Running for election can seem overwhelming, but it’s not as tough as you might think. We’ve put together some information that can help you. There are a bunch of steps, but they aren’t difficult. Just be sure to go through each step thoroughly
You can’t run if you’re not nominated, so grab a nomination form for the position(s) you’re interested in. You’ll need to fill in your name, collect signatures and submit it before the deadline.
Tip: Get your nomination form out of the way early! That way, you can focus on getting ready for your campaign.
Tip: You can be an AMS Executive and be on the UBC Board or Senate at the same time.
Tip: Collecting signatures is easier than you might think. Your friends, classmates and roomies may be all the signatures you need. If that’s not enough ask random students around campus, you’ll be surprised how many will agree to sign.
Get the inside scoop from the student who currently in the position you’re interested in. Not only will you learn more about the details of the position, you’ll get some ideas for your own campaign. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to the incumbent, talk to an incumbent from previous years, or someone in a different position.
You’ll find the election will be a lot more fun with an enthusiastic group of friends supporting you. They can help you brainstorm, campaign, promote and generally be there when you need them. For AMS Elections, a team of 3-4 is good number (the more the better). For smaller constituency elections, 1-2 team members might be enough.
Tip: You’ll be surprised by how many friends would be willing to support your campaign, so don’t be afraid to ask for their help.
An election platform are the things you want to accomplish that will make things better for students. Your platform should answer this simple question: Why would a student vote for you instead of someone else? A good platform clearly communicates how you’ll tackle the issues you feel are important to students and makes you stand out from other candidates. Creating a solid platform is one of the most important steps, so be sure to spend some time on it.
Tip: A good platform should inspire students to vote for you, but it also needs to be realistic. Students can tell when a candidate is over-promising, so keep your platform goals achievable.
Tip: Candidates with good platforms spend a lot of time reading and researching to make sure that they can deliver on the things they say they will. Nothing is as cringy as watching a candidate struggle to explain how they would achieve something they promised.
Now that you’ve outlined why students should vote for you, you need to get the word out! Spend some time making campaign material that looks professional. Professional looking materials tell students that you’ll bring the same level of professionalism the position you’re running for.
Tip: If no one on your team has strong graphic design skills, there are lots of resources available. Sites like Canva, Adobe Spark, Squarespace, and others come with templates that make it easier.
Tip: Get your campaign materials created before campaigning starts. You’ll want to spend your time on campaigning, not on designing.
Tip: Have a website where students can go to find out more about you and your platform. You don’t need to know how to code, platforms like Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and others have easy to use templates.
With your nomination submitted, and your platform and campaign materials created, you’re ready to start campaigning. We outline several options for you.
Tip: Be prepared to answer, “Why should I vote for you?” Have your response rehearsed and memorized, so you can recite it without hesitation – you’ll get asked this a lot.
Tip: The best way to answer, “Why should I vote for you?” isn’t to tell students what you plan to do. Instead, tell students what you plan to achieve and how it will make their lives better.
In-person canvassing
This is campaigning in its purest form. Take the time to talk to students and encourage them to vote for you. Allowing students to see you in person can do wonders for gaining support. Some candidates even give out candy, treats, stickers, or campaign cards while they canvass.
Classroom announcements
Classroom announcements at the start of lectures are a great way of getting your campaign message out to a lot of students at once. Prep a 60 to 90 second speech that highlights your key platform points and tells students why they should vote for you over another candidate.
TIP: Reach out to instructors in advance to see if it’s okay to make an announcement, it will be a lot less awkward than just showing up at the start of their class.
Get endorsed
If your platform aligns with certain student groups, you can reach out to them and ask for their endorsement. While an endorsement may not seem like much, depending on the student group it could be enough to help you win in a close race.
Tip: Endorsements are earned, so you’ll have more success if you put in the effort to meaningfully engage with the groups you want an endorsement from.
Social media ads
Social media ads and posted boosts are a great way to reach students UBC that may not follow you directly. This is particularly effective if your platform addresses a specific niche issue that you can target to specific students.
Tip: Create your ad accounts at least a few weeks in advance. Platforms like Meta have specific rules around political advertising. You may need to get your ads reviewed and/or get certified first.
Tip: Take some time to learn how to use ad-managing tools, you can really target your ads to get the best value for your dollar.
Organic social media posts
Organic posts are simply regular posts that you don’t pay to promote. It can actually be more effective to get your friends to share your campaign posts because they provide an indirect endorsement of you.
Lawn signs
Lawn signs, when placed strategically are a good way to raise awareness of you and your platform. You must get approval from the UBC Campus & Community Planning office in advance before you’re allowed put up the signs. C&CP can take a while to review your request, so if lawn signs are part of your plan, submit your application well in advance.
Others
We’ve outlined a few of the most popular and common ways to campaign but figure out what works best for you. Lots of candidates have run very successful campaigns using less conventional methods. The great thing about less conventional campaigning is there is a lot less competition for students’ attention, so brainstorm with your team and see what you can come up with.
If you’re running in an AMS election, you’re going to participate in one or more debates during your campaign. The debates are your chance to respond directly to questions, challenge your opponents’ platforms, and show students you are ready to be a student leader.
Make sure you spend time with your team preparing. Know your platform, know the position you’re running for, and anticipate what your opponents might talk about.
Tip: It’s important that you understand how UBC and the AMS function and how decisions are made, as it can have a big impact on your campaign promises and what you’re able to accomplish.
