How do you become a candidate for the elections?

Roadmap Candidacy USR

• Step 1: Check your eligibility

  To run for University Student Council you must be eligible to vote. Students who are registered as students at VU on the polling date determined by the Elections Commission are eligible to vote. All eligible voters are included in the register of voters determined by the Elections Commission. If you deregister from VU after the reference date, you will lose your right to vote. If you are doing a premaster program at VU, you are not eligible to vote because by law you are not enrolled as a student.

• Step 2: Ensure sufficient signatures

  A candidacy requires signatures of so-called nominees. These are students eligible to vote at VU. A USR list of candidates requires at least fifteen eligible nominees. An eligible candidate cannot also be a nominee: (so your name cannot appear on both the front and back of the candidate list).

  To stand for election, you can submit a list of candidates through one of the university parties or you can submit your own list of candidates. The number of candidate signatures you need is the same in both cases.

• Step 3: Submit the candidate list on time

  Once you have collected enough signatures, you can submit your list of candidates to the Elections Committee. The candidate list will describe where and when you can submit your list. Questions? If so, contact the Elections Commission at kiescommissie@vu.nl. Please note that if you submit your list of candidates too late, you will not be able to participate in the elections.

• Step 4: Campaign!

  Has your candidacy been approved? Then it's time to campaign! As a candidate (independent or within a party), you are entitled to a financial allowance to campaign. Would you like to claim this allowance? Then contact Student Engagement at studentengagement@vu.nl.

  Individual candidates can claim up to 300 euros and the largest party can claim up to 877.50 euros. Below is an overview:

  • Individual candidate: 300 euros;
  • Party with 2 candidates: 450 euros;
  • Party with 3 candidates: 577.50 euros;
  • Party with 4 candidates: 682.50 euros;
  • Party with 5 candidates: 761 euros;
  • Party with 6 candidates: 825 euros;
  • Party with 7 candidates: 862.50 euros;
  • Party with 8 candidates or more: 877.50 euros;

  Don't know where to start campaigning? Or looking for help organizing a campaign that reaches all students? Then contact the Coordinator for Strengthening Participation at e.lodder@vu.nl.

Roadmap Candidacy FSR

• Step 1: Check your eligibility

  To be a candidate for a Faculty Student Council you must be eligible to vote and be enrolled in a program at the faculty concerned. Students who are registered as VU students on the date set by the Elections Committee are eligible to vote. Please note that you must also be enrolled in a program of the faculty in question in the year for which you stand for election (the following academic year). All eligible voters are included in the register of voters established by the Elections Commission. If you deregister from VU after the polling date, you will lose your right to vote. If you are doing a premaster program at VU, you are not eligible to vote because, by law, you are not enrolled as a student. Dental students (ACTA students) cannot stand for election to the FSR, because the elections for the FSR of ACTA are held at the UvA.

• Step 2: Ensure sufficient signatures

  For a candidacy, signatures are required from so-called nominees. These are students at VU who are taking courses within your faculty and have the right to vote. An FSR candidate list requires at least five eligible candidates. An eligible candidate cannot also be a petitioner (i.e. your name cannot appear on both the front and back of the petition).

• Step 3: Submit the candidate list on time

  Once you have collected enough signatures, you can submit your list of candidates to the Elections Committee. The candidate list will describe where and when you can submit your list. Questions? If so, contact the Elections Commission at kiescommissie@vu.nl.

• Step 4: Campaign!

  Has your candidacy been approved? Then it's time to campaign! As a candidate (independent or within a party), you are entitled to a financial allowance to campaign. Would you like to claim this allowance? Then contact Student Success at a.antonjan@vu.nl.

  Don't know where to start campaigning? Or looking for help organizing a campaign that reaches all students? Then contact the Coordinator for Strengthening Participation at e.lodder@vu.nl.

Seat distribution

• USR

  The Elections Committee determines the results of the elections and allocates council seats in accordance with the Student Councils Elections Regulations.

  For the USR there are 11 seats available, of which 10 seats are earmarked for the different faculties within the VU. If several candidates stand for election to the seat of the same faculty, the seat is allocated to the candidate with the most votes. If only one candidate stood for an earmarked seat, that candidate is directly elected to that seat after the close of the election. If there are no candidates running for the earmarked seat, then the seat loses its earmark and becomes unearmarked. When the earmarked seats are distributed, the remaining unearmarked seats are allocated. The unearmarked seats are allocated to the candidate with the most number of votes, regardless of the candidate's faculty affiliation.

  For both the USR and the FSR, if fewer candidates have stood for election than the number of seats available, elections for the USR or the respective FSR will be omitted. The candidates who stood for election are declared elected.

• FSR

  The Elections Committee determines the results of the elections and allocates council seats in accordance with the Student Councils Elections Regulations.

  To determine the results of the elections of the faculty student councils, the Electoral Commission determines for each faculty the total number of valid votes within the faculty concerned and divides these votes by the number of seats to be filled. This number - rounded up if necessary - is the so-called electoral division. In addition, for each faculty, the Electoral Commission determines the result of each list of candidates: 

  a. the number of votes cast for each candidate on a list, and
  b. the total number of votes cast for each candidate list.

  The number of times the electoral quota fits the number of votes cast for a list, seats are allocated to the list. Of the remaining seats, one seat is consecutively allocated each time to the list that received the largest number of remaining votes. If more seats are allocated to a list than there are candidates, the seat is allocated to the next list according to the above-mentioned system.

  Any candidate on the list to which seats have been allocated who has obtained the number of votes at least equal to the electoral quota is elected. In this case, the candidate is elected with preference. The remaining seats are allocated to the candidates who obtained fewer votes than the electoral fraction. In awarding those remaining seats, the order of the list is used.

  For both the USR and the FSR, if fewer candidates have stood for election than the number of seats available, elections for the USR or the respective FSR will be omitted. The candidates who have stood for election are declared elected.

More about the elections and the student participation