Elections

The Student Senate Elections Commission is established as a non-partisan body to ensure a fair election process. The commission sets all deadlines and polling dates, develops voting methods for students, coordinates debates, and oversees any campaign violations and investigations. Members are selected before the election season.

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 1/31/2023

The Student Senate Declaration of Candidacy forms will become available on February 1st. The deadline to file will be March 20th 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 2023 Elections will take place from 6am Monday, April 17th through 4pm Thursday, April 20th. 

 

Student Senate Constitution. This can be found under Title Six, Article III, Section 2:

Section 2. Student Senate Spring Elections Schedule. The Student Senate General Election in the Spring shall be held throughout the third week of April. Elections shall run from 6:00am on Monday to 4:00pm on Thursday. 

  • The start of the Election Schedule is February 1.
  • Candidates may begin filing their Declaration of Candidacy during the first week of February.
  • The Filing deadline for submitting a Declaration of Candidacy Form is 5:00p.m. on the Monday of the third week of March.
  • Election campaigning can occur from February 1 until the end of the election schedule. Election campaigning includes any activity that supports or opposes the election of one or more registered candidates.
  • The end date of the Election Schedule is when the official election results are certified and delivered.
  • The Election Schedule must be publicly available within the first week of the spring semester. 

Violations

All violations are now digital and must be submitted via Rock Chalk Central.

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 1st. The deadline to complete will be March 20th 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 17th through 4pm on Thursday, April 20th.

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

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.