Union Elections
The Union of Students is a democratic organisation to represent the students of the University of Derby. To do this, we have to elect students into officer and representative positions with specific tasks in order to best represent our members.
The elections are organised so that any student can stand for election and vote for who they want to see represent them throughout the year. These elected students will then lead the Union of Students on behalf of every member of the Union and coordinate our work and direction.
There are three main stages to the elections – the Nominations period, the Ratification period, and the Voting period.
- During the Nominations period any student can put themselves forward to fill the roles.
- During the Ratification period students who have nominated themselves will attend a meeting held by the Union to enable them to understand the rules of the election, and to be officially confirmed as a candidate. It is after Ratification when candidates will prepare their campaign materials and begin their campaign.
- During the Voting period all students can vote on the Union website. Candidates will spend the voting period canvassing for as many votes as possible.
Where can I find out more?
Any official enquiries, complaints, feedback, or questions can be made to elections@derbyunion.co.uk which will be picked up by our elections team and directed to the best person to help. If you're after some personal experience or a more casual Q&A you could also contact one of our Executive Officers directly using their details on this website.
Upcoming and current Elections
Main Elections 2026
The Union's main elections. The three Executive Officers for 2026/27 will be chosen in this election.
3 posts are up for election.
Nominations open at 09:00 on Monday 17 November 2025 (in 12 days)
The polls open at 10:00 on Monday 9 February 2026 (in 13 weeks and 5 days)
- Post List
- Read more about the positions up for election and what each role entails.
Election Rules
As a Union, a basis of fair and democratic elections is fundamental. Our comprehensive election rules and governance help us to run elections and are a must-read for candidates.
Voting and Counting
Almost all Union elections use the Single Transferrable Vote system, to allow fairer and more democratic results. If you're only used to First-Past-The-Post elections such as in General Elections it's worth understanding how STV works.
Who's RON?
Sometimes you may not want to cast a vote or abstain. But sometimes you may want to actively vote against some (or all) of the candidates. A RON vote allows you to to express your preference if you are actively against candidate(s).