Elections and Referenda
Every year during the GSA General Election, graduate students at the University of Alberta cast votes to elect fellow graduate students to the GSA Directly-Elected Officer positions: President, VP Academic, VP External, VP Student Life, and VP Student Services. Concurrently, Academically-Employed Graduate Students (AEGS) vote to elect a graduate student to the GSA Directly-Elected Officer position of Associate VP Labour.
These six student executives represent graduate students on committees and councils across campus and to all levels of government.
Graduate students also elect ten Councillors-at-Large, who sit on GSA Council and represent all University of Alberta graduate students.
GSA Referenda take place in years when graduate students are asked to vote on key issues. Past referenda have resulted in the implementation and/or continuation of graduate student services such as the GSA Health and Dental Plan, the Graduate Student Assistance Plan (GSAP), and the U-Pass program, as well as the creation of the GSA Dedicated Fee which enables graduate students to support the on-campus radio station, CJSR. Read the message from then-VP Student Services about the most recent GSAP and U-Pass Referenda.
Discover Governance
To learn more, check out our Discover Governance program.
2024 GSA Election of VP Student Life Re-Election Timeline
The 2024 GSA Election of VP Student Life Re-Election Timeline was approved by the GSA Chief Returning Officer (CRO) in consultation with the GSA Elections and Referenda Committee (GSA ERC). This timeline has been developed in accord with GSA Bylaw and Policy, Section I: Elections, which can be found here
Below you may find the timeline of events for the 2024 GSA Election of VP Student Life Re-Election Timeline.
All times listed are in Mountain Time.
Monday, 11 March 2024 at 2:00 PM (MST) ********************** MANDATORY MEETING FOR ALL CANDIDATES |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life All-Candidates Meeting • Attendance at the All-Candidates Meeting is mandatory, as well as associated meeting materials, will be sent to all candidates following the close of the nomination period. • Failure to attend without adequate prior notification of at least one (1) hour to the CRO is grounds for disqualification. • A scribe will be present at the All-Candidates Meeting and, shortly after the meeting, notes will be distributed to all candidates. |
Tuesday, 12 March 2024 at 12:00 AM (MST) |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Campaign Period Begins • The campaign period will last at least seven (7) calendar days and will begin no earlier than the day following the All-Candidates Meeting • The campaign period will run from 12 March 2024 to 21 March 2024. This includes the two (2) day voting period. |
Monday, 18 March 2024 at 11:00 AM (MST) |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Forum • A GSA Re-Election of the VP Student Life candidates’ forum will be hosted, open to all graduate students to attend. A recording of the forum will be posted on the GSA website. |
Tuesday, 19 March 2024 at 10:00 AM (MST) |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Voting Period Opens • The voting period will last forty-eight (48) hours from 10 AM on Tuesday, 19 March to 10 AM on Thursday, 21 March 2024. • Campaigning is allowed during the voting period. |
Thursday, 21 March 2024 at 10:00 AM (MST) |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Campaigning and Voting Periods Close • Voting and campaigning close at 10:00 AM (MST). |
Thursday, 21 March 2024 at 12:00 PM (MST) |
Deadline for GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Campaign-Related Expenses and Receipts Submission • Following the campaign period, candidates will be asked to submit to the CRO a report of all campaign-related expenses and associated receipts no later than two (2) hours after the close of the voting period (to be submitted electronically to the CRO via gsa.frontdesk@ualberta.ca; photos of receipts must also be submitted and a form will be provided to all candidates at the All-Candidates Meeting). |
Thursday, 21 March 2024 – Tentative, Pending Release of Provisional Results |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Announcement of Provisional Results • Provisional results are results subject to change due to possible outstanding complaints to the CRO and appeals of CRO decisions. |
Friday, 22 March 2024 – Tentative, Pending Release of Provisional Results |
Deadline to Lodge a Breaches Discerned or Alleged Breach Associated with the GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life with the CRO • This deadline is set at twenty-four (24) hours after the announcement of provisional results. |
Friday, 22 March 2024 – Tentative, Pending Release of Provisional Results |
GSA Re-Election of the Vice-President Student Life Announcement of Official Results • Official results will be announced once the deadline to lodge an alleged breach or complaint about alleged breaches has passed. |
As per GSA Bylaw and Policy I.POL.11.5, all CRO Decisions made regarding complaints and alleged breaches will be posted on the GSA website. Please see below the CRO Decisions issued for the 2024 GSA General Election and Election of the Associate Vice-President Labour:
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between S Fan and J Namatsi-Feb 23, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and A Chowdhury - Feb 23, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and J Namatsi - Feb 23, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and G Godinho - Feb 23, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and R Kamran- Feb 23, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between Computing Science Graduate Students’ Association (CSGSA) and S Kulal- Feb 24, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and A Adigun- Feb 27, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between S Kulal, R Kamran and A Adigun- Feb 28, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between S Kulal, R Kamran and SA Iqbal- Feb 29, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between G Godinho and M Mughees- Feb 29, 2024
- DRO Decision regarding formal complaint between F Khalid and A Adigun- Mar 5, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between K Ahmed and A Adigun -- Mar 7, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between B Kucher and A Adigun -- Mar 7, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between R Graham and A Adigun -- Mar 7, 2024
- CRO Decision regarding formal complaint between K Ahmed and A Adigun -- Mar 9, 2024
- DRO Decision regarding formal complaint between ISA and A Adigun -- Mar 15, 2024
As per GSA Bylaw and Policy H.POL.15.7.c, the GSA ACB Chair will ensure that, subject to privacy legislation, decisions on appeals of CRO decisions are posted on the GSA website.. Please see below the ACB Decisions issued for the 2024 GSA General Election and Election of the Associate Vice-President Labour:
- ACB Decision regarding formal complaint between CGSA and S Kulal - Feb 27, 2024
- ACB Decision regarding formal complaint between S Kulal, A Adigun, and R Kamran - Feb 29, 2024
- ACB Decision regarding formal complaint between A Adigun and B Kucher - Feb 29, 2024
The following decisions are relating to the Re-Election of the Vice President Student Life.
- ACB Decision regarding formal complaint between A Adigun and B Kucher - Mar 8, 2024
- ACB Decision regarding formal complaint between A Adigun and K Ahmed - Mar 8, 2024
GSA Bylaw and Policy governs the Election and Referenda. If you have any questions, please contact the GSA Chief Returning Officer at gsa.elections@ualberta.ca
Archive
The results of previous GSA General Elections and GSA Referenda are available in the GSA Elections and Referenda Archive. A record of GSA Chief Returning Officer and GSA Speaker decisions and appeal decisions can also be found there.