Elections
KU Student Senate Spring Elections Guide (Log in Required)
All forms pertaining to elections are now digital and can be found and submitte…
Spring Elections
Update 2/5/2024
The Student Senate Declaration of Candidacy forms will become available on February 18th. The deadline to file will be March 8th at 5pm. Once an individual has completed their Declaration of Candidacy form, they may begin campaigning through the end of the elections schedule.
The Spring 2024 Elections will take place from 6am Monday, April 1st through 4pm Thursday, April 4h.
Student Senate Constitution. This can be found under Title Six, Article III, Section 2:
Section 2. The Student Senate General Election in the Spring shall be held throughout the first full week of April. Elections shall run from 6:00 am on Monday to 4:00 pm on Thursday.
1. The start of the Election Schedule is the Monday of the third full week of February.
2. Candidates may begin filing their Declaration of Candidacy on the Monday of the third full week of February.
3. The Filing deadline for submitting a Declaration of Candidacy Form is 5:00 p.m. on the Friday of the week before spring break.
4. Election campaigning can occur from the Monday of the third full week of February (the official start date of the Election Schedule) until the end of the election schedule. Candidates may only begin campaigning once they’ve officially filed their Declaration of Candidacy. Election campaigning includes any activity that supports or opposes the election of one or more registered candidates.
5. The end date of the Election Schedule is when the official election results are certified and delivered.
6. The Election Schedule must be publicly available within the first week of the spring semester.
Freshman Elections
Freshman Jayhawks,
Welcome to KU! You are beginning to embark on an incredible journey that will take you from orientation to commencement's walk through the Campanile. The memories you make on this hill will last a lifetime, and the best way to create memories is to get involved! There are so many ways to be involved at KU, and we here at Student Senate want you to join us in our chambers this fall. Student Senate is the student voice that leads to tangible, meaningful change on our campus.
Freshman elections occur each academic year in the fall, electing 5 senators to represent incoming students. Regardless of whether or not you run during the fall, you can always get involved in Student Senate! Click on the Committees tab to learn how you can get involved with one of our four standing committees, where every KU student has voting rights!
Rock Chalk!
For any questions, please see the FAQ. Further comments or inquiries should be sent to the Elections Commission at election@ku.edu
Spring Elections FAQs
To become a candidate you must file a Declaration of Candidacy form. The Declaration of Candidacy forms can all be found on Rock Chalk Central. This form will open on February 18th. The deadline to complete will be March 8th at 5pm.
- Gathering of signatures is not necessary for candidates
No. Once you have completed your Declaration of Candidacy form, you may begin campaigning through the end of the elections schedule.
No. You must be a member of the division that the position represents, i.e. you cannot be an Engineering representative if you are not a member of the Engineering school.
You may file complaints against the Elections Commission with the Student Senate Chief Justice of Appeals and the Student Senate Chief of Staff. We are not an infallible committee and answer to the Senate regulations and rules as any other affiliated body does.
Student Senate Elections will take place from 6am on Monday, April 1st through 4pm on Thursday, April 4th.
There is no definitive timeline. Elections Commission will determine if the election has been certified, and results will be shared once this process if complete. You may request a recount or contest the results 24 hours after the public release of these results.
Candidates are prohibited from utilizing outside funding or resources to participate in the Student Senate Election. You are able to use any materials within the Campaign Resource Closet. Please reach out to the Elections Commission to discuss how to access available items.
“Any paraphernalia or property with the primary purpose of promoting or opposing the election of any candidate or group of candidates to any Student Senate office.” You are able to use any materials within the Campaign Resource Closet. Please reach out to the Elections Commission to discuss how to access available items.
Campaigning can be done through various methods such as:
- Tabling outside of buildings on the KU Campus
- Chalking with water-soluble sidewalk chalk on horizontal surfaces exposed to the weather
- Distributing campaign materials such as bulletin boards on campus (with approval)
- Items must be removed from all on-campus locations by the end of Election Week
- Visiting student organization during their meetings
- Digitally through candidate websites or social media accounts
- You must notify the Elections Commission within 48 hours of any account
The rules for the elections process can be found in the Student Senate Constitution Elections Code.
First, read through Student Senate's Constitution Elections Code. If you can't find your answer, email us! We are here to help you.
The Elections Commission is composed of appointed, unbiased individuals. It is led by the Director of Internal Affairs and the Chief Magistrate along with five commissioners with voting power.