SRC nominations off on a good start

9 September 2020 - Wits University

The call for candidates to run for the SRC General Election has yielded positive results with nearly 58 nominations submitted to the Wits Electoral Office.

The nominations opened on 31 August and close at 16:00 on Friday, 11 September 2020. Online voting takes place on 6 and 7 October 2020.

“The number of nominations received thus far surpasses those of previous year. This is a good sign to the University and for student activism as the SRC plays an important role in making sure that the voices and needs of students are heard and considered at all levels of the university,” says Jabu Mashinini, the Chief Electoral Officer and Manager of Student Governance.

The schedule for the elections process has been published and all related activities will take place online due to Covid-19.

The process leading to voting day is traditionally characterised by robust debates and campaigning across all five campuses. However, due to changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the regulations to contain the virus, candidates will have to conduct these online using virtual platforms.

“Even though this departs from the traditional practices of campaigning and mass circuses where candidates present their manifestos, we are confident that our student leaders will rise to the challenge as digital natives,” adds Mashinini.

No stranger to running elections online, the Wits Student Governance Office introduced online voting in 2017 and has built the foundation and experience required to move the electoral process fully online.

According to Mashinini there are several benefits that come with running the elections fully online, one of which is the democratisation of the elections.

The online process means that anyone can participate and vote no matter where they are in the world. Previously the official mass circuses with candidates responding to questions from fellow students would take place during lunch hour. Not all students could attend due to competing needs such as academic programmes, distance and collecting food from the dining hall. The online platforms mean that more students can engage with the candidates about their vision and the changing needs of students.

Online elections and Data

Many operations are running successfully online across the world including virtual mass conferences and gatherings.

Candidates will present via zoom and interact with students. Dates will be communicated via the University’s channels once the final candidates have gone through a vetting process for eligibility in line with the University’sthe rules.

The Electoral Office aims to use zero-rated platforms to minimise data usage on the side of students, says Mashinini.

Further details will be communicated via the University’s official website for the elections, student emails and the University’s social media accounts.

2020/2021 SRC General Election Schedule