Candidate Guide to Campaigning

1. make sure you know how the process works

It’s crucial that you fully understand the Elections process, the rules and key dates before building your campaign. By ensuring this early on you can start planning with confidence that you’re adhering to the rules and won’t run into trouble later on.

2. ask yourself “why am i standing?”

Before jumping into creating posters and flyers make sure that you take some time to think exactly why you are standing. If you are clear in your reasoning it will make it easier to communicate this to potential voters.

3. think about who it is that you will be representing

Executive Officers are elected to represent University of Plymouth students - simple, right? No. The student body is vast and diverse. Make sure that you try and consider the views of as many different groups of students as possible.

once you’ve got the basics covered you’re ready to move on to building your campaign...

Are you looking to change something that you feel isn’t working? Do you want to try and create something completely new? Try making a list of all the things you’d ideally like to achieve and then prioritise them. Think about whether or not these things are realistic and eliminate those that aren’t.

Select three from your list that you feel are the most important.

You’ll need to submit these by Wednesday 18th February. This is a great way of condensing your aims and making it clear to yourself and to potential voters.

Make a clear campaigning strategy outlining your aims, objectives and tactics.

For example:

Aim Get elected Objectives Talk to 100 students, reach 50 students through social media Tactics Hand out 100 leaflets around campus, set up a Facebook/Twitter page

Here are just a few ideas for ways that you can appeal to as many students as possible. There’s no right or wrong way to campaign and definitely don’t feel restricted to stick to this list.

Most importantly, remember to stay inside your budget!

Banners

Using big banners can make your campaign a talking point. Think about the busiest spots on campus and where you think most students will see your materials.

Remember to ask permission from Estates before putting these banners up and don’t put them up before voting opens!

Leaflets

Handing over a leaflet is a great way to start a conversation.

Introduce yourself clearly, stating your name and the position you’re running for. The leaflet will act as a reminder of what you have said in person.

Stickers

Why not consider handing out stickers? For every sticker you hand out that’ll be one more person walking around campus wearing your campaign material. Shop around for the best price!

T-Shirts

By creating t-shirts for yourself and your campaign team you can make yourself easily identifiable on campus. You could think about attending busy club nights with your campaign team wearing them. Iron-on transfers or paint are a good way of creating cheap yet effective t-shirts.

songs

Try to think outside the box - write a song - make it catchy and get people talking about your campaign!

Facebook

Whilst you can use your personal account to promote yourself it might be a good idea to create a separate fan page for your campaign. This will give you a bit more privacy and enable you to solely focus on campaigning. Promote your campaign by adapting your poster into a Facebook cover photo - the size of which should be 851 x 315 pixels, profile pictures work best at 180 x 180 pixels.

The Beginner’s Guide to Facebook: http://goo.gl/VHevkl

Twitter

Consider creating a hashtag for your campaign, make it short, snappy and memorable. This will help you start a conversation about your campaign. Make those 140 characters count!

Personalise your Twitter banner - 1500 x 500 pixels.

The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter: http://goo.gl/0gh0hb

Instagram

Photos are a great way of immediately catching someones attention. Keep a visual log of your campaigning journey and show potential voters what you are getting up to!

The Beginner’s Guide to Instagram: http://goo.gl/uUbfhw

Youtube

By producing a video you can perfect your pitch and make it available to watch again and again. You don’t need to be an expert to upload a video to Youtube - you can even film it on your phone.

The Beginner’s Guide to Youtube: http://goo.gl/CNmKhQ

Poster bannersites sites in the SU poster andandbanner In the SU.

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Hall to the Hive. All walls expect officers wall

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Wood claded DJ bo

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Green booths, inside and out.

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Wooden fencing on the SU slope. Perfect for banners

All glass balustrades, Multi coloured booths

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ooth

, both sides. s by entrance

SU: plastic lettering only

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Railings above the SU. Not covering the SU: lettering. Perfect for banners

Where to promote on campus

where can i promote on campus?

UPSU Elections 2015 Campaigning on campus

Do not campaign in these areas

DO Know what makes you unique – why should people vote for you over others?

Be innovative in your campaigning! Think outside the box. Loud and creative campaign stunts can generate a lot of votes.

Campaign in the SU, around campus and in partner nightclubs Ask permission to put up promotional material outside of the SU Spend up to £70 on campaign materials, £30 of this will be reimbursed

by UPSU on production of receipts. Please provide receipts to account for the entire £70.

Allocate items you have a realistic value and account for them in your finances.

Tidy up once you have finished campaigning Ensure your campaign team know the rules – you will be accountable for their actions.

Research your manifesto, plan your campaign and organise your campaigns team before voting opens.

Promote yourself on social media.

Enjoy the election! Take time to look back on what you have achieved and feel proud of yourself.

Don’t Campaign physically before voting opens – this includes posters, banners, badges, flyers, t-shirts, stalls Campaign in the Hive, toilets, Library or any open access computer area Use the UPSU logo or strapline in your campaign – but you can use the Run UPSU logo.

Ask people to vote for you via email or text Put posters up on painted surfaces in the SU. You can put posters up on any other surfaces eg glass, acrylics etc.