GSA election procedures

Timeline | Seat allocations | Representative elections | Presidential Elections | VP elections | Voting procedures

 

Spring 2024 general election timeline

2024-2025 elections timeline:

  • Tuesday, January 30 | Informational meeting #1
  • Monday, February 26 | Informational meeting #2
  • Monday, March 18 | Presidential and Vice President debate
  • Friday, March 22| Nomination deadline
  • Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 | Elections open in PackLife
  • Monday, April 8 | Election results 
  • Tuesday, May 14 | Council Meeting and Vice President Elections
     

    Seat allocations for the 2023-2024 academic year

    The GSA Elections Committee has revised the recommended council seat allocations for 2023-2024*. The data and seat allocation is shown below.

    Council seat allocation
    Election group/Council seat FTE (full-time equivalent) Percentage of the graduate student population Final allocation of seats
    Business 237.8 11% 3
    CABNR 103.4 5% 1
    Community Health Sciences (Public Health) 163.9 8% 2
    Education 273.8 13% 3
    Engineering 237.6 11% 3
    Liberal Arts & Journalism 277.5 13% 3
    Science 382 17% 4
    Social Work 261.1 12% 3
    SOM, Nursing, CMB 247.1 11% 3

    *Data downloaded February 2023 from PowerBI for PhD, Master's and Graduate Special students enrolled in University of Nevada, Reno graduate programs.

     

    Council representative elections

    1. Any graduate student or graduate special in good academic standing may run for a Representative seat in their respective school or college.
    2. Each Representative shall be elected by a general vote of his or her constituents as dictated by seat assignment. For example, if a college has four seats, the top four vote-getters will become the elected Representatives for said college.
    3. Candidates for Representative must apply to run prior to being declared a candidate for the position by a date to be set by the Communications Committee. Prior to the general election, the Communications Committee must verify all applications.
    4. A Representative's term of office begins on August 1 and ends on May 31 with the exception of the Interim Finance Committee.
    5. In the event of a vacant seat, the GSA Council may appoint a new Representative by a majority vote of a quorum to serve out the remainder of the term. The candidate must have met the qualifications to have originally run for said seat.
    6. No elections for open GSA Council seats are to occur during the last two GSA Council meetings of the academic year.
    7. Upon being elected to the following academic year GSA Council, new representatives shall attend the penultimate meeting of the current GSA Council.
      1. This requirement may be waived due to academic conflicts.
     

    Presidential elections

    1. The GSA President shall be elected to serve one calendar year beginning June 1st.
    2. Any graduate student desiring to run for GSA President must meet the following requirements:
      1. The student must be enrolled in a graduate program and must be in good academic standing.
      2. The student must complete and submit the application packet on or before the application deadline.
      3. The student must attend at least 3 GSA council meetings prior to the Presidential election.
    3. The student must declare at each of these meetings his/her attendance for the purpose of establishing eligibility for Presidential candidacy.
    4. This declaration should be addressed to the GSA Advisor in writing.
    5. The student must attend each meeting in its entirety.
    6. Current GSA council members may use their official attendance at GSA council members to meet this requirement.
    7. The outgoing GSA Council shall elect the new President at the penultimate GSA Council meeting of the academic year.
    8. In the event of a tie, the procedure shall be as follows:
      1. If there are more than two candidates, a run-off vote between the two with the highest number of total votes shall be held.
      2. If there are only two candidates for the position, the outgoing GSA President shall cast the tie-breaking vote. If one of the candidates should be the outgoing GSA President, voting shall continue until the tie is broken.
    9. In the event that a President does not complete his or her term of office the GSA Council must elect a new President from among its members to serve out the remainder of the term of office.
      1. The GSA Council must vote to declare the position open and to set a date for the election not less than two weeks and not more than one month following the vacancy of the office.
      2. Individuals must announce their candidacy at or before the GSA Council meeting scheduled two weeks prior to the election of the new President. The GSA IVP shall act as President and presiding officer for any interim period.
     

    Vice-Presidential elections

    1. The GSA Vice Presidents shall be elected to serve a 10-month term, beginning August 1 and ending May 31.
    2. Any graduate student desiring to run for a GSA Vice Presidency must meet the following requirements:
      1. The student must be elected to the following academic year GSA Council.
      2. The student must declare candidacy prior to the penultimate GSA Council meeting of the current academic year, at which the student will articulate his/her platform and answer any questions regarding his/her candidacy.
      3. The student must attend at least 3 GSA council meetings prior to the Vice Presidential elections.
    3. The student must declare at each of these meetings his/her attendance for the purpose of establishing eligibility for Vice Presidential candidacy.
    4. This declaration should be addressed to the GSA Advisor in writing.
    5. The student must attend each meeting in its entirety.
    6. Current GSA council members may use their official attendance at GSA council members to meet this requirement.
    7. Vice Presidents are elected at the transition meeting from among the new GSA Council Representatives. The transition meeting is the first meeting of the new GSA Council following spring elections, and is the last Council meeting of the academic year.
    8. In the event of a tie, the procedure shall be as follows:
      1. If there are more than two candidates, a run-off vote between the two with the highest number of total votes shall be held.
      2. If there are only two candidates for the position, the current GSA President shall cast the tie-breaking vote.
    9. In the event that a Vice President does not complete his or her term, the GSA Council must elect a new Vice President from among its council members to serve out the remainder of the term of office.
      1. The GSA Council must vote to declare the position open and to set a date for the election not less than two weeks and not more than one month following the vacancy of the office.
      2. Individuals must announce their candidacy at or before the GSA Council meeting scheduled two weeks prior to the election of the new Vice President.
     

    Voting procedures

    1. Any graduate student or graduate special at University is eligible to vote.
    2. A "Call to Vote" will be sent to all currently enrolled graduate students through campus email.
    3. You may vote for any nominated candidate. Write-in candidates are not accepted.
    4. You are allowed to vote for as many candidates as there are open seats in your academic college.
    5. GSA voting is conducted through WebCampus and requires a NetID and password for access.