How to nominate for the Guild Senate in the upcoming elections

The ECU Student Guild Senate’s General Elections occur annually to choose the Guild’s representatives on the Senate, the Guild’s governing body. Nominations are open to eligible Guild members, and once the nomination period closes, all ECU students vote to elect their representatives. The election schedule, candidate requirements, policies, guidelines, and reference documents are provided on the Guild’s Election site, www.ecuguild.org.au/elections to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the process. This structure is designed so that student voices guide the Guild’s priorities and the way services and activities are delivered across campus.

Candidate qualifications: who can stand

The Guild Constitution sets out clear eligibility criteria for nominations. To be considered a candidate, an individual must be a Guild Member at the opening of nominations, be attending an ECU campus in Western Australia at that time, and be at least eighteen years old on the date of being elected. If you’re unsure of your Guild membership status, you can check and update your record via SIMO.

Disqualifications: when a candidate cannot stand

Certain situations disqualify a candidate from election. These include:

• having an enrolment status of red or purple at the opening of nominations;
• being a current Guild employee or a University employee at the opening of nominations (whether full-time, part-time, or casual);
• having previously served as a Senator who was removed from office or had their position declared vacant within the last three years;
• being disqualified from managing a corporation under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or from being a responsible person of a charity by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission within the last year;
• being certified mentally unfit;
• being disqualified under any WA Act or regulation; and
• for President and General Secretary candidates, having held the office of President or General Secretary in the previous two consecutive years or part thereof.

If you’re unsure about your eligibility, it’s worth checking with the Returning Officer or Guild staff before submitting a nomination.

How to nominate: submitting your nomination

Nomination packs must be submitted to the Returning Officer through any of the approved channels: by post, by email, or in person.

The required materials include NP3_Nomination Form 2025, NP4_Fit and Proper Person Declaration, NP5_Candidate Obligations Declaration 2025, NP6_Candidate Consent to Disclose 2025, and, if nominating as a group or via an agent, the ED4_Group and Agent Registration Form 2025. If nominating, you must complete the full Nomination Pack and include the Election Statement Form and a Passport sized photograph.  All required forms are available on the election site: www.ecuguild.org.au/elections

What happens after nominations close

Following the close of nominations, the election process proceeds with careful, transparent steps to ensure fairness and clarity for all involved. Each nomination is reviewed by the Returning Officer to verify validity and to confirm that all nominees meet the established eligibility criteria. Once this verification is complete, the Returning Officer prepares the Election Broadsheet. This document includes photographs of all eligible candidates, the offices for which each candidate is contesting, candidate statements, and contact details. The Broadsheet is published for voters on 7 October, providing voters with essential information to make informed choices.

All candidates are required to attend the mandatory Election Meeting scheduled for Thursday 9 October, where the Returning Officer outlines the rules of conduct for the election and addresses any questions from eligible nominees. During the voting period, running from Monday 13 October to Wednesday 15 October (10:00 to 16:00), candidates are encouraged to engage with the student body within the designated campaign areas to advocate for their candidature. Campaign activity must adhere to the established rules and be confined to the approved campaigning spaces; Election Officers will monitor compliance to ensure fairness across the process.

Following the close of voting, ballots are counted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission and the results announced on the Guild’s official channels. The official results are published on the Guild website and its social media platforms at 15:00 on Friday 17 October.

Why you might consider nominating

Nominating gives you a direct line to influence issues that matter to you and your peers, teaching quality, timetabling, student safety, campus facilities, support for clubs, and wider equity and inclusion initiatives. It also offers substantial professional development: governance experience, policy development, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, project management, public speaking, and teamwork plus an honoraria (financial compensation) for your engagement.  If you’ve got ideas for improving student life and a passion for representing fellow students, nominating could be a meaningful step.

Practical next steps

• Review the eligibility criteria now and confirm your Guild membership status in SIMO.
• Gather your ideas: what issues would you prioritise if elected? How would you gather feedback from peers to shape policy?
• Prepare a candidate statement highlighting your priorities and proposed actions.
• Read the information on the Election site: ecuguild.org.au/elections to familiarise yourself with the roles and responsibilities.
• Plan your nomination submission timeline so you meet all deadlines.