What Are the SU Elections?
Each year, students at Swansea University Students’ Union elect representatives to lead the Union and speak up for students. These are the SU Elections, and they give you a real say in how student life works.
The students who are elected are called SU Officers. They represent students’ views, lead campaigns, work with the University, and help improve things like education, wellbeing, societies, sport, and equality. Officers are involved in decisions that affect students every day, we'll be telling you more about the work they do and how it affects YOU over the coming weeks.
There are two types of roles: Full-Time Officers and Part-Time Officers. Full-Time Officers work for the SU for one year and are paid. Part-Time Officers volunteer alongside their studies and focus on representing specific student groups or issues. In this election period, you will be nominating and voting for Full-Time Officers.
The SU Elections are open to all current students. You don’t need experience, and you don’t need to have been involved in the SU before. If you care about student issues and want to make change, you can stand.
Taking part in the elections — by standing or voting — helps make sure the Students’ Union truly represents its members.
How to Stand in the SU Elections
Standing in the SU Elections is straightforward, and support is available at every stage.
To stand, you need to submit a nomination during the nominations period. This is done online through the Students’ Union website. When completing your nomination, you’ll be asked to choose the role you want to stand for and provide some basic information about yourself.
You may also be asked to upload a photo and a short manifesto later in the process. Your manifesto explains why you are standing and what you would like to achieve if elected. Don’t worry if you’ve never written one before — guidance and examples are provided.
Before your nomination is accepted, you must agree to the SU Election Rules. These rules help keep the elections fair for everyone and explain what you can and cannot do while campaigning.
If you’re unsure about any part of the process, the Elections Team can help. You can ask questions, attend drop-in sessions, or contact them by email for one-to-one support.
You don’t need confidence or experience — just an interest in improving student life.