Elections
UMSU International Notice of election
Voting October 7-8
Notice is hearby given for a Byelection to fill the vacancies for President and Education Director that have arisen in the UMSU International Committee.
The byelection will take place online over the 7th and 8th October 2026. All voters will be sent a personalised voting link to their student email account. A full timetable for the election is set out below.
All international students enrolled in a higher education award course are eligible to vote. Full details about eligibility to stand, including the list of positions available, are given below.
Nominations are open from Sunday September 27, 2026 and close at 5pm (Melbourne time) on Thursday 1st October. This deadline is strict and cannot be extended; candidates are encouraged to submit their nominations well in advance.
Stephen Luntz
Election timetable
- Thursday 24th Sept — formal notice given
- Sunday 27th September nominations open
- Tuesday 29th Sept — a provisional list of nominations will be published (48 hrs before close of nominations)
- 5pm, Thursday 1st October — close of nominations
- 10am, Wednesday 7th October — voting opens
- 5pm, Thursday 8th October — voting closes
All times are Melbourne time.
Position to be elected
- President
- Education Director
- Media & Marketing Director
Information for prospective candidates
The nomination form is open. Nominations (including completed nominator and seconder consents) must be received by 5pm (Melbourne time) Thursday 1st October 2026. This deadline is strict and cannot be extended.
Because of the nominator/seconder consent process, we urge you not to leave your nomination to the last minute. Most mistakes in a nomination form cannot be corrected after the deadline.
Eligibility
Generally, all international students are eligible to run for President
The following specific rules apply:
- To be eligible, you must be able to complete your full term within the duration of your course
- If you are going on exchange during your term of office, you are not eligible
- All non-International Students who hold an Australian Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship are eligible to run for Director and Officer positions only (Electoral Regulation 6.2)
- Australian Citizens are eligible to run for Officer positions only (Electoral Regulation 6.3)
If you are not sure about your eligibility, please get in touch early.
Nominators and seconders
All candidates must have a nominator and seconder (Regulation 10.1 and Electoral Regulation 9.5). The nominator and seconder:
- Must each be international students
- Must not themselves be candidates for either position
- Can’t be you (you can’t nominate yourself)
You’ll have to provide contact details of the students nominating and seconding you on the candidate nomination form. We will write to those students to seek their consent to the nomination process—this just requires them to click a link and a button in their email, but must be done by close of nominations. We strongly encourage you to nominate well before the deadline so any issues with nomination can be worked out.
Campaigning
Any campaigning must be done in accordance with the UMSU International Electoral Regulations, and can be done only by candidates or their nominated representatives. More information will be posted closer to the election, but you are encouraged to contact us if you have any questions.
Information about the roles
Part V of the UMSU International Regulations (linked below) sets out the duties and powers of elected representatives.
Stephen Luntz
Returning Officer
Above Quota Elections
Email: sluntz@abovequota.com.au
Phone: 0438 667 787
September 24, 2026