Friday 17-05-2019 - 09:40

 

RE: The University of Manchester Students’ Union Executive Officer Elections 2019 – Request to annul positions

 

To the Chief Returning Officer,

 

I am writing to you on behalf of the student membership of The University of Manchester regarding the 2019 Executive Officer Elections.

At Student Senate on 7^th February 2019 an indicative vote was taken to decide whether I should write a letter to you to ask for two positions in the elections to be annulled. This was passed with 80% of the votes. Therefore I am formally requesting that you in your capacity as Chief Returning Officer for our Executive Officer Elections 2019, annul the positions of General Secretary and Post-graduate Students Officer and allow us to run another election for these positions.

The Steering Committee for Senate received two policies for vote; one asking for a vote of no confidence in the incumbent General Secretary and Post-Graduate Officer, and another asking to annul the two positions and re-run the elections.

The Steering Committee (and the Students’ Union) believes in the independent role of the Chief Returning Officer and did not think it was constitutional for Senate to be able to annul democratic elections that had been declared free and fair by the CRO. Therefore it was decided that a formal request to yourself was the most constitutional and fair option to ensure the student voice is heard regarding this issue.

I attach the policies submitted and the Senate agenda for further information on the student opinion on this matter.