) Election polls will open from 9am on Tuesday April 28th and close on April 30th at 9pm. Students will be required to register to vote, with the SU to begin a registration drive from tomorrow. UCDSU has opted to move elections online for the first time in its history amid the current COVID-19 health crisis.
The elections fall during Week 13 of Trimester 2, a revision week before the online assessment exam period. To be eligible to vote in the elections, you must be a registered UCD students and agree to the SU’s privacy policy. Traditional SU elections would require a valid Ucard to vote, however, this year students must register to vote before the polling day to allow for cross-referencing of those who have registered and current UCD students.
There are seven candidates in the running for five executive officer positions in UCD Students’ Union. The Education and Welfare Officer positions are currently the only contested positions, with the Graduate Officer position vacant. Current Graduate Officer Conor Anderson is running unopposed for President.
The SU will begin a voter registration campaign from tomorrow. Campaign materials hold the tagline: “We’re going to need heroes. You choose them.” In an email to Union Council members, the SU executive has stressed the importance of participation of students in the democratic process and encouraged class reps to “do a big push” to get as many students to register as possible.
In the absence of in-person lobbying on campus and use of physical election materials, candidates will be given a budget to pay for sponsored posts on the SU’s social media. The planned expenditure on the advertising has not yet been released, but the Returning Office has indicated that these figures will be public.
A plan has been in place for some time to hold UCDSU elections online. Sources suggest that the current health crisis is a catalyst in moving the elections online, but the SU were planning to go digital eventually.
UCDSU has signed an agreement with the university, outlining the details for the online voting. The SU has purchased the services of Membership Services Limited to conduct the online elections. The UK company specialises in online services for university Students’ Unions, Clubs and Societies. The SU has expressed that the cost for the online elections is expected to come within the budget of €27,000 for the elections this year.
The College Tribune has been publishing interviews with each election candidate which can be found on our website.
Follow the College Tribune for extensive UCDSU Election 2020 coverage.
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Conor Capplis – Editor
