The Guild Election is looming ever closer. Nominations close in just under a week (on September 1st), and polls open not long after. But how does the whole thing work, and should you fill out an application form?
The first stage of the process is the one that we are currently in—nominations. Anyone (so long as they’re a student of Curtin studying on a WA campus, member of the Guild, and over 18) can apply for a position, though some positions (including President and Vice Presidents) have additional requirements. This includes requirements that ensure the Queer Officer is queer themselves and the First Nations Officer is Indigenous for example. If you’re interested in the requirements for other positions, check out page 4 of the Guild Election Handbook.
If you’re the only person to nominate for a role, you win by default—and this is a surprisingly common outcome! Nomination forms are available from the Guild Reception (in 106F), or online. Remember, as outlined in the Election Handbook—”Your nomination must be witnessed by either a member of Guild Staff authorised by the Managing Director (at Guild Reception, Building 106F), the Returning Officer or a Justice of the Peace, who has seen your student card and witnessed you signing the form.”
There is a $10 nomination fee that must be paid by all candidates—but this is a flat rate no matter how many roles you apply for (max one Curtin Council position and one member of the Representation Board). Candidates are also invited to submit a 500-word statement of their policies and beliefs, and an image of themselves.
After nominations close, the Guild will share the provided candidate statements and images (watch this space as Grok will be doing coverage of the 2022 roles and candidates!). This year, they’ll be announced on September 2nd at 9am.
Image credit: Jemma Schofield
Then, on September 19th, voting begins. To vote, you must be enrolled in at least one Curtin unit before the Semester 2 Census Date. Voting will close at 4pm on the 23rd of September.
The first option available to students is to vote on the Bentley campus. At this stage, polls are looking to be setup at “Club HQ and Curtin South (near Mallokup Café) from 10am to 4pm on each polling day”—according to the Handbook.
For students unable to vote in person, postal votes are offered. To vote this way, you’ll need to fill out an application and send it to the Returning Officer (CurtinGuild2022@outlook.com) to be received before noon on September 14th.
Next, the votes will be tallied. Like federal and state elections, if a candidate does not receive 50% of the primary vote, the winner will be determined by preferences.
Once we know the results, they’ll be posted outside Building 106F. All candidates will be notified of the outcome of the election via email by the Returning Officer and will receive a certificate of participation.
For full details on applying, the Guild has curated a comprehensive Handbook for Candidates. Check it out here! Student politics is a rewarding way to give a platform to the issues that matter to students, and to make a meaningful difference as an active member of the Curtin community. There’s still time—if you’re interested, fill out a nomination form and give it a go!