Preamble
Are you interested in advocating for students and contributing to the efforts of your student union? Your opportunity via the CSA Winter 2026 General Election is coming soon! Starting Monday, February 2, the CSA will be hosting our general election to fill all Executive and Board of Directors positions for the coming academic year. Successful candidates will serve a term of May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Continue reading below to view the available positions, schedule of elections dates, contact information for the Elections Office team, and more!
Unsure of what these positions entail? Check out our Positions and Duties page for more details on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee roles.
Interested in running but unsure of how to get started? Go to the How to Run page to learn the steps of the nomination process, or email the Chief Returning Officer at [email protected] to request a nomination package and ask any questions you have. Be sure to follow @csa_elections on Instagram for all the latest news regarding the general election.
Board of Directors and Executive Vacancies
The following positions are available for candidates in the CSA Winter 2026 General Election:
- One (1) President
- One (1) Vice-President Internal
- One (1) Vice-President Academic
- One (1) Vice-President External
- Two (2) College of Arts (COA) Representatives
- Two (2) College of Biological Sciences Representatives
- Two (2) College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences (CCMPS) Representatives
- Two (2) College of Engineering Representatives
- Two (2) College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS) Representatives
- Two (2) Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics Representatives
- Two (2) Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) Representatives
- Two (2) Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Representatives
Winter 2026 General Election Schedule
| General Information Sessions | January 30, 2026 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the CSA Board Room February 3, 2026 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the CSA Board Room |
| Nomination Period | Monday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 5:00pm |
| All-Candidate’s Meeting | Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 6pm Location: CSA Board Room, University Centre 2nd floor |
| Promotional Preparation Period | Thursday, February 12, to Friday, February 20, 2026 |
| Campaign Period | Monday, February 23, to Friday, February 27, 2026 |
| All-Candidate’s Forum | Friday, February 27, 2026 Location: Instagram Live |
| Voting Period | Monday, March 2, to Friday, March 6, 2026 at 11:59pm |
| Voting Period Extension (if required) | Saturday, March 7, to Friday, March 13, 2026 at 11:59pm |
| Ratification of Candidates | Wednesday, March 25, 2026 |
Elections Office Contact and Hours
Chief Returning Officer (CRO) — Lauren Pyne (she / her)
- Available at [email protected]
- Winter 2026 Office Hours: Mondays from 1pm to 4:30pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 1pm to 3:30pm, and Wednesdays from 9:30am to 11am
- Or by appointment
Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) — Amal Shaqo (she /her)
- Available at [email protected]
- Winter 2026 Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm, and Fridays from 12:30pm to 2:30pm
- Or by appointment
Candidate’s Forum
The All-Candidate’s Forum is a chance for undergraduate students to learn more about the candidates in the election and ask them questions about the key issues impacting students and their plans should they be elected. More details regarding the forum will be released soon!
Election Bylaws and Policies
In addition to being familiar with CSA’s policies and bylaws before participating in elections, it is important for candidates to review CSA election-related policies. See File attachments below.
Those interested in running for an Executive position should read Policy Appendix A – Executive Portfolios (see below) to help you understand the role. It is also strongly encouraged to contact a current Executive (or past member) and discuss the position responsibilities.
File attachments
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Policy Appendix A – Executive Portfolios | 326.06 KB |
| Appendix G – Electoral | 323.95 KB |
| Bylaw 2 – Electoral | 204.84 KB |