What to expect from HSU Officer Elections

Interested in applying to be an HSU Officer?

Being a candidate in the HSU Officer Election is challenging but rewarding. It's even better when you know what to expect at each point in the Election process.

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Applications

Monday 12 January, 10am - Thursday 19 February, 4pm

During the Applications period, you'll have the opportunity to register yourself as a candidate in the upcoming Election. This is just like applying for a job - you'll need to fill out an application form with information about yourself and why you think you'd be a good fit for the role.

Check out our application writing guidance to learn more about what information is required in the application.

Please be mindful that you'll need to take some time to ensure your application is well written. The form itself can take up to half an hour to complete, but you'll need to reflect on the information you include as students will make their decisions about who to vote for based on the information you provide.

The 4pm deadline is strict. We will not accept any applications past the deadline, for any reason.

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Candidate Briefings and Prep

Saturday 21 February - Wednesday 25 February

In the week following the application deadline, we'll be hard at work getting everything ready for the Election. During this period, candidates must attend a compulsory 'Candidate Briefing' session which will explain the rules of the Election and provide guidance on how to campaign for votes.

Candidate Briefing sessions will be held on:

You'll select which Candidate Briefing session you want to attend on your application.

All candidates must also attend a 'What's an HSU Officer?' session which provides more detail on what exactly HSU Officers do, ensuring you have a good understanding of what to expect if you're elected.

What's an HSU Officer? sessions will be held on:

You'll need to book your What's an HSU Officer? session online.

Book your session

If you'd like to attend one of the three sessions being held immediately before Candidate Briefings, you cannot book these online. You'll need to select which session you want to attend on your application.

We'll be in contact with you during this week to make sure you have everything you need, so keep an eye on your emails!

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Meet your Candidates

Monday 2 March - Friday 6 March

On Monday 2 March, we'll officially announce the candidate list for each of the six Officer positions! From this point, you'll be allowed to announce that you're a candidate and convince students that you're the right pick.

During this week, students won't be able to vote. This is an opportunity for them to understand the perspectives and motivations before they make their choice.

We'll be hard at work getting word out to students that the Election is happening, and how they can find out more about candidates so they can make an informed choice.

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Voting Period

Monday 9 March, 10am - Thursday 12 March, 4pm

Voting opens on the Monday morning of this week, and every Hallam student will be able to vote for their preferred candidates. Your job during this week is to ensure as many students as possible are aware you're a candidate, what you stand for, and why they should vote for you. These four days are where you can make your mark!

This week can be quite tiring, so we'll be running daily wellbeing activities to ensure you have the chance to relax, take a break from campaigning, and get to know your fellow candidates.

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Results Night

Friday 13 March, from 5pm

At 5pm on the Friday, we'll find out which six candidates have been elected as the 2026-27 HSU Officer team! Results Night is always a great event, and we encourage every candidate to attend. We'll send more information about the event closer to the time, but we usually hold Results Night at a venue on campus, or in the city centre.

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After results

Once the results are in, the Election is over - but this isn't the end of the journey.

If you've been elected, congratulations! We'll be in contact with more information about getting started in the summer.

If you weren't successful, we'll be in touch to talk to you about what your next steps are, and how your experience as an Election candidate can help you to achieve them.