Leadership Race 2026
Nominations Close in...
Details of the Leadership Race
Nominations Close: Friday 27th February 2026 13:00
Candidates Briefing: Saturday 28th February 2026 12:00 - 16:00 - Location and further information shall be distributed to candidates upon confirmation.
Campaigning Period: Saturday 28th February 18:00 Until the close of voting
Voting Period: Monday 9th March 09:00 until Friday 13th March 17:00
Complaints regarding the election will be accepted from the start of the campaign period until Friday 13th March 19:00
Results Released: Monday 16th March 13:00
Eligibility to Stand
Candidates looking to stand in the Leadership Race must complete the following:
Form 1: Candidate Nomination Form
Form 2: Campaign Team Form - To be filled out by members of the candidates campaign team
Form 3: Trustee Declaration Form (Full Time Sabbatical positions only)
Form 4: Candidate Profile
Once all of the relevant forms are completed, the student will become a candidate in the election. It is the responsibility of the prospective candidate to ensure that all of the relevant forms have been submitted by the end of the nominations period. Forms or amendments will not be accepted to the candidates' nomination after the close of the nominations period.
Voting
This year, voting shall be conducted in person with online voting reserved for distanced learning students or students who won't be on campus during the voting period as outlined above.
Students can vote at any ballot station listed below:
Newport Campus:
A Floor Foyer (10:00 - 16:00 daily)
Cardiff Campus:
Main Street (10:00 - 16:00 daily)
Lower Glyntaff Campus:
Elaine Morgan Building Foyer (10:00 - 16:00 daily)
Upper Glyntaff Campus:
Alfred Wallace Building Foyer (10:00 - 16:00 daily)
Treforest Campus:
Students' Union Building - Middle Floor (10:00 - 16:00 daily) - (10:00 - 17:00 on Friday 13th March)
Stilts (11:30 - 14:00 daily)
Recommend a Student
Whether you teach, supervise, support, work with or know a student who would make a great Student Leader - we want to hear from you. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this type of role, we'd love to know what about them would make them an extraordinary person to make real change in the role. All you need to do is complete the form below and let us know why they'd be a good fit and we'll do the rest - our team will reach out to them with some information and the extra encouragement they may need.
Students’ Union Executive Team
The four full-time officers representing your interests at the highest level possible. Each role looks after a specified portfolio and ensure your needs are met on the highest level.
(SVRs) Student Voice Representatives
SVRs sit on Student Council and represent your interests across University committees as well as are the key decision makers in the Union’s policy-making process.
Part-Time Officers
Part-Time Officers (PTOs) are elected to represent a specific demographic of the student body. They complete work in relation to their role but also direct and hold the Full-time Officers to account at the Officer Advisory Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Elections?
The Elections (or SU Leadership Race / By-elections) are held annually to determine who will become our officer team for the next academic year. Students, just like you, are able to stand for a position, run a campaign to encourage students to vote for them or simply use your vote to ensure that those elected represent your views!
When are the Elections Happening?
The 2026 Elections are happening throughout Term Two! Nominations will open on the 26th of January and close on the 27th of February at 13:00, candidates will then be required to attend Candidate Briefing on the 28th February.
What positions can I run for?
There are a range of Full-time and Part-time positions that are available for you to run for! You could join our sabbatical officer team as the President, VP Welfare, VP Activities or VP Education; or if you wanted a part-time role alongside your studies there are a range on offer to choose from - Check out the Nomination Pack below
How can I stand?
To stand as a candidate in the election, you'll need to complete the nescesary forms (above) Dependant the role you wish to stand for there are certain requirements which will clearly state who the forms are for. For a Full-Time position you'll need 6 students to support your nomination, 1 of those being your 'proposer' and the rest will be classed as 'seconders'. If you have any questions about the nomination process, please email SUStudentVoice@southwales.ac.uk
If I become a candidate, what do I have to do?
Once nominations have closed, you will need to attend Candidates' Briefing! This is scheduled to take place on Monday 3rd March and you will learn more about the next steps, take part in some filming and meet the other candidates! You will then need to campaign across campuses to encourage students to vote for you!
Who is RON?
RON stands for Re-Open Nominations, if you feel as if none of the candidates are best suited to the position they are running for you can vote to elect RON in your preferences. If RON receives the most votes and is elected, we restart the election process from the start for that role. Any candidates who were in this category are not eligible to re-run in the new election. And this process can repeat until a new candidate can be elected.
What happens if all of the roles aren't filled in the election?
If there are still vacancies of roles after the main election we will run a by-election. By-elections have a quicker turnaround time compared to the main election. If there are still vacancies after a by-election has been run, these roles will go to co-option in the first term of the new academic year.
Election Resources
Find all the resources for elections here!
If you have any questions about the Elections, please email SUStudentVoice@southwales.ac.uk