Voting season has begun and more candidates than ever have been let loose onto your cafés, lecture theatres and Facebook notifications. There is absolutely no way of avoiding the bombardment. Posters, fliers and shouts of “Vote for me!” will creep into every waking second of your life for the next week and a half. It is enough to force any student go fully ‘Russell Brand’ and vow never to vote again!

But there is a reason why these candidates want your vote so badly- it’s because what our Union does really matters. It ensures that the College is giving us the best education possible, that the government doesn’t ignore us, that we have over 300 clubs and societies, that minority groups are heard and that we also have the time and space to have a great time making friends. This is all lead by students- this Union is ours.

You now have the power to choose the students who will lead the Union next year. It is your responsibility to make sure that whoever leads will do so well and with your interest at heart. You don’t need to be heavily involved in the Union to make that choice.

At 41%, last year we achieved the second highest voting turnout, behind St Andrews University. This year we can beat them. Vote to ensure that our Union is the most democratic and representative in the UK.

Voting opens on Friday 7March at 12:00 here