A manifesto tells people why you want to represent them and why people should vote for you! It sets out your plans for your time in office so it needs to explain why you think you would be a good officer and what you would do if elected. 

Before you even start writing it’s important to think about the following things;
-Who are your voters? Obviously, it’s students you’re targeting, but it’s important to remember that there is a diverse range of students across campus. You need to try and reach out and appeal to all students, not just your friends. 
-Have you spent time thoroughly researching and thinking about what you want to achieve in your time in office? You need to make sure you have thought about how you will represent all the students and that your goals are realistic.

Writing your manifesto...

1. Keep it clear and concise - Your manifesto is your opportunity to tell students why they should vote for you! It needs to briefly outline who you are, what you stand for and the changes you want to implement across the university. Try not to overcomplicate it with long words and complex sentences. 
2. Do your research -  Do your goals represent the wider student body or a minority? You need to make sure you do your research on what students want to see before you start writing your manifesto and campaigning. 
3. Put your personality on paper - Your manifesto isn’t just a place to put your goals forward, it’s also a place to introduce yourself to students that might not know you and let them know a little bit about you. It’s important to make a connection with people as you will be representing them.
4. Be Creative! - Your manifesto will be uploaded onto the SU website, so you need to make sure that you make it something worth reading. You want your manifesto to stand out from the others and be something fun to read. 
5. Outline your goals (keep it realistic) - You have one year in office to implement the changes you want, so you need to make sure that these goals are realistic. Outline the steps you are going to take in order to achieve your goals and make sure they’re not only realistic but also feasible. The worst thing you can do is promise a change that cannot be made – it will really tick off the students that voted for you. The SU staff are always here to help if you have any questions about ideas you have and changes you want to make. 
6. Don’t go over the limit! - Remember, anything written after the given limit will be cut from your manifesto! It’s about quality not quantity so don’t overdo it. 
7. Keep the focus on you - Your manifesto is about YOU and what you can bring to the Students’ Union, not the other candidates. You have a limited number of words to get your points across and sell yourself, so don’t waste them discrediting others.
8. Proofread! - Make sure you proofread your manifesto and check it's free of spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes and that it reads well. You can always use the spellcheck in Word or ask a friend to read it!