UASU Elections
As a student-run organization, UASU’s student leaders are elected annually to represent the 35,000+ undergrads at the University of Alberta and guide our efforts for the coming year.
Your UASU holds three elections throughout the year: a By-Election in the Fall, and the General Election, and the Students’ Council and General Faculties Council Election takes place in the Winter term. New candidates are nominated for a variety of leadership roles and you vote on your representatives for the coming year.
Fall By-Election
- Election to fill vacancies on Students' Council and the General Faculties Council.
- Occurs during the first week of October each year.
Students' Union General Election
- Election to fill the President, Vice Presidents, and Board of Governors representative positions.
- Plebiscite and/or Referenda questions, if any, occur during this election.
- Occurs during the first week of March each year.
- The deadline for nomination to the Students' Union General Election is Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 6:00 P.M.
Students' Council (SC)/General Faculties Council (GFC) Elections
- Election of councillors from the various faculties to either Students' Council or the General Faculties Council.
- Faculty Association (FA) elections are encouraged to participate.
- Occurs during third week in March each year.
- The deadline for nomination to the Students' Union Students' Council/General Faculties Elections is Monday, March 9, 2026 at 6:00 P.M.
Vacancy Petitions
When Elections are over, but you're still interested in getting involved: according to UASU bylaws, you can submit a vacancy petition if there are openings for your faculty. Vacancy petitions are open until September 22, and will re-open following the fall by-election.
Nomination Package Part A: Required Forms
Each year, University of Alberta undergraduate students vote in the General Election to elect the next year's Executive team and Board of Governors Representative.
This package includes forms to be submitted to the Chief Returning Officer before the nomination deadline, listed within.
Nomination Package Part B: Campaign Rules and Election Dates
As a candidate, it is your responsibility to be familiar with all the materials in this package, and make a good-faith effort to uphold all relevant guidelines and rules.
It is also your responsibility to ensure that you and your volunteer team hold yourselves to the highest standards of behaviour toward members of other campaigns. Your conduct is subject to the Code of Student Behaviour.
Part B does NOT need to be filled out and returned to the CRO.
Nomination Package Part C: Bylaws and Regulations
Regulation 320.07 requires the nomination package to include "complete and current copies of Bylaw 320, relevant Regulations, and the Judiciary of the Students’ Union, Regulation 140." These bylaws and regulations comprise Part C of the nomination package.
As a candidate, you are responsible for reading and understanding all of Part C.
Part C does not need to be filled out and returned to the CRO.
Bodies Elected by Students' Union Members
UASU Executive Committee
- President: Acts as the primary spokesperson for the Students’ Union.
- VP Academic: Advocates for students' interests within the University community and beyond.
- VP External: Responsible for Students' Union government and community relations.
- VP Operations and Finance: Responsible for managing the UASU's $10 million budget.
- VP Student Life: Responsible for university-related non-academic issues.
Undergraduate Board of Governors Representative
Acts as a voice for the undergraduate student body on the University of Alberta Board of Governors, the ultimate decision making authority of the university. This student works in coordination with the UASU President (another BoG member) and also sits as a voting member of the UASU Students' Council.
UASU Students' Council
The highest governing body of the Students' Union. This council has ultimate decision-making authority over all aspects of the organization.
General Faculties Council
The academic legislative body of the University of Alberta. This council deals with all academic matters and student affairs issues (as set out in the Alberta Post-Secondary Learning Act). It is the highest level at which academic decisions are made, and is chaired by the President of the University of Alberta.
Other Elections
Plebiscites and Referenda
Plebiscites and referenda can either be initiated by UASU Students' Council or by individual UASU members. A plebiscite is a vote, open to all Students' Union members held on a given question but that is not binding, while a referendum is a vote held on a given question and whose result is legally binding upon the Students’ Union.
Contact the CRO by October if you're interested in proposing a question.
Run your SRA election with us
Student Representative Associations (including Residence and Faculty Associations) can add their elections on to our election periods in many cases. Contact the CRO for more info.
Contact Information
Chief Returning Officer
Room 0-68 SUB