About Solent Elections

Representation and democracy runs through the heart of what we do as a Students’ Union. Our elections give students a unique opportunity to represent your peers to Southampton Solent University, Solent Students' Union and the wider community to bring about the changes you'd like to see.

Standing in a student election and becoming a students' union officer can significantly boost your career, your CV and your leadership experience for when you leave university.

We have students across campus ensuring that all the big decisions made at Solent University are in the best interests of the student body, and one of them could be YOU!

Each year, Students' Union's across the UK run an elections period, followed by a by-elections later in the year, to fill a number of full-time and paid Sabbatical Officer roles, as well as many Volunteer Officer roles.

If elected, you can be in post for a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years.

Why do we run elections?

The Students’ Union exists to make sure that students have a voice and can influence decision making at university. By joining together and having your voices heard, we can build the student experience that you want, and elections are where you can do this

As with any election, voting for student representatives is incredibly important. Voting ensures that the candidate that is most aligned with your goals and values has a higher chance of being elected, and also that our best possible student representatives get elected.

This is crucial for any student studying at the university, as the elected candidates are the student voice– bringing up issues that affect us and remedying them, as well as facilitating a better and more accepting learning environment for us all. Their impact on the university knows no bounds, and entirely depends on the motivation and enthusiasm of the elected representatives- pretty much, it’s up to you, the student, to make your university life the best it can be by choosing the right representative.

Key dates 2025

• Applications open: Monday 20th January at 10am

• Applications close: Friday 14th February at 3pm

• Candidate briefing: Friday 14th February @5pm

• Manifesto and artwork deadline: Monday 17th 3pm

• Artwork printing to be collected: Friday 21st February @12pm

• Voting opens: Monday 24th February @10am

• Voting closes: Friday 28th February at 3pm

• Results night: Friday 28th February at 7pm

• Results posted online: within 2 working days