How campaigning will work in the referendum  

This page explains how campaigning works, what a Campaign Lead is, and what you need to do to register as a campaigner.  

You can read the referendum rules in full here. 
 

Become a Campaign Lead or register 

In an election, the leader of a campaign is the candidate, i.e. the person who will win if they get the most votes. In a referendum, where the vote is about making a decision on a political issue, there are no obvious campaign leaders. To make sure things run fairly and smoothly, we need to identify one.  

That’s where you come in!  

You can put yourself forward to lead either the Yes Campaign or the No Campaign using this form. 

The deadline for nominations is 12 pm on Monday 9 March.  

You will also need to submit a campaign statement (max 500 words) so do not leave this to the last minute. 

What is a Campaign Lead?  

Campaign Leads are responsible for organising the campaigns which aim to convince students to vote one way or the other: Yes or No.  

Responsibilities include: 

  • Leading the Yes or No campaign, making sure students are informed when casting their vote  

  • Ensuring their campaigners are registered and that they know the rules 

  • Ensuring all campaigning is in line with the rules 

  • Ensuring campaign expenditure remains within the £100 limit and that all expenses are declared in line with the rules  

  • Liaising with LBSU staff and the Returning Officer as needed  

Why should I nominate myself to become a Campaign Lead?  

If you feel strongly about this issue, and you want to help convince other students to vote in line with your views, becoming a Campaign Lead is a great opportunity. LBSU staff will provide all the support you need, and you’ll be able to spend up to £100 on campaign materials, which LBSU will reimburse.  

What if more than one person is nominated? 

The criteria for becoming a Campaign Lead are: 

  • Must be a registered Leeds Beckett student 

  • Priority may be given to elected officers of LBSU  

  • Must have submitted a statement (max 500 words) by 12 noon on Monday 9 March 

If more than one nominee meets the criteria, the Returning Officer or their Deputy will seek to find consensus between nominees. If this is not possible, a Campaign Lead will be chosen randomly from among the nominees.  

If you are not chosen as a Campaign Lead, this doesn’t mean you can’t campaign. You’ll just need to register as a campaigner using this form. 

Can there be more than one group campaigning for either outcome?  

No. To keep things fair, there can only be one Yes Campaign, and one No Campaign. Each one can only have one named Campaign Lead, but any student can get involved in campaigning, as long as they have registered by the deadline. 

How do I register as a campaigner?  

Any student wishing to campaign must be registered with LBSU before 12 noon on 20 March, using this form.  

I have already registered to campaign for a candidate in the election. Do I need to register again?  

Yes – while the two votes are happening at the same time, the election and the referendum are separate. You must register separately for both.  

The forms you need are:  

I’m still not sure! Where can I get help or more information?  

If you have questions that are not covered here, please complete our Community Organising Team via communityorganising@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.  

Remember, all deadlines are final, so don’t leave questions to the last minute. We may take up to 3 working days to reply.