Conservative Students in Aarhus, Frit Forum Aarhus, and the Student Council at Aarhus University have drafted this paper on good election practices before and during the upcoming university elections. The objective of the paper is to ensure clarity and to make sure that everyone has a good election.
The paper sets out an overall framework, and student associations are expected to respect this framework. Besides the practices described in the paper, it is important that everyone behaves courteously, with mutual respect and common sense.
As student political associations, we are primarily campaigning on our own views – on what we believe in – and on how, as student representatives on boards of studies, academic councils and the AU board, we can work to promote our visions and key issues. We are all working to encourage as many students as possible to vote in the university election.
In this context, there should be room for local campaigns to include humour, as long as we remain mindful and respectful of each other.
Hang election posters in accordance with the campaign rules for 2025 adopted by the Election Committee.
Do not remove other associations’ posters unless they are displayed very close to, or next to, your own association’s offices. If there are any disagreements about the placement of posters, the associations should contact each other to resolve the problem.
The various election lists are responsible for taking down their own posters. We encourage associations to work together and coordinate the removal of posters after election week. Posters must be removed one week after the election at the latest.
Associations may set up their election booths on the first day of voting and must take them down no later than the final day of voting. From these booths, associations conducts their election activities and inform fellow students about the elections. Associations are allowed to provide guidance on how to use the e-vote platform in the booths, but the principle of anonymous, secret voting must be respected. It is important to respect the physical space of each booth and not to campaign in booths belonging to other associations.
You are allowed to require proof that someone has voted before handing out snacks, merchandise, etc. from the booth. However, you may never require that they vote for your association in order to receive these items.
Remember to keep a civil tone during discussions about the election and to focus on the issue and not the person. You may always withdraw from a political discussion with a representative from another association if you do not wish to continue the conversation. If you ask representatives from another association to leave your election booth so that you can focus on campaigning, this must be respected.
It is to be expected that associations will campaign on social media, and the same rules that govern the rest of the election campaign apply there as well.
In a healthy election campaign, it is only natural to express your views on your opponents’ candidacies and policies. The goal of this should be to put your own policies into perspective and thus strengthen your own candidacy – not simply to criticise the opposing parties to win votes. If students express a genuine interest in the opposing party’s policies, they should be referred to that party’s campaign and election booth.
To prevent misunderstandings, it’s important that we, as student associations, communicate clearly and effectively with each other. If any conflicts arise during the election, the leadership of the respective associations should be contacted. However, wherever possible, conflicts should be resolved locally, between the parties. Disagreements over policies should not be regarded as conflicts but as expressions of a healthy democracy.
Student political associations are committed to helping students understand the university’s democratic bodies and processes. For this reason, beyond running their own campaigns, associations also have a particular responsibility to foster the democratic development of students at the university.