With the polls set to open for the LSESU elections on Monday 23rd March, over a quarter of positions have zero candidates. Out of the 26 positions available in the SU election, 7 have no approved candidates, with many being uncontested.
The positions without candidates include: Disabled Students’ Officer, Postgraduate Research Students’ Officer, Academic Network Chair, Activity & Special Interest Network Chair, AU Engagement Officer, Faith Network Chair, and the National & Cultural Network Chair. Uncontested positions include: Athletics Union President, RAG President, Creative Network Chair, and Careers Network Chair. Therefore, 12 out of the 26 SU positions – or just less than half of the positions – are either uncontested or have no one running whatsoever.
The candidates for LSESU General Secretary include current Community and Welfare Officer David Gordon, Yusuf Rafique, and Jenny Talia. As of writing, Talia’s manifesto was not released on the LSESU website, but common themes on Gordon and Rafique’s respective manifestos included tackling sexual assault on campus and prioritising societies and student initiatives.
Due to the closure of the school over the outbreak of COVID-19, students will not be able to campaign or vote on campus, and the election will take place completely online. ‘Question Time’ for the candidates and the announcement of results will also take place online. If you would like to participate in Question Time, you can email your questions for the candidates to su.engagement@lse.ac.uk.
