HWUSA and EUSA by-elections to begin

Members of Heriot-Watt University Students' Association (HWUSA) have begun voting for candidates in their by-elections this week, including the currently vacant presidency.

Mike Ross, currently senior vice-president and acting president of HWUSA, is running for the full-time role. Unless members vote to Re-Open Nominations, his presidency is secure.

The elections have failed to attract many candidates. Christina Bevan and Mohammad Shariq have been elected unopposed for respective positions of Societies Convenor and International Officer. 

Mr Ross said the reason he stood unopposed is due to the nature of the by-election, arguing that at this late stage “only those more involved with the Union would run and would only run against me if they felt that I was not a suitable candidate." He has worked hard to increase HWUSA presence at a national level and he argues this makes him the best candidate for the position.

He has served as interim president since Michael Bottom resigned shortly after his election in June. Mr Bottom was offered a place on a graduate recruitment scheme, rendering him unable to take up the presidency.

This week nominations have also opened for the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) by-elections, to be held later in October.

Nominations for the EUSA by-elections and first year elections will remain open until Thursday 6 October, with elections to be held the following week. There are three union positions to be elected, while the Student Council has nearly 70 seats to be contested.

Other positions open for nomination include seats on both the National Union of Students UK and NUS Scotland. According to EUSA's website these seats are the “way in which the views of Edinburgh’s students and the policy of Edinburgh University Students’ Association are represented at a national level.”