Standing as a candidate

Two systems

Employee and student participation within the university has two systems; the candidate system and the list system. In elections according to the candidate system, individual students or staff can register as candidates. Under the list system, lists (parties) can register with multiple candidates.

You can read below which system applies to your participation body and how the candidacy takes place. The candidacy can only take place during a certain two-day period. This can be found in the Planning elections.

Standing as a candidate: list system

You can stand as a candidate for the University Council and the Faculty Councils of Humanities (students), Law, Social Sciences and Science in two ways:

1. You can join an existing candidate list or party.
2. You can set up your own candidate list or party. 

Please note: All usual application forms have been canceled due to the modified procedures. This also means that the individual nomination of candidates does not have to be completed this year by the individual candidates. Instead, one Excel form (Dutch only) has been made available in which all data of the party and of the candidates must be entered.

Since the candidates do not place a signature to formalize their nomination, they can be called by phone by the Polling station to check the nomination. So make sure that all information is entered correctly.

In addition, as always, five voters who support the candidate list must be listed. They can also be called for verification. The form must be sent by e-mail to the relevant Electoral Committee.

Standing as a candidate: candidate system

You can stand as a candidate for the Faculty Councils of Archeology, Governance and Global Affairs, Humanities (staff members), the LUMC Student Council and the Employee Councils. Apply by completing the application form (Dutch only).  

Signing is not necessary, but the form must be sent by uMail (students) or work email (ULCN). Five voters must also support the nomination. The supporters can be called by phone by the Polling Station for verification. So fill in all the information correctly. The forms must be sent to the relevant Polling Station. Applications for the Student Council LUMC must be sent to the Central Polling Station.

Decision polling stations

A few days after the application deadline, the polling stations will announce their decisions regarding the submitted candidacies. If problems are found which can be resolved- such as the lack of sufficient signatures of eligible voters who support the candidacy – the opportunity will be given to do this within the allotted dates as presented in the time schedule.

Filing an appeal

If you do not agree with a decision by a polling station with regards to the candidacy, you can file an appeal at the chamber for the elections of the Committee for Appeals and Objections (Rapenburg 70 in Leiden) within the allotted dates as presented in the time schedule.

Also against decisions regarding the correction of the electoral register, appeals can be filed at the chamber for the elections of the Committee for Appeals and Objections (Rapenburg 70 in Leiden) within the allotted dates as presented in the time schedule.

Language policy

The Guideline on Language Policy states that a minimum of a passive knowledge of Dutch at B1 level is needed in order to take part in participation councils such as the University Council. This is required because Dutch is in principle the language of administration. Those interested in testing their level of Dutch can test their knowledge online, such as via Dialang, or they can take the entrance test at the Academic Language Centre of Leiden University. Moreover, those interested can follow an introductory online course in Dutch or can request for resources to follow a course in Dutch once they get elected in a participation body.