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

2024 List of Candidates

Timeline of Election

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. 

CRO Decisions

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:

The following decisions are relating to the Re-Election of the Vice President Student Life.
ACB Decisions

 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:

The following decisions are relating to the Re-Election of the Vice President Student Life.

The following ACB decision relates to a complaint against a GSA officer, governed by GSA Bylaw and Policy H.POL.14. These decisions are generally confidential and only presented to GSA Council; however, all parties have consented to sharing it publicly due to the importance of the matter.

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.