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University Governance/Governance explained/Key governance bodies/The Senate/How to vote in an election of the Chancellor

Senate elections

 

How to vote in an election of the Chancellor


Membership

Members of the Senate elect the Chancellor and the High Steward, two of the most senior roles in the University of Cambridge. Most alumni are members of the Senate.

Who can vote

You can vote in votes of the Senate if: 
  • you have received a qualifying degree from the University of Cambridge at a Congregation (whether you received it in person or in absence), OR
  • you are on the current Roll of the Regent House​
The following are qualifying degrees: Master of Arts or any other Master’s degree (eg LLM, MPhil), any Doctorate (eg PhD, EdD), or the Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree.

If you hold a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University but you have not been admitted to the Master of Arts degree (MA), please contact your College about getting your MA.​

The MA may also be conferred on certain individuals who are not graduates of the University. For further details, see the information on degrees conferred under Statute B II 2​.

Elections and other votes you can take part in

Members of the Senate can vote in:

How to vote

You can vote:
  • in person in Cambridge, usually in the Senate-House​, OR
  • online, if you have registered to vote online in advance

Registering to vote online

Use the fo​rm to:
  • register to vote online (you will not then be able to vote in person)
  • register to nominate someone for election, or support a nomination
  • check that you are registered to vote online or make/support a nomination (all members of the Regent House​ are automatically registered)
  • update your personal details (for example, change your name or email address)
We will ask you for the following information when registering:
  • contact information, including a current email address we can use to contact you about Senate votes
  • the degree(s) you hold that qualify you for membership of the Senate (see 'Who can vote' above)
  • the year you matriculated at the University (normally the year you started your studies) 
  • the year you had your (first) degree conferred at a Congregation (whether in person or in absence)

Register for an online vote

What will happen if you register

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your completed form showing the responses you have provided. Once we have checked your details against University and College records, we will be in touch again by email either to ask for more information or to confirm your registration. 

If we have confirmed your registration, you will receive information by email about any upcoming votes. If you have registered to vote online, you will also receive information about how you can vote online. You will not be able to vote in person in Cambridge unless you use the form to change your voting method.

What will happen if you don’t register to vote online

You will be able to vote in person in Cambridge. You will need to provide information on your eligibility to vote when you visit the Senate-House to cast your vote (see 'Registering to vote online' above for the information we will need). We will not expect you to provide evidence of your qualifications, eg degree certificates.

How to find out about a vote

If voting is planned, we will publish information about the timetable for voting, including the deadline for registration as an online voter, on this page and in the Reporter​. Those already registered for online voting will receive an email providing this information. 

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