Voting in the Cambridge Students’ Union Michaelmas elections opened on Friday (11/11), despite the lack of candidates for many of the available positions.

The elections will see candidates appointed to represent the University to the National Union of Students’ (NUS) conference. Representatives will also be elected for the SU campaigns and academic departments and schools.

The NUS delegate positions are hotly contested this year, with fifteen people, including two sabbatical officers, standing for seven positions.

Three of these positions must be filled by women.

This election comes after NUS president-elect Shaima Dallali was sacked last week amid allegations of antisemitism against her and the NUS as a whole.

Eight of the fifteen candidates made explicit reference to the antisemitism allegations within the NUS in their manifestos including both sabbatical officers running for the role.

Eight of the candidates also called for more accountability or transparency in the NUS, and seven made reference to the cost of living crisis.

Two candidates did not submit manifestos.

The SU campaign elections, in an echo of elections in March, have seen far candidates putting themselves forward, with 40 of the 60 positions up for election having no candidates and only one role in the LGBT campaign being contested.

Fergus Kirman, SU chair and acting returning officer for the election acknowledged the lack of candidates for many campaign elections. Nonetheless, he highlighted the contested elections, saying: “it’s really exciting that we have such a range of candidates running in these elections, and each of them are contributing to a vibrant student democracy.”

He continued: “I’d encourage all students to play their part by voting before the elections close on Thursday.”