How to Vote in Elections on ChamberOS

ChamberOS runs elections, polls, and referendums for your faculty and chambers. The voter list is built on verified matric numbers, so every vote counts once. Here is what you can vote on, how to become eligible, and how to cast your vote.

What you can vote on

The Vote area holds three kinds of decisions:

• Elections choose people, like chamber executives.
• Polls gauge opinion on a question.
• Referendums decide a specific motion.

Each vote also has a scope, which tells you who it is for. A vote can be for a single chamber, for your whole faculty, or across a campus. The scope is shown on each vote, so you know what you are taking part in.

Becoming eligible

Here is the one thing to know above all: you need a matric number on your profile to vote.

Voting needs to know each voter is a real, single student, and your matric number is how ChamberOS checks that. Open the Vote area and you will see the elections that apply to you, but if your matric number is missing, the app asks you to add it before you can vote.

To add it, open Edit Profile, type your matric number, and save. For the full story on how matric numbers work and why they lock once set, read How to Complete Your Profile and Why Your Matric Number Matters.

How to cast your vote

1. Open the Vote area. Votes are grouped into Open now, Upcoming, and Past.
2. Open an election that is Open now.
3. Read the options. For an election, each candidate may have a short bio.
4. Pick your choice and confirm.

Once your vote is recorded, it is counted. Because eligibility is tied to your matric number, you cannot vote twice in the same election.

Reading the status of a vote

Each vote shows a clear status:

• Open means you can vote right now.
• Upcoming means it is scheduled and will open at its start time.
• Closed means voting has ended and the result stands.

Opening and closing dates are shown where they apply, so you can plan to vote before a deadline.

Who creates elections

Elections are set up by faculty admins and super admins, for the right university and, where it fits, a specific chamber. As a student you take part rather than create them. If your chamber needs an election, ask a chamber or faculty admin to set one up.

Common questions

I can see an election but cannot vote. Your matric number is almost certainly missing. Add it in Edit Profile, then come back to the vote.

I voted but want to change my choice. Once a vote is recorded it stands, which is what keeps the count fair. So vote carefully.

The election I want is not showing. It may be Upcoming rather than Open, or for a chamber or year you are not in. Check the status and scope.

What to do next

• Get eligible first: read How to Complete Your Profile and Why Your Matric Number Matters.
• Find your chamber: read How to Join and Use a Chamber.