How to write a manifesto

We want to make writing your manifestos as easy as possible, so we’ve put together some helpful tips to get you started.

If you’ve nominated yourself, congratulations – you’re now part of our Spring Elections! As part of your nomination, you can submit a manifesto. This is a one-page document that explains what you’ll do if you get elected, why students should vote for you and any relevant experience or background information about yourself. The manifesto is different from the 50-word statement. The manifesto is an opportunity for students to understand why they should vote for you and what you will do if elected.

Submit manifesto Deadline wed 4 MAR 12PM

The essentials

A manifesto is your opportunity to tell voters more about yourself. It’s up to you to decide what you want to include, but manifestos typically explain your ideas for the things you’ll work on if you get elected, why voters should vote for you and any relevant experience or background information.

If you submit a manifesto, you must also submit a plain text version of your manifesto for accessibility. This should be submitted as text only and should not include any images/graphics

If you submit an image manifesto, it must be saved in the JPEG file format and cannot exceed one A4 page.

You can be as creative as you like – your manifesto can be in colour and have pictures, but it’s a good idea to keep the font simple and use colours that contrast, so it’s easy for people to read.

How do I write a manifesto?

When writing your manifesto make sure that you are speaking to a wide range of students instead of a specific group. This is because we have wide variety of students at Queen Mary.

Before you start writing down your key priorities and experience make sure to clearly state what position you are running for.

Now that we’ve done that, here are some things to consider when you write your manifesto:


A short introduction about who you are

For example:

  • What course you are on
  • Membership of clubs and societies
  • Roles of responsibility, such as being a Course Rep
  • Involvement in political activities, parties and groups
  • Any other involvement in student issues/activities
  • What skills you have that you can use to help students
  • Maybe a fun fact that will help voters get to know you and remember you

Who you are representing

Students’ experiences at university are incredibly diverse. Think about the community of students you are seeking to represent and the issues and improvements that might matter to them. It’s important to not just rely on your own experiences, you could ask friends for feedback or look at previous candidates.


What your key priorities are

Deciding on a few key priorities will help give students an idea of what you will do in the role. It’s a good idea to research what previous reps have worked on at Queen Mary and beyond, both for inspiration and to see what work has already been done! Also think about what would influence you to vote for someone else and be clear in explaining what you believe in and what you want to improve.


What motivated you to stand

Take some time to reflect on why you decided to stand for the role – is there a particular change you want to make? Are there skills or experiences that you think would make you a good representative? These things will help you focus in on what your priorities are.


What makes you stand out

Think about how to make your campaign memorable. Some candidates choose a slogan, hashtag, colour scheme or campaign theme. This can make it easier to create a coherent brand that is recognisable across different platforms.


What is achievable

Make sure your manifesto pledges are achievable. Simply putting a “New swimming pool on campus” might seem like a great idea but remember you will have to explain to students about how you will achieve your pledges.

Once you’ve done this it is time to submit your manifesto!


Can I use AI to write my manifesto?

You’re permitted to use AI to help you with your manifesto. However, we recommend that you don’t leave your entire manifesto up to AI. AI doesn’t know Queen Mary or the students that need to vote for you, so it’s important to use your own knowledge and experience to ensure that your manifesto is aligned with the needs of the students you’ll be representing. You’ll also need to make sure that the points on your manifesto are things that you’ll actually want to work on, so you’re not making empty promises that you can’t keep.


Make it eye-catching

When you’ve decided what to include in your manifesto, it’s time to get creative with the design.

Think of eye-catching content, snappy titles and ensure your manifesto is clear and easy to read. Try and keep it concise as well – the chances are that students will not read your whole manifesto word to word, they will just look at them main points and headlines.

Use online tools such as Canva and Vista Create to create a visually eye-catching manifesto.

Make sure to use a font that is easy to read. If you’re planning to print out your manifesto and use it as a poster on campus, it’s also important to select a font size that is easily readable when people walk past your poster.

Don’t forget to submit a plain-text manifesto in addition to your designed manifesto. The plain-text version should have the exact same content, but for accessibility purposes, it must be plain black text on a plain light background (no colours, no graphics, etc.).

If graphic design isn’t your strongest skill, it’s completely fine to stick to a plain-text version, but why not take the chance to learn a new skill for your CV?

Get ready to apply.

Applications open 9 February at 12pm

Got a question? Email us at su-elections@qmul.ac.uk

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