Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta | Studenkåren vid Helsingfors Universitet | Student Union of the University of Helsinki
Representative Council elections
In the Representative Council elections, you will get to choose some of the Student Union's most important decision-makers – or become a candidate yourself! Members of the Representative Council decide our goals and budget or, in other words, everything the Student Union does for you.
Voters
You can vote electronically at vaalit.hyy.fi from Wednesday to Friday on 28–30 October and from Monday to Wednesday on 2–4 November. Voting is done using your University user account, and you are entitled to vote in the elections if you are a basic degree student and have registered for attendance or if you are a postgraduate or exchange student who has become a member of HYY.
You can find the list of candidates in a separate PDF file below. You can look for a suitable candidate using the candidate matcher.
To thank you for using your vote and to honour Finnish election traditions UniCafe will offer everyone who has voted coffee and buns. Coffee and buns are served in all open UniCafes on the voting days (28–30 October and 2–4 November 2020). You can claim your coffee and bun by showing the email that you receive once you’ve voted. You are entitled to one coffee and bun only. Vegan and gluten-free alternatives are also available!
Candidates
Please read the campaigning instructions that concern all candidates. Advertising is permitted on campuses, but because of the coronavirus situation, we recommend remote campaigning and online campaign events.
Instructions regarding declaration of candidacy can be found in the campaign managers’ section of this page.
Campaign managers
The nomination of candidates ends at 12 noon on Monday 21 September 2020, and the Central Selection Committee confirms the combined list of candidates in the beginning of October.
Declaration forms for candidates, electoral coalitions and electoral alliances are available below and at HYY’s Services Office (at Mannerheimintie 5 C, Hansakäytävä). The forms of each electoral coalition should be returned at the same time before the nomination of candidates ends. The forms should be returned to HYY’s Central Office (Mannerheimintie 5 A, 2nd floor). If you wish to return forms before Monday 21st September, please contact the election coordinator. Electronic forms should be sent to hallinto@hyy.fi as PDF files. More detailed information has been sent to campaign managers who have sent their contact information to HYY and can be requested from the election coordinator.
We will organise meetings for campaign managers before the elections. These meetings will cover the election schedule and the organisation of election events and campaigning. The first of these meetings will be held at 5 pm on Tuesday 2 September via Zoom. You can request the meeting invitations and the material of the events from the election coordinator by email (vaalit@hyy.fi).
Election notice and Election Regulations
Usein kysyttyä
The Representative Council is responsible for making decisions in our Student Union. It consists of 60 students elected every other year. All our members have the right to vote and run as candidates in the elections. The Representative Council decides on issues such as HYY’s Constitution and budget as well as appoints the Board. The council meets around once a month during academic terms, and you can follow the meetings live from the comfort of your home!
The elections are a chance to have your say on common issues. The Representative Council decides what we use our common funds on and what kinds of goals and principles the student-owned Ylva group uses in its business operations. Our advocacy goals – whether university-level, city-level or national – are also decided by the Representative Council.
Any decisions related to the elections are made by the Student Union’s Central Election Committee in accordance with the Student Union’s Constitution and Election Regulations. The Chair of the Student Union acts as the chair of the Central Election Committee, and members of the committee may not become candidates in the elections.
All members of the Student Union who have registered for attendance and are personally attending the University are entitled to vote. Members include all bachelor’s and master’s students of the University of Helsinki as well as those postgraduate and exchange students who have joined HYY as members.
All members of the Student Union who have registered for attendance at the University by 21 September 2020 are eligible to become a member of the Representative Council (barring the exceptions referred to in HYY’s Constitution, Section 6, such as the chairs of the Student Union and people in permanent employment at the Student Union).
You can become a candidate by filling in a candidate declaration form and returning it as either a paper version or an electronically signed version along with the forms of the entire possible electoral alliance by 12 noon on Monday 21 September 2020. Declaration forms for candidates, electoral coalitions and electoral alliances are available on this page and at HYY’s Services Office during its office hours.
Two or more candidates have the right to form an electoral coalition. Each electoral coalition must have a representative and a vice representative. A candidate may only belong to one electoral coalition, and an electoral coalition may include a maximum of sixty candidates.
Two or more electoral coalitions have the right to form an electoral alliance. The same right applies to one or more electoral coalitions in cooperation with one or more candidates from outside electoral coalitions.
For more detailed information on becoming a candidate and forming electoral coalitions and alliances, please see HYY’s Election Regulations, Chapter III.
An electoral coalition may include a maximum of sixty candidates. However, two or more electoral coalitions and individual candidates from outside electoral coalitions have the right to form an electoral alliance. There is no limit on the number of coalitions or individual candidates in an electoral alliance.
Two or more candidates have the right to form an electoral coalition. Candidates that belong to an electoral coalition are referred to as a list of candidates.
The Central Election Committee confirms the combined list of candidates in its meeting in the beginning of October. We will try to inform the election groups of the candidate numbers as soon as possible after this.
The campaign managers of different election groups agree on the advertising rules among themselves. The University places certain restrictions on advertising in its premises, and we will post instructions on this to the ‘Candidates’ section on this page as soon as possible. The users of different premises (student rooms, club rooms, etc.) may also place restrictions on advertising. Advertising on email lists is not permitted unless the administrator of the list specifically allows it.
Unfortunately, a collective election night party will not be organised due to the coronavirus situation, but it will be possible to follow the results in a live broadcast on HYY’s Facebook page beginning at 5:45 pm on the evening of 4 November.
The results will be available during the evening of the last voting day (4 November) at around 6:15 pm.
The new council starts on 1 December 2020.
Election Coordinator Teemu Palkki (050 449 7950 or vaalit@hyy.fi) and Secretary General Aaro Riitakorpi (0400 816 426 or paasihteeri@hyy.fi) provide advice on questions related to the nomination of candidates. For any other questions, you may also turn to Chair of the Central Election Committee Jussi Nuortimo (puheenjohtajat@hyy.fi).
Ask for more info
Teemu Palkki
Coordinator
representative council elections, selection of student representatives
Aaro Riitakorpi
Secretary General
