Elections for the Representative Council

The METKA Representative Council wields the highest decision-making power in the student union. It consists of 15-25 representatives and 15-25 deputy representatives elected annually. The members of the student union are eligible to vote. The Representative Council makes decisions about economic and strategic plans as well as the operational plan, which is executed by the board of METKA.

The METKA Board is elected for a one year term by the Representative Council. Their job is to execute the decisions of the Representative Council and report to the council about the work done regarding the operational plan, financial matters and strategic execution.

METKA has also hired specialists to help the Representative Council and the board of METKA.

The next elections will take place in autumn 2025.

The next elections will take place in autumn 2025.

How to become a candidate?

To become a candidate, one must choose if they want to be independent or join an electoral coalition formed by at least two (2) or more candidates. Being part of an electoral coalition increases one’s chances of being elected as we use the proportional representation method in the election. Thus, all the electoral coalition votes are added together, and a ratio is formed for the candidates.

In addition, electoral coalitions or independent candidates can form an electoral ring, increasing the chances of small and independent candidates against more powerful coalitions—further information about the electoral coalitions and rings here.

Follow these instructions:

1. Decide to become a candidate in the election
2. Decide whether one wishes to be an independent candidate or part of an electoral coalition
2.1 If one chooses to be part of an electoral coalition, contact a coalition election representative of one choice
2.2 If one wishes to be independent, fill out the election candidacy form
3. Start a campaign and win the election!

NOTICE! The election committee updates the election website of all the election coalitions and their representatives’ contact information if these lists so wish. This will ease the connections between potential candidates and electoral coalitions. It is also a good idea to ask the student organisations on one’s campuses or degree programs if they have coalitions for the election. There are also some political parties in the election, so one might want to ask their local political organisations if they have coalitions.

What does it mean to be in the Representative Council?

METKA’s Representative Council is a legal element that uses the highest authority in the student union. It consists of 15-25 representatives and 15-25 vice representatives, who are elected through an election where all the members of METKA can vote for the candidates. The purpose of the Representative Council is to make strategic, financial and operational decisions that guide the student union’s daily work and make decisions on relevant matters like the combination of the student union board, significant investments and changes in the views of the student union.

Acting as a representative is not a full-time job. The Representative Council gathers for meetings about once every two months, excluding the summer period, so there will be around five to seven meetings during one year. The meetings generally last about two hours and are organised during the evenings on one of Metropolia’s campuses. The most important job of the representatives is to keep up with the current issues of the student union and prepare themselves well for the meetings, possibly with other people in the representatives’ election coalition, so that the views of the coalition are unanimous.

One should not be afraid to become a candidate and work as a representative! It is the perfect way to get experiences and increase one’s knowledge about the Finnish organisation sector and indeed influence the activities and operations of the student union on a very concrete level – in the Representative Council. They decide what METKA does and where it spends its resources and power granted to it by the students!

The term is one calendar year long.

Right to vote

All the actual members of the student union that have paid their member fee are eligible to vote in the elections. Every voter has one (1) vote to use. The vote can only be used personally. The secrecy of the ballot is upheld in the elections.

How to vote

Elections are held electronically.

Counting the votes

The election results are based on proportional representation. A candidate outside of electoral coalitions and / or electoral rings has a comparative index equal to the number of votes the candidate receives. Candidates in an electoral coalitions and rings are arranged inside the coalition or ring based on the number of votes they received. If two or more candidates get the same amount of votes, the order is based on lottery drawn by the election committee. The first candidate in the electoral coalition or ring gets all the votes of the list, the second gets 1/2 of the votes, the third 1/3 and so forth.

In the end all the candidates are arranged in an order based on their final comparative indexes. If two or more candidates within an electoral coalition have the same comparative index, a lottery will be held to determine the order. If independent candidates have the same comparative index, a lottery will be held. Candidates are chosen as representatives based on their comparative indexes and as many as there are places in the Representative Council will be elected. In addition, vice representatives will be elected from those candidates that did not become representatives.

The next elections will take place in autumn 2025.

Electoral Coalition

If two (2) or more candidates wish to form an electoral coalition they must fill the electoral coalition establishing form. An electoral coalition can consist of no more than the number of representatives elected in the election.

The electoral coalition establishing form must include the name and possible identifier of the election coalition and the names and birthdays of the candidates. A candidate can not be in more than one electoral coalition. One person acts as the representative of the electoral coalition. The representative can be one of the candidates.

Electoral Ring

Two (2) or more electoral coalitions can form an electoral ring as long as the total number of candidates is no more than two times the number of the representatives elected in the election. Electoral ring can also include independent candidates as well as electoral coalition(s). Candidates can not join multiple electoral rings or coalitions at the same time. An electoral ring establishing form must be filled to form an electoral ring.

The establishing form must include the name and possible identifier of the electoral ring and list all the names of the electoral coalitions. One person acts as the representative of the electoral ring. The representative can be one of the candidates.

General guidelines

The name or emblem of a candidate, electoral coalition or ring shall not infringe upon anyone’s rights or be commercial or otherwise inappropriate. If the name or symbol does not meet the requirements mentioned above, the Electoral Committee has the right to reject the name or symbol. In this case, however, a list of candidates, an electoral coalition or an electoral ring shall be included in the list of candidates, provided that the candidates belonging to it are eligible for election, and the documents are otherwise correctly drawn up. In this case, no identification shall be placed on the candidate list, electoral coalition or electoral ring.

Campaigning

It is sometimes unclear how the Representative Council can influence voters and candidates. Here are some primary examples:

• Choosing the board
• Deciding the price of the membership fee
• The election of student representatives to various institutions, for example, the Metropolia Board
• Approval of the student union’s budget and action plan
• Directing the activities of the board

In addition, the chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Representative Council are entitled to speak and present at board meetings. Actions can also be made by taking various initiatives.

Sometimes the student union exercises executive and preparatory powers. For example, in preparing documents, the Representative Council members can influence it through their activity. In practice, the council member’s work is about familiarizing with meeting documents, sitting and influencing meetings, following events in the student union, and promoting potential own/electoral union interests, for example, through initiatives.

Examples where the Representative Council do not directly affect:

• Representative Council does not intervene if a teacher is considered incompetent by the student.
• Representative Council does not decide on Sodexo’s restaurant operations.
• Representative Council does not decide matters subject to Metropolia’s decision-making power.
• Representative Council cannot directly influence whether the Universities of Applied Sciences have municipal health care or FSHS.

For all these examples, there are other more direct pathways of influence. A wide range of issues is discussed in the Representative Council, and the debate always comes to the student union’s attention, but it is good to be aware that the representative decides on matters under the decision-making power of the student union. External factors are affected by other means.

Campaigning on campuses and on social media

No one should be pressured or urged to vote at or near a campaigning venue. Every voter should be allowed to vote in peace and preserve electoral secrecy. The campaign stand or in the immediate vicinity must always have an official METKA candidate list after they are made available. In using social media, campaigning must comply with the ethical rules of the game as defined in this Guidelines.

Ethical guidelines

No individual counter-candidate, electoral coalition or others shall be smeared or insulted. Election ads of opposing candidates may not be shunted, moved or removed from their seats. No inappropriate language derogatory to an individual or a particular group may be used in advertising. Advertising must also not be racist or otherwise inconsistent with METKA’s or Metropolia’s policies on equality.

Practical arrangements

The actual voting takes place electronically via a personal and disposable voting link, which is delivered to the Metropolia UAS email addresses of students who are eligible to vote (firstname.lastname@metropolia.fi). In addition to a disposable ID, the email contains more detailed instructions.

Election fraud

Election fraud is committed by a person who:
— takes part in the election in the name of another
— buy or sell votes
— vote multiple times
— prevent others in any way from voting
— force others to vote
— intentionally destroying election ads
— or perpetrate any other activity deemed fraudulent.

Breach of campaigning regulations

The Electoral Committee is responsible for monitoring compliance with campaigning regulations. A person guilty of the above-mentioned electoral fraud may, by the decision of the Electoral Committee, lose the right to vote and stand for election in the ongoing and next election. In case of mild and minor infringements, the Electoral Committee may, at its discretion, issue a written warning, public reproach, or violation concerning an electoral coalition or ring and decide to dissolve it.

Findings of electoral fraud or breaches of campaigning regulations should be submitted in writing to the Electoral Committee by email to vaalit@metkaweb.fi.