Last week we closed the voting period of the SU Leadership Election 2025 where you (our members) voted for the next Student Leader Team.
Please see key information of the Election below.
Election Dates
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Applications opened: 10:00, 10th February
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Applications closed: 23:59, 23rd February
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Campaigning period: 10:00, 3rd March – 16:00, 13th March
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Voting period: 10:00, 11th March – 16:00,13th March
Returning Officer
On14 March, Molly Purcell, the Returning Officer for this election, declared the Election free and fair prior to the count starting (in line with the election rules).
Voting Turn out
We closed voting with an amazing number of 2,923 individual voters, which means that 24% of the student population voted this year (2% more than last year), the highest percentage turnout in more than a decade. This is currently one of the highest amongst all the southern Students’ Unions.
Additionally, we saw an increase in numbers of people voting on our voting booths which means less people voted on their mobile devices than last year; and we made sure we thanked them with some oats, soft drinks or a slice of pizza.
Southend reported a total number of 213 individual voters, which is an increase of 30.67%.
Here are a few more stats for you to read and know what we were up to 👇
Top 5 countries students voted:
Student Type voters:
Top departments that voted more:
Complaints
The process:
All complaints must be submitted via the Elections complaints form, with evidence, to be investigated. The complaint system is based on a ten-point system where if candidates break the Election rules, they are awarded points based on the severity of the breach of the rules. This system was created in collaboration with students and candidates over the past years.
The SU Elections Team reviewed all the complaints as soon as they got them through the Elections typeform (or as soon as they got into the office the following morning for the overnight complaints) and then proceeded to review all the information provided in them, dealing with them within 1 working day.
The Returning Officer reviewed the log of complaints to ensure that all complaints were dealt appropriately (prior to the count).
The complaints:
We had a total of 70 complaints in the period between the 4th of March and the 13th of March submitted by 15 people.
30 complaints provided no evidence to be investigated.
24 were upheld (this means that the complaint could be investigated with the information provided and acted upon).
15 complaints resulted in points being awarded to candidates as evidence was provided, and the fault required it.
Candidate support
All candidates attended a candidate briefing that outlined the next few weeks, the support available for them and advice on how to look after each other.
The SU Elections team provided a candidate hub for the period of campaigning, where candidates and their campaign teams could access free hot refreshments and snacks.
The Elections team offered drop-in sessions throughout the campaigning period from 10am and 4pm. The team provided 1 on 1 conversations during these sessions. Alongside this, SU Advice offered independent and impartial drop-in sessions specifically for the candidates every other day during the campaign period. SU Advice has also provided post-election Advice drop ins during the week after voting has ended.
Candidates are welcome to engage with this service at another time as well.
At the end of voting, the candidates were invited to a wrap party with their campaign teams to come together to celebrate their individual and collective achievements.
We encourage candidates to send feedback for us to review and work on for future elections.
Thank you so much for voting and getting involved with this year’s SU Leadership Election.