CUSA Elections
What are the CUSA Elections?
Each year, Carleton undergraduate students elect fellow Ravens to represent them for the following academic year. The CUSA President and Councillors are elected by all students, and the Vice Presidents are elected by Council. CUSA Executives and Councillors are student leaders on campus who represent your interests and advocate for the issues that impact your student experience.
The CUSA By-Elections are happening this October!
The next opportunity to run is during the October 2026 Fall By-Election. The By-Election is being held to fill vacant Faculty Councillor positions that remained open following the 2026 General Election.
The following positions are available:
- Special Student Representative: 1 seat
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: 6 seats
- Faculty of Engineering and Design: 4 seats
- Faculty of Science: 6 seats
- Sprott School of Business: 2 seats
For more information, read our FAQs, DM @cusaelections, or email hr@cusaonline.ca.
Results and Official Declarations
The 2027 By-Elections start in October of 2026.
The 2027 By-Elections start in October of 2026.
The 2027 By-Elections start in October of 2026.
The 2027 By-Elections start in October of 2026.
2026
Results and Declarations
2026 Official General Election Results
2026 Official Vice-Presidential Election Results
Official Declaration of Candidates
Complaints
General Election Complaint #1
General Election Complaint #2
General Election Complaint #3
General Election Complaint #4
General Election Complaint #5
General Election Complaint #8
General Election Complaint #9
General Election Complaint #10
General Election Complaint #11
General Election Complaint #12
General Election Complaint #13
Appeals
Decision 003
Decision 005
Decision 008
Decision 009
Decision 010
Decision 011
Decision 012
Decision 013
2025
By-Election
By-Election Candidates
2024
By-Election (VP Student Life)
General Election
Vice Presidential Elections Results
Official Declaration of 2025 Vice-Presidential Candidates
General Election Candidates
By-Election Nomination Results
2023
Vice Presidential Elections Results
General Election
By-Election
Official Declaration of 2024 Vice-Presidential Candidates
Procedures for Councillors as Candidates in Vice-Presidential Elections
General Election Candidates and Referendum Committees
Statement from the CRO – Nomination vs Campaign Period Activities
General Election Referendum Proclamation
By-Election Referendum Proclamation
By-Election Candidates and Referendum Committees
2024 General Election – Complaint #2
2024 General Election – Complaint #1
2022
Vice Presidential Elections Results
General Election
By-Election
Vice-Presidential Candidates
General Election Candidates and Referendum Committees
Frequently Asked Questions
For voters and candidates
The next opportunity to run is during the October 2026 Fall By-Election. The By-Election is being held to fill vacant Faculty Councillor positions that remained open following the 2026 General Election.
The following positions are available:
- Special Student Representative: 1 seat
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: 6 seats
- Faculty of Engineering and Design: 4 seats
- Faculty of Science: 6 seats
- Sprott School of Business: 2 seats
If your faculty or student group has a vacant seat, you can submit your nomination during the official nomination period. If there isn’t a vacancy for the position you’re interested in, you’ll have another opportunity to run in the 2027 General Election, when all Faculty Councillor and President positions are up for election.
CUSA Elections are held every year to elect CUSA’s Council and President.
- The CUSA General Election is CUSA’s main election every winter, where undergraduate students elect Faculty Councillors and the President for a 1-year term during the upcoming academic year.
- A CUSA By-Election is held — only when needed — at the start of the academic year to fill positions left vacant in the winter General Election.
- CUSA Vice Presidential Elections are held every winter after the General Election to appoint the Association’s Vice Presidents. Unlike the President and Councillors, Vice Presidents are elected by the incoming and outgoing CUSA Council, not by the student body at-large.
CUSA Council is the main decision-making body of the Carleton University Students’ Association.
You can think of it like a city council for Carleton’s undergraduate students—it’s made up of students elected by other students to make decisions about CUSA’s budget, policies, services, and priorities throughout the year.
If you’re a fee-paying undergraduate student enrolled at Carleton University during the election period, you’re eligible to vote in CUSA elections.
Depending on the election, you may vote for:
- CUSA President – one student elected to lead CUSA for a 1-year term and represent all Carleton undergraduates.
- Faculty Councillors – students who represent each faculty (such as Arts and Social Sciences, Engineering and Design, Science, etc.) on CUSA Council.
- Referendum Questions – questions that ask students to vote “Yes” or “No” on issues that affect you, such as new student services or changes to certain student fees.
The student leaders you elect make decisions that influence:
- Student services
- Campus events and programming
- CUSA’s advocacy efforts (to the University, the City of Ottawa including OC Transpo, and the Provincial and Federal governments)
- Support and funding opportunities
- How your student fees are used, and how much they increase
Voting takes just a couple of minutes and gives you a say in who makes these decisions.
Voting takes place online at the end of the campaign period via your student email (CMAIL). Each student will receive a unique link at the start of the voting period from Carleton University via their CMAIL.
Most students can complete their ballot in less than two (2) minutes.
Candidate bios, socials, platforms, and campaign information are published on this website during the campaign period.
CUSA elections are administered by an independent Chief Returning Officer (CRO), who oversees the election process, investigates complaints, and ensures elections are conducted fairly.
You can contact the CRO at cro@cusaonline.ca.
If you think a candidate has broken the election rules, you can submit a complaint to the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) through the official Elections complaint form on this website.
Complaints should be submitted within 72 hours after voting ends.
Basically all undergraduate students can run!
As long as you meet the basic eligibility requirements for the position you want, such as being a fee-paying Carleton undergraduate student, you can run.
In the General Election, students can typically run for:
- CUSA President
- Faculty Councillor
- Special Students Councillor
Vice Presidents are selected through a separate election by incoming and outgoing Council after the General Election.
Unlike the CUSA President and Councillors, Vice Presidents are not elected by all undergraduate students.
After the General Election, incoming and outgoing CUSA Councillors vote to appoint the Vice Presidents through a separate election.
It’s very easy! But please keep in mind there are two timelines for the General Election and the Vice-President Elections.
You’ll need to:
- Submit a nomination form, when it is released by the CRO.
- Collect the required number of valid nominations.
- Meet all eligibility requirements.
- Sign the Candidate Declaration confirming you’ll follow the election rules.
Only Carleton undergraduate students can nominate you.
- President: 100–200 nominations
- Vice-Presidents: 30-60 nominations
- Faculty Councillor: 20–40 nominations
- Special Students Councillor: Application only, no nominations required!