Unitu - The Student Voice Platform’s Post

With the 2024 General Elections approaching on 29 May 2024, student participation is more critical than ever. As of 21 May, only 2.3% of registered voters fall within the 18-19 age bracket, whereas a mere 15.9% are between the ages of 20 to 29. Needless to say, the call for students to vote in this year’s elections is crucial. #SAelections24 #SAelections2024

5 reasons to vote in the Student Officer Elections ⬇️🗳️💚 Voting for Student Officer elections is now OPEN and power is in your hands to decide who leads the Guild   📣 Have Your Say   Having your say in our Student Officer elections is your secret superpower; you can help shape our campus, decide your student leaders and make sure your voice is heard loud and clear   🚀 Make Change to the Student Experience   Your Student Officers affect real change right here on campus. From free microwaves and hot water to help make your every day that bit easier, to huge policy changes like the introduction of self certification for ELPs, your vote will help improve the experience of current and future students   🗳️ Democratic Right   As your Students' Union, students are at the heart of our democratic process. The Guild is a place where your voice matters and by using your right to vote you are making a difference!     🎁 A Chance to Win Prizes 
From Parklife tickets to a game at Golf Fang, gig tickets and a big shop on us, we'll be giving away daily election prizes as a big thank you to our voters. We'll draw our winner from students who have voted so the earlier you vote, the more chances you have to win!     💚 Make sure the Student Officer team represents YOU The Student Officer team is here to ensure your voice is heard at the Guild, throughout the University and on a national scale. Vote for the change you want to see on campus by voting for the candidates fighting for causes you care about

📣Are you ready for your upcoming Rep Elections? As the new academic year approaches, Student Rep Coordinators and Student Voice staff are preparing to run their Rep Elections. We know it can be a challenging time, with many stakeholders involved—but it doesn’t have to be. 💠Unitu’s Rep Elections tool can streamline the entire process. From customising nominations and voting rules to setting timelines that fit your Student Union’s needs, our tool simplifies every step. 🔁Managing communication during elections is also made easier with automated email reminders that keep everyone informed and on track, ensuring no deadlines are missed. 🗂️By reducing the manual workload and the stress of juggling with student data spreadsheets, Unitu allows you to focus on what truly matters: engaging your student community and running a successful election. Ready to automate your election process and reduce the workload? Discover how Unitu can transform your approach: https://bit.ly/3AEJ3GB

Next capacitation! October 9 Election 2024: Education to Reduce Online Disinformation A conversation with author Sam Wineburg Wednesday, October 9, 1-2 p.m. Pacific Time Register for October 9 Voters are being besieged with questionable information online about elections. How do we teach people, young and old, to parse falsehood from fact and make the educated judgments democracy demands? Sam Wineburg, co-author of VERIFIED: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Wise Decisions about What to Believe Online, will discuss strategies he and his co-author Mike Caulfield have developed to ascertain the reliability of the latest stories circulating over the internet. In a discussion with Stanford Vice Provost for Digital Education Matthew Rascoff, he will lay out some practical, accessible steps everyone should take to assess the reliability of online information before they engage with it or amplify it. Digital literacy, Wineburg says, is essential for the civic health of a public that is increasingly online — not just to bank, shop, and find entertainment, but to socialize, discuss, become informed, and vote. Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor of Education, Emeritus, at Stanford University, and the founder of the nonprofit Digital Inquiry Group (previously known as Stanford History Education Group). 

Our postelection analysis is out! While the 2024 federal elections brought significant change, voters at the state level opted for stability, with no shifts in partisan control of state boards. The report highlights key takeaways from elections that decided 64 state board seats across nine states, three territories, and D.C. NASBE’s Abigail Potts, Joseph Hedger, and Naomi Porter, authors of the report, note: “While partisan control of state education leadership saw minimal changes, state education leadership will continue to face scrutiny. Politics, rather than partisanship, may have a bigger impact on the 2025 education policy landscape, as elected leaders shift from campaigning to governing.” Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eY_MU9Ev

As we head into the end of the year, I have been reflecting on what has been an incredibly busy and rewarding year. Usually I would keep these musings to my self but I thought this year I would share with my network and get your thoughts. Therefore I will be posting my reflections ad experiences, both personal and professional, from 2024 throughout the month. Reflection #1 As part of my role as project officer at Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, I had the immense privilege of working with Wandsworth’s electoral services team to deliver the GLA and General Election. Delivering two elections in such proximity and learning more about the hard work it takes to run elections, not only gave me insight into a process very few get to experience, but it also gave me a greater insight into the British electorate. Some of the countless queries and emails we had to deal with included; - I haven’t received my polling card that has Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer’s names on them - Can I vote electronically? - Can you register my vote for me? - I just voted in the previous election Whilst some of the queries were if genuine concern and it’s easy to see why the resident could get so confused, but some did get me thinking about how the process of voting is taught in this country. When I was at school we would hold mock elections, and would often go to the polling station with my parents. My niece who now attends the same school I did, said they held no mock elections for either of the elections this year. Mock elections at school provide children with the ability to learn about the electoral process and get a chance to take part in democracy, especially if they do not have family members who vote for whatever reason. Understanding the process of voting and why things are done in certain ways (including deadlines - a constant barrier to voting), can really help increase electoral participation. Such an education starts in school, even if only when students are turning 18, but should also continue through adulthood especially around election times. In a time of misinformation, it’s important that communication channels including social media educate rather than spread false information.

Check out how schools that use mock elections are helping build voting habits early and getting students to understand the electoral process. #K12 #Schools #Election2024

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨? For a lot of schools, it’s the nominations. It takes ages to organise—tracking down forms, chasing people, and trying to make sense of it all. With Choice Voting, we’ve found a way to simplify it. Nominations are gathered automatically, and as soon as they’re in, the election is built for you—no extra work required. It’s quick, secure, and gives you back valuable time for other priorities. We recently created a post for school Clerks and governance teams on why your manual working process is holding you back https://www.rfr.bz/l2a0e94 Let’s talk about what’s working well—and what could work better.

Voting now open! You can place your vote for who you most want to become your SU President, VP Education, VP Activities, and VP Wellbeing and Diversity by visiting: www.upsu.com/elections/ Voting closes 8th of March at midday. There are many reasons why you should take part in the Student Election and place your vote, even if you don’t know someone who is running as a candidate. The four students who are elected will have a direct say in how the Students’ Union is run and the strategic direction of the SU by speaking on your behalf at high-level meetings and working alongside SU staff, the University of Plymouth, and external organisations. Those who are elected represent the voices of the entire student community and will work to improve the student experience. This is why it is so important you have your say on who you want this to be and you cast your vote carefully. --------------------------------- How does voting work? From the 4th of March at midday, you will be able to go to the Student Elections webpage and cast your vote. You will be able to vote in your order of preference. For example, if there are five candidates for the role of President, you will be able to put them in running order of preference from 1-5. You do not, however, have to place all the candidates in an order; if there is only one candidate you want to vote for, you can just cast a vote for that individual only and not rank the other candidates. You are able to cast your vote in each of the four roles or you can just vote in one role. We do, however, highly encourage all students to cast their vote within each of the four Sabbatical Officer roles to ensure you have a say on the entire newly elected Sabbatical Officer team. If you do not want to vote for any candidate in a particular category, you can vote for R.O.N which is a vote to re-open nominations. Once you place your vote, you cannot change your mind. Voting in anonymous. www.upsu.com/elections/ University of Plymouth #studentelections #sabbaticalofficers #su #upsu #student #universityofplymouth #plymouthuniversity #unilife #votingweek #vote #studentvoice #elections #plym

Dear Friends As we approach the upcoming general elections, I wanted to reach out and urge each of you to actively participate in this crucial democratic process. Our votes are not just a right but a responsibility that shapes the future of our country and communities. Here are a few reasons why your participation matters: 1. **Influence and Impact:** Your vote is your voice. By casting your vote, you contribute to the decision-making process and have a say in who represents us at various levels of government. 2. **Representation:** Elections determine who will represent us in legislative bodies, making decisions that affect our lives, rights, and opportunities. Your vote helps ensure that our interests are represented effectively. 3. **Issues That Matter:** Voting allows you to support candidates and initiatives that align with your values and address the issues you care about most, such as healthcare, education, the economy, climate change, and social justice. 4. **Accountability:** Holding elected officials accountable starts with participating in elections. Your vote sends a message about the kind of leadership and policies you expect and demand. 5. **Building a Better Future:** Every vote counts towards building a better future for ourselves, our families, and future generations. It's a way to contribute to positive change and progress in our society. I understand that life gets busy, but taking the time to vote is a small yet significant action that can have a lasting impact. Let's make our voices heard and ensure that our democracy remains strong and inclusive. Please vote Regards