As part of efforts to become more environmentally conscious, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) is reducing the use of paper canvassing materials during its sabbatical officer elections next February.
Candidates, under the new rules, will be limited to 600 paper materials, not including posters. They will be allowed to choose between manifestos, business cards and A5 leaflets.
Manifestos for all candidates in the TCDSU sabbatical officer elections will also be published on an online platform.
Speaking at council, the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Stephen Sheil, said that “the long-term goal of this is to be completely paper free”.
Previously, candidates were not limited to a certain number of paper materials but the campaign budget limited them from excessive printing.
The changes were published in Schedule 3, which was presented at a meeting of TCDSU’s council this evening. Council, however, failed to meet quorum, meaning the meeting went ahead in the form of a “town hall” that did not vote on motions.
Schedule 3 is the part of the union’s constitution that outlines the rules for elections. Though Schedule 3 was discussed during tonight’s town hall meeting, the union’s constitution states that it must be submitted to council “in the first term of the academic year”. Unless the union holds another council meeting during this term, the commission will technically breach the constitution.
Candidates are given a loan from the union to run their campaigns, with a limit on spending for materials, including paper leaflets and t-shirts.
Speaking to The University Times, Sheil said these changes would make the elections “more accessible” for all students.
The elections are held in the two weeks before reading week in the second term. Students can run for six sabbatical positions: president, education officer, welfare officer, communications officer, entertainment officer and editor of The University Times.
