▼ Which positions are available in the election?

The positions available in the Winter 2025 by- election are listed below. Positions will be held for a 1 year term starting May 1, 2025 and ending April 30, 2026 unless otherwise specified.

Please review DSU Bylaws 4-6 for more information about the roles and responsibilities of each position.

Executive Officer Positions

• President: The President is the chief spokesperson for the student union. They sit on the Dalhousie Board of Governors and Senate. The President also oversees all day-to-day operations of the Union and regularly represents students to government officials and senior administrators at the university.

▼ Am I eligible to run for an executive officer position?

All students are eligible to run for an executive position, as long as they are a Dalhousie student for the duration of their term! For more information, see Bylaw 4.2.

▼ What is the time commitment for an Executive Officer position?

Executive Officers are expected to devote the time and attention to the role as may be required to carry out their responsibilities and meet the objectives of the Union, as outlined in DSU bylaws and policies. They are expected to set and maintain regular office hours to be accessible to Members and Union staff. These are full-time, paid positions. See Bylaw 5, the Executive Policy, and section 14 of the Financial Policy for more information.

▼ Am I eligible to run for a Community Representative position?

Council includes a representative for many key communities of Dalhousie students. Eligibility is based on self-identification with a specific community. Where membership in a community is through self-identification, the DSU honors a candidate's self-dentification and does not request proof of their identity.

Section 3 of the Elections and Referenda Policy states that:

▼ How do I run in the by election?

To nominate yourself for a position, you must complete all the following steps:

1. Ensure that you are eligible for the position you would like to run for. Eligibility requirements can be found in sections 1-3 of the Elections & Referenda Policy and Bylaw 4.2.
2. Using a Microsoft Form which requires students to sign in with their Dalhousie email address, gather the names, B00s, and Dal email addresses of at least 25 other Dalhousie students who support your candidacy. Upload the results to the Nomination Form in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. If you'd prefer to collect signatures physically (or a mix of both), email dsucro@dal.ca for a template.
3. Gather the names, B00s, and Dal email addresses of the other students who will be your campaign workers during the election using this template. Campaign workers are optional. Unsure what a campaign worker is? Check out the next drop-down to find more information.
4. Record all the social media pages and handles you will be using to campaign using this template.
5. If you are running for Vice President (Finance and Operations), you must also complete the VPFO Technical Questionnaire.
6. Be sure to read Bylaw 9 and the Elections and Referenda Policy! Come prepared to the All Candidates Meeting with any questions you might have, or reach out in advance to the CRO at dsucro@dal.ca.
7. When nominations are open (between March 31 and April 3), submit your completed spreadsheets (2-3 in total) and the rest of your nomination information through the online Nomination Form. The link to the Nominations Form will be posted when nominations open. In addition to uploading your completed spreadsheets, you will be asked for your: name, pronouns, B00, Dal email address, program/major/year of study, and confirmation that you have read Bylaw 9 and the Elections and Referenda Policy.

After you submit your nomination, you will also be required to attend the All Candidates Meeting and Anti-Oppression Training, submit a Candidate Questionnaire and, of course, campaign!

The All-Candidates Meeting will be held from 6-8pm on April 4 and the Candidate Questionnaire is due at 12 noon on April 6. Campaigning begins April 7 at 8 AM.

▼ What are the important election dates and deadlines?

See the full Elections Period Schedule here. Find an overview of key dates below.

• March 31: Elections Period Begins; Nominations & Campaign Registration Opens
• April 3 @ 5 PM: Nominations & Campaign Registrations Close; deadline to submit Nomination Forms, Campaign Information Forms.
• April 4 @ 6 PM: All Candidates Meeting @ 6PM via Teams:
• April 6 @ 12 PM: Deadline for campaigns to submit Candidate Questionnaires, posters, and handbills. Deadline for 1-Minute Campaign Video Submission
• April 7 @ 8 AM: Campaign Period Begins.
• April 7: Voting Details Released to All Students.
• April 11 @ 8PM: Campaign Period Ends; Deadline for Candidate to Withdraw.
• April 12, 13 & 14: Voting Period.

▼ What is a campaign worker?

A campaign worker is an individual who has agreed to assist a candidate with campaigning in any capacity. If you are worried about running a campaign all on your own, you do not have to! All you need to do is ask someone if they would be willing to help with your campaign and then submit a list of campaign workers alongside your nomination form. You could have one, a few, or a whole team of campaign workers!

A campaign worker does not have to be a Dalhousie student, meaning you could ask a student from another institution or someone who is not a student. However, Dalhousie faculty, teaching assistants, and all other University staff must not serve as campaign workers. If a campaign worker is employed by the DSU in any capacity they must contact the CRO and inform them of their work. Furthermore, they must not campaign while they are working. Have questions about who can or cannot be a campaign worker? Email dsucro@dal.ca.

Campaign workers must abide by the Elections and Referenda Policy and attend the All-Candidates Meeting.