Meet the Candidates!
Click the candidates image below to read their Candidate Statement;
R.O.N or Re-Open Nominations will also appear as an option on the ballot paper. This option gives you more choice and control in elections. More information on R.O.N is available in the FAQ's section at the bottom of this page.
Voting Opens in
For questions or queries about the MISU By-Election, please email the MISU Returning Officer - Dáire Martin - on ReturningOfficer@misu.ie.
What is the MISU By-Election?
MISU is the representative body for the students of Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick, and Thurles.
Each year, the entire MIC Student Body vote in the MISU Elections to determine which students will become members of the MISU Advocacy Officer Team and represent them during the next academic year.
Any positions on the Advocacy Officer Team that are not filled by the MISU Elections in the Spring Semester are filled in a By-Election at the first opportunity in the following Autumn Semester.
When is the MISU By-Election?
The MISU By-Election to determine who will join the MISU Advocacy Officer Team for Academic Year 2026/27 will take place on Tuesday, 22nd September 2026 from 08:00am to 06:00pm.
Nominations
Nominations opened on Monday, 7th September 2026 at 09:00am and will close on Tuesday, 15th September 2026 at 02:00pm.
For further information, please email Representation@misu.ie.
Elections & By-Elections Vs a Referendum
MISU hold both Elections and Referenda and know that the difference between them can be sometimes confusing.
In short, an Election is held to decide who will be in charge and a Referendum is held when changes to policy, operations, or structures need to be made.
The MISU Elections take place each and every year to elect the new MISU Advocacy Officer Team however, a Referendum will only take place as and when necessary to make changes to the MISU Constitution.
The Constitution of MISU is a binding document that outlines how goals should be achieved, how the Union is governed, how decisions are made, the roles of the elected officers, and the frequency and operations of MISU meetings.
It is only through a Referendum that any changes can be made to the MISU Constitution and all MIC Students are entitled to vote in a Referendum.
Voting in MISU Elections, By-Elections & Referenda
Voting is open to all MIC Students and is easy to do.
We encourage all students to exercise their right to vote - MISU is YOUR UNION, YOU have the say in WHO represents YOU and how it is MANAGED!
How to Vote
Voting is easy and only takes two minutes by following these steps:
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Click the 'Login' button on the top right hand side of this website.
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LOG IN using your MIC STUDENT NUMBER and MIC NETWORK LOGON PASSWORD
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Accept the Terms & Conditions
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Only elections and referenda which you are eligible to vote in will appear after login.
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For elections, votes are ranked in order of Preference, #1 being your most preferred candidate. With multiple candidates you may indicate a second preference with #2.
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You will move through each position following the above instructions e.g. #1 for most preferred candidate then #2 and so on.
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For Referenda, you will have two voting options - Yes or No.
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If you are having any difficulties voting, please contact chloe.keogh@mic.ul.ie
How does voting in an MISU Election work?
Voting in MISU Elections and Referenda is conducted by secret ballot using the Single Transferable Vote system.
How do I decide who to vote for?
Your vote is important and could be the difference between a win or lose result, so we encourage all MIC Students to read the Candidate Statements carefully when deciding who to vote for.
Students will also always have the option to vote R.O.N (Re-Open Nominations) if you choose not to elect any of the candidates running.
What is R.O.N?
You might have noticed that there’s a candidate called R.O.N for every single position in the election.
Are you wondering who or what R.O.N is?
RON isn’t a person, it’s an acronym, and it stands for Re-Open Nominations.
Re-Open Nominations (R.O.N) is an option on your ballot that gives you more choice and control in elections.
If you vote to Re-Open Nominations, you’re telling us that you don’t think the candidate running for a position is right for the role, and that we should restart the nominations process to find better candidates.
If a position receives a majority Re-Open Nominations vote, nominations will be re-opened for that position.
New candidates, and those that previously ran, will have the opportunity to run for the position again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question about the MISU By-Election? Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions:
Elections FAQ's
Do I need to know everything about MISU to run for election?
An understanding of MISU and our aims and objectives is preferred but not essential.
Full training is provided. We just require you to enjoy being part of a dynamic environment and have a commitment to and passion for advocating and representing the MIC student body.
Do I need to have any qualifications or experience?
Officers are required to have excellent verbal and written communication skills and familiarity with GDPR, Microsoft Office including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel.
Training is provided for each role based on the requirements of the role, for example chairing meetings, minute-taking, public speaking and leading teams.
The MISU staff are also on hand to provide training, support, and guidance.
Do I have to choose between being an officer or continuing my studies?
The Part-Time Advocacy Officer Role can be held while you complete your studies.
Detailed responsibilities of the role are set out in Schedule 8 of the MISU Constitution.
How do I get people to vote for me?
If you decide to run for the Part-Time Advocacy Officer Role, you have the exciting opportunity to create your Candidate’s Statement and election campaign (and no we don't mean knocking on people's doors), this is a social media and on-campus campaign only.
Rally your friends to come up with your campaign idea. It is important to let other students (especially in other courses and on other campuses) know that you are running for a position in the elections.
Make use of the campus, and social media to spread your Candidate’s Statement to tell other students what you will do for them if they elect you.
How do I return my documents?
Details to be announced at a later date.
I'm thinking of running for the Part-Time Advocacy Officer Role. Do I need to know anything?
If you are thinking of running for election, please take note of the following:
The Advocacy Officer role is a paid part-time position and the successful respective candidate will become a part-time employee of MISU and at the time of their election, they must meet all legal requirements to allow them to fulfil the hours of work as outlined in Schedule 8 of the MISU Constitution for the full duration of their contract of employment. In the event that they fail to continue to meet these requirements during the course of the duration of the contract then the Officer shall be liable to relinquish the post.
What can I expect from working with MISU?
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A rewarding experience where you will gain and develop knowledge and skills that will put you steps ahead on your career path. A big win for your CV and future employers!
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Opportunity to make a difference; you will be at the heart of decisions about the student experience in MIC
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Ongoing training and support