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The Student Representative Assembly (SRA), the governing body of the MSU, is composed of 35 undergraduate students elected by their peers, inside each academic faculty. Together, they work to provide the best possible MSU services and departments, represent and address the concerns of undergraduate students, and lobby the University to improve McMaster’s academic quality. The MSU exists to represent students and to help build a better community for the undergraduate community. You can find out more about the expectations of the position here.
Important Dates:
Please check back in early January for further information and dates regarding these elections.
Important Documents:
Click here to access documents related to the SRA General Election.
Results:
Click here to view the most recent SRA General Election results
*Please note that Operating Policy – Vice-Presidential & Speaker Elections was amended at SRA Meeting 25K (November 30, 2025). Click here for the updated policy.*
Any MSU member (an undergraduate student enrolled in 18 academic units or more) is eligible to run for these seats. The SRA has adopted parameters to govern how these elections run and that information can be found here.
Together with the MSU President, the Vice-President’s (Administration), (Finance), and (Education) comprise the MSU Board of Directors (BoD). The BoD has vast responsibilities within the organization and to the undergraduate students of McMaster University. Together, this team of four individuals are employed full-time for a year-long term, governing the daily operations of the McMaster Students Union. The role of Vice President is a full-time contract position. The successful candidate will start on May 1 with their contract concluding on April 30.
The election process gives each candidate the opportunity to speak to their qualifications and ideas and then Assembly members will have the ability to question the nominees. To learn more about the specific responsibilities of the Vice-Presidents and Speaker, please refer to Bylaw 4 – Board of Directors & Speaker. The Speaker is paid part-time over the course of an academic year to manage the bi-weekly meetings and duties of the Student Representative Assembly.
If you would like to reach out to the 2025-2026 SRA members to discuss your platform, contact the MSU Speaker at: speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca.
Important Dates:
Please check back in December 2025 for further information and dates regarding these elections.
The MSU President is elected annually by the MSU membership as outlined by the procedures in the MSU Constitution and Bylaw 7. The elected candidate will hold office from May 1st to April 30th. The President may carry a course load of not more than three (3) units per academic term. This course load restriction may be waived by a two-thirds majority vote of the SRA.
The President is to serve as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Spokesperson for the McMaster Students Union and be a voting member of the SRA, the Executive Board, and an ex-officio member of all other MSU committees. As well, the President will chair the Executive Board, Board of Directors and the Presidents’ Council. Furthermore, the President will represent the MSU to the University Administration, Hamilton community as well as local, provincial, and national governments and organizations.
Important Dates:
Proclamation: November 24, 2025
All Candidates Meeting: January 16, 2026 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM Location HSC 1A6
Nomination Period: November 24, 2025 – January 16, 2026
Campaigning Period: January 18 – 29, 2026
Polling Dates: January 27-29, 2026
*This meeting is mandatory in order to be considered eligible to run. If you cannot make this date, please contact the CRO to arrange another time.
Important Documents:
Click here to access documents related to the MSU Presidential Election.
Click here to fill out your Campaign Social Media & Ballot Statement Form.
Elections Committee Updates:
In response to McMaster University’s closure on January 15, 2026, the Elections Committee has extended nominations until January 16, 2026, at 5 PM.
For more information, please review the motion approved by the Elections Committee:
Moved by Oberai, seconded by Zeiler that the Elections Committee amend Rules 3.2 and 3.2.2.1 of the 2026 MSU Presidential Election Rules to read as follows:
- 3.2 The Nomination Period will open at 9:00 AM EST on November 24th, 2025. Nominations will close at 5:00 PM EST on January 16th, 2026.
- 3.2.2.1 Deposits must be paid before 5:00 PM EST on January 16th, 2026, in order for a candidate to be eligible to run for election.
Results:
A referendum of the general membership of the MSU may be called on a question of policy or any other matter, that may be held and voted on during the October By-Election, MSU Presidential Election, or SRA General Elections. It may result in the adoption of a new policy or fee increase.
There are different ways for a referendum to be called:
- A petition signed by three percent (3%) of the MSU membership delivered to the Vice-President (Administration);
- A resolution of the General Assembly;
- Or a majority vote of the total members of the SRA shall initiate a referendum.
All referenda called once the above conditions are met shall be administered by the Elections Committee, as outlined in their policies and bylaws.
Once a referendum has been called, and nominations have opened, students are able to put campaign teams together to advocate for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ side of the referendum.
The minimum number of ballots in a referendum must be equal to ten percent (10%) of the membership of the MSU for the results of the referendum to be a binding resolution on the SRA.
2026 Referenda:
This year the MSU will be sending two questions to referendum to be concurrent with the MSU Presidential Election:
OPIRG McMaster – Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster is a resource centre on campus that is committed to the area of social justice and environmental action, run primarily by students. OPIRG McMaster has funded and supported a variety of action groups, including McMaster’s Community Garden, Climate Justice McMaster, Mac Students for Bike Share, Stop Sprawl Students, and Meals with Purpose.
On June 22, 2025, the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) voted in favour of asking McMaster University to stop collecting OPIRG McMaster’s student levy, and to remove the group’s Bylaw 8 status. The SRA made this decision because OPIRG McMaster’s previous Board of Directors intended to separate from the OPIRG Ontario network against the terms of the original referendum that instituted the fee. McMaster University implemented this decision to stop collecting the OPIRG McMaster student levy and remove the group’s Bylaw 8 status.
Following OPIRG McMaster’s annual election and Annual General Meeting at the end of July 2025, a new Board of Directors was elected. OPIRG McMaster proceeded to submit a request to be reinstituted as a Bylaw 8 Group and for its fee to be sent to referendum.
On November 16th, 2025, the SRA voted in favour of calling a referendum to re-establish McMaster OPIRG’s Bylaw 8 Group status and the annual collection of its organizational fee, in response to OPIRG McMaster’s request. Students can review OPIRG McMaster’s full background, recent updates, and their referendum request in the memo linked here.
The options in this referendum are YES or NO.
Students may choose to vote either YES if they wish to reinstate the $5.69 annual fee (increasing annually by CPI, with the option to opt out) or NO if they do not wish to reinstate the $5.69 annual fee. Students may also choose to abstain from voting.
Do you agree to the re-establishment of an annual $5.69 fee (subject to annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment and individual opt-out) to support the McMaster chapter of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG)?
HSR Bus Pass – First established in 1997, full-time undergraduate McMaster students have access to a discounted Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) bus pass. The McMaster Students Union (MSU), McMaster University, and the HSR negotiate a new bus pass agreement every 3 years. The current agreement includes Fall-Winter, Summer, and Extended services and concludes on August 21, 2026.
On November 16th, 2026, the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) voted in favour of calling a referendum to renew the HSR Bus Pass agreement for the 2026–2029 term. The proposed agreement maintains the same cost breakdown as the current 2023–2026 contract. Full details on the proposed fee structure, ridership data, and service enhancements can be found in the memo to the SRA.
The price of a publicly available HSR Bus pass is $125.40/month for the 2025 calendar year. The MSU bus pass contract prices are based on a percentage of this publicly available HSR bus pass. The proposed annual fees are as follows:
2026-2027: $260.90
2027-2028: $265.32
2028-2029: $269.74
The options in this referendum are YES or NO. Students may choose to vote either YES if they wish to continue the HSR Bus Pass (U-Pass) Fee (mandatory, without the option to opt-out) or NO if they do not wish to continue the HSR Bus Pass Fee. Students may also choose to abstain from voting.
Do you agree to the continuation of the HSR Bus Pass (U-Pass) Fee (mandatory, without the option for opt-out) for the next 3 years at $260.90 for 2026-2027, $265.32 for 2027-2028, and $269.74 for 2028-2029?
Alumo: Virtual Health Care – The McMaster Students Union (MSU) currently offers Health and Dental Insurance, as well as the Student Assistance Program (SAP), to MSU Members through Alumo, formerly known as WeSpeakStudent.
On November 30th, 2025, the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) voted in favour of calling a referendum to introduce additional healthcare coverage under the Alumo Virtual Health Care Program. The new coverage will offer 24/7 phone/video call access to medical professionals and virtual prescription/refill services, on top of existing mental health support. Click here to view the memo to the SRA for more information.
The Virtual Health Care Program is a separate offering giving students additional supports as listed below; however, the two services are offered together via the same platform through Dialogue. This chart below outlines the existing and added health coverage benefits in how students will be supported by each respective framework.
| Student Assistance Program (SAP) |
|
| Added Benefits via Alumo Virtual Health Care Program |
|
Opting out of this fee will follow the same process and dates as opting out of the current Health and Dental Insurance. You cannot opt out of the Student Assistance Program as it is paid for by the MSU and does not incur any annual fees from students.
If the new fee is instated, students will have the choice to select from either of the following 4 options:
- Opt-out of the Alumo Virtual Health Care Program fee without opting out of the existing Health and Dental Services
- Opt-out of Health and/or Dental Services without opting out of the Alumo Virtual Health Care program
- Opt-out of all programs, while maintaining access to the Student Assistance Plan
- Stay opted in to all programs
The new Alumo Virtual Health Care Program will be based on a $35.25 fee + tax per year, increasing annually by Consumer Price Index (CPI) and/or market requirements, based on inflation, student opt-out rates, and service usage.
The options in the referendum are YES and NO. Students may choose to vote either YES if they wish to establish an additional annual fee of $35.25 + tax (with the option to opt out) or NO if they do not wish to establish the annual fee of $35.25 + tax. Students may also choose to abstain from voting.
Do you agree to establish an annual $35.25 fee + tax (with a maximum annual increase by CPI or market requirements, with the option to opt out) to expand our current healthcare coverage, as described above, through the addition of the Alumo Virtual Health Care Program effective September 1, 2026?
You can find all the important dates and documentation below. If you have questions about the procedures, please reach out to the Elections Department.
Important Dates:
Proclamation: November 24, 2025
Nomination Period: November 24, 2025 – January 16, 2026
All Candidates Meeting: January 16, 2026 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM Location HSC 1A6
Campaigning Period: January 18 – 29, 2026
Polling Dates: January 27-29, 2026
*This meeting is mandatory in order to be considered eligible to run. If you cannot make this date, please contact the CRO to arrange another time.
Important Documents:
Click here to access documents related to the 2026 MSU Referenda.
Click here to fill out your Campaign Social Media & Ballot Statement Form
Elections Committee Updates:
In response to McMaster University’s closure on January 15, 2026, the Elections Committee has extended nominations until January 16, 2026, at 5 PM.
For more information, please review the motion approved by the Elections Committee:
Moved by Oberai, seconded by Yang that the Elections Committee amend Rules 3.2 and 3.2.2.1 of both the 2026 MSU Referendum Rules and the 2026 MSU Special Referendum Rules to extend the Nomination Period closing date and deposit deadline from January 15th, 2026 to January 16th, 2026.
Results:
Student Representative Assembly (SRA) By-Elections may occur several times throughout the year, if SRA seats become available outside of the SRA General Election cycle. These elections are held as needed to ensure that each caucus is fully filled.
Click here to learn more about the SRA
Click here to view the SRA Representative Assembly Member Job Description
Important Dates:
Proclamation: October 6, 2025
Nomination Period: October 6 – 20, 2025
All Candidates Meeting: October 20, 2025*
Vote of Confidence Polling: October 23, 2025
Campaigning Period: October 21 – 24, 2025
Polling Date: October 24, 2025
*This meeting is mandatory.
The following will be going to a Vote of Confidence on Thursday, October 23, 2025:
Engineering (3 seats)
Omar Bayari
Shafwan Fahim
Omar Sartaj
Social Sciences (1)
Dylan Lutchman
The following will be going to an Election on Friday, October 24, 2025:
Health Sciences (1)
Jacqueline Chen
Lubna Ismail
Ausaf Mirza
Ibrahim Tazkarji
Important Documents:
Click here to access documents related to SRA October By-Election
Click here to view the SRA October By-Election Results.*
*Results are unofficial until the end of the appeals period. Detailed information can be found in the Elections Committee minutes, available after approval.
MSU First Year Council (FYC) is the unique representative body for McMaster first year students that serves to inform and speak for their distinctive needs and concerns. The council represents both current and future first year McMaster students, and ensures that their issues and interests are addressed by acting as a voice, and as a guiding body.
First Year Council Positions:
Chair — The primary spokesperson, liaison and advocate for the MSU First Year Council. This person will maintain relationships with other student/university organizations and oversee all FYC meetings. This person is responsible for reporting on the First Year Council to the SRA.
Vice-Chair (Internal) — acts as spokesperson for the organization and liaison between the First Year Council and the Residence Advisory Council. This individual will act as a primary lead on advocacy related to the living conditions and the students experience of first year students living on McMaster campus.
Vice-Chair (External) — acts as spokesperson for the organization and liaison between the First Year Council and the Faculty Society first year representatives. This individual will act as a primary lead on advocacy related to issues with respect to academic and off campus student experiences perspectives.
Vice-Chair (Events) — acts as a spokesperson for the organization and is the primary planner for events planned by the council. This Vice-Chair (Events) will work with MSU Spark, the MSU Maroons, MSU Campus Events and Residence Life to raise first year spirit within the school and improve the student experience at McMaster University.
Residence Chairs — will act as advocates for students in residence at McMaster University. They will be elected among their peers within their residence and will serve on a variety of Residence Life consultation committees. Further, residence chairs will be responsible for collecting feedback on the perspective of students in residence and running events within their particular building.
There are 13 positions available; one representative for each residence on campus as follows:
- Bates Chair
- Brandon Chair
- Edwards Chair
- Hedden Chair
- Les Prince Chair
- Mary E. Keyes Chair
- Matthews Chair
- McKay Chair
- Moulton Chair
- Peter George Chair
- Wallingford Chair
- Whidden Chair
- Woodstock Chair
Off-Campus/Commuting Students — There will also be two (2) seats for off-campus/commuting students available to run for. They will act as advocates for students living off-campus at McMaster University. They will be elected among their peers.
Please reach out to Elections if you have any questions about the procedures. Find out more about First Year Council here and here.
Important Dates:
Proclamation: September 2, 2025
Nomination Period: September 2 – 16, 2025
All Candidates Meeting: September 16, 2025, at 5 PM (BSB 135)*
Campaigning Period: September 17 – 25, 2025
Vote of Confidence Polling Date: September 17, 2025
Polling Date: September 24 & 25, 2025
*This meeting is mandatory.
Important Documents:
Click here to access documents related to the FYC election.
The following will be going to a Vote of Confidence on September 17, 2025:
Whidden Hall:
Emma Wu
The following will be going to an Election on September 24 & 25, 2025:
Chair:
Logan Dudra
Matthieu Gauthier
Emily Hou
Andrew Kelder
Sarah Khan
Mustafa Khan
Monaé McKenzie
Gurbani Oberai
Dabria Peta-Dragos
Justin Piper Merrett
Remy Wang
Vice Chair (Internal):
Andrei Dubovski
Aryan Raval
David Guller
Fiza Farman
Harriet Kim
Konrad Gorecki
Vice Chair (External):
Sarah Al Shabi
Morgan Dickinson
Layan Elkhatib
Michael Mathew
George Prilepskiy
Lana Rahmoun
Christopher Xenos
Vice Chair (Events):
Kate Atkin
Natalie Bocchinfuso
Andy Chen
Shreyash Dharia
Emilie Lariviere
Ailah Mahmood
Dayle McKay
Dami Nwanali Omisone
Helia Sayadnasab
Puja Verma
Off-Campus/Commuting Students Representatives (2):
Jana Al Faqir
Udval Altansukh
Maresa Berg
Ava Calingasan
Rayan Mirza
James Porto
Mathura Rai
Ayaan Siddiqui
Dominic Softleigh-Hoadley
Bates Residence Representative:
Isaiah Dojutrek
Olivia Wang
Brandon Hall Residence Representative:
Amaan Bokhari
Marcus Georgey
Mauli Patel
Edwards Hall Residence Representative:
Zoe Chan
Kurtis Sözen
Sahil Talluri
Hedden Hall Residence Representative:
Liam Henderson
Alex Ignacio Ruiz Reyes
Les Prince Hall Residence Representative:
Simar Jhutty
Setayesh Zargar
Mary E. Keyes Residence Representative:
Kubra Ashori
Hasan Bhimani
Azlan Khan
Maya Sharaf Eldin
Marshal Zhang
Matthews Hall Residence Representative:
Charles McCarron
Abdurrehman Usman
McKay Hall Residence Representative:
Awwab Asim
Natalia Campeau
Ethen Ivanic
Nia Moshari
Moulton Hall Residence Representative:
Mirelle Iskander
Brooke Siiman
Peter George CLL Residence Representative:
Aseel Basher
Hrish Dave
Quinten Pidsadny
Anika Tiwary
Wallingford Hall Residence Representative:
Ashley Banwait
Nina Loganova
Woodstock Hall Residence Representative:
Zayna Ali
Meng Bai Li
Kaylyn To
Results:
*On October 8th, the Elections Committee (EC) overturned the disqualifications of Ailah Mahmood and Quinten Pidsadny, resulting in updates to the Vice-Chair (Events) and PGCLL Residence Representative election results, respectively. The EC upheld most of Christopher Xenos’s violations, maintaining his disqualification in the Vice-Chair (External) Election. On November 18th, the Electoral Appeal Board considered appeals from Christopher Xenos. After hearing from the Appellant, as well as from the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) as a representative of the Elections Committee, the EAB upheld all violations under appeal and ultimately, the appellant’s disqualification. All decisions made by the EAB are final. Detailed Elections Committee meeting minutes will be made available shortly. As of November 19th, 2025, all appeals have concluded for the 2025 First-Year Council Elections.
The MSU Elections Department can hold online elections on behalf on faculty/program societies or student groups, using our Simply Voting platform. If you would like support in hosting and facilitating an election, email the elections department for more information.
Please note: The Elections Department will have the following blackout dates for external elections: September 27-28, October 21-25, 2024, November 18-22, 2024, January 13-30, 2025, February 24-March 13, 2025. Your request will not be honored if it’s during this date.
Please fill out this form and send back to the Chief Returning Officer if you are interested in holding an external election.
Are you interested in running for a position in the MSU but have no clue where to start? Start by following the steps below:
Step One: Nominate Yourself
This is the easiest step. Once the nomination period opens for your election, just download the nomination form respective to the election you are running in from the MSU Elections website and fill out the required information. Once complete, submit it to MSU Elections through email by sending it to elections@msu.mcmaster.ca before the nomination period ends.
Step Two: Read the Rules
Part of your nomination package will be the rules for your election that you (and your campaign team if you have one) have to follow as a candidate. A very important part of these rules is that you cannot campaign before the start of the campaign period. If you break the rules you could be fined so make sure you know them!
Step Two-and-a-Half: Assemble a Campaign Team (if applicable)
This is a half-step because not everyone uses or needs a campaign team. Most often candidates assemble them to help them out during the Presidential Election. This election can involve a lot of effort from the candidate to try to reach all MSU members, so a campaign team can be an invaluable resource. If you wish to assemble one, make sure that you register your campaign team members with the Elections Department, that your team knows the rules just as well as you do, and that no one campaigns before the campaign period!
Step Three: Attend the All-Candidates Meeting
This mandatory meeting happens the evening each nomination period closes and is where you will get information about your election, can meet your fellow candidates, and can ask any questions you have to the Chief and Deputy Returning Officers. (You might even find out that you’ve been acclaimed!)
Step Four: Campaign
There are many ways that you can campaign. The most common methods include posting posters, talking to classes, making a Facebook page, and talking to people around campus. You can also get creative with campaigning, just make sure you’re always following the rules!
Step Five: Get the Results
At the end of polling for an election, the Elections Committee will meet to discuss complaints against all of the candidates and to levy fines if they so decide, before anyone has found out the results. At the conclusion of the fines meeting the Elections Committee will view the results, the MSU will publicize them, and you will be notified of any fines that you have.
Step Five-and-a-Half: Appeal Your Fines
If you wish to fight your fine(s), you can submit an appeal to the Elections Department following the election and then make your case to the Elections Committee at their appeals meeting. If they decide not to accept your appeal, you have one more opportunity to appeal and that is to the Electoral Appeal Board.
Step Six: Relax
Whether or not you are successful, you deserve a break! And keep an eye out for the next MSU election around the corner.
Leave of Absence Request Form
If you are required to fill out a Leave of Absence as per Employment Policy – Full-Time Staff, please fill out this form:
Tips & Insight
Former MSU President, Mary Koziol created a guide on running in MSU elections, focusing on presidentials. This guide includes Mary’s insight as well as insight from other students who have participated in elections. Please click on the link below to view her handy guidebook on Issuu.
All elections held by the MSU use a secure online voting platform, called SimplyVoting. Visit SimplyVoting at any time and login with your MacID to see available elections.
Check often, as in addition to the elections of the MSU president and SRA members, many clubs and faculty societies utilize the election services of the MSU to host their own elections.
For detailed instructions including screen walkthroughs, please download the guidebook below:
To view past elections results, please click here.