The General Secretary Election 2026.
​Over the coming months, branches will be invited to nominate candidates for the position of General Secretary.
The successful candidate will assume office following the conclusion of the election on 14 August 2026 (subject to ratification by the Executive Council) and will serve a five-year term.
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The General Secretary is responsible for the administration of the Union, with powers and responsibilities set out in Rule 15.
Election Timetable
Nominations
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Nominations period: Thursday 4 June – Sunday 28 June 2026
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Deadline for receipt of nominations: 12 noon, Tuesday 30 June 2026
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Deadline for candidate acceptance and election address: Tuesday 30 June 2026
Election
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Despatch of voting papers: from Tuesday 14 July 2026
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Deadline for return of voting papers: 12 noon, Tuesday 11 August 2026
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Count and verification: 11 – 14 August 2026
The successful candidate will take office at the conclusion of the count on 14 August 2026, subject to ratification.
Nomination and Election Statements
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Members wishing to seek nomination may submit a nomination statement of up to 150 words.
Statements must comply with the election guidelines and must not include images or inappropriate content.
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To ensure equal access to branches, nomination statements submitted in advance will be circulated centrally.
Statements should be sent to:
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Deadline for receipt: 12 noon, Monday 1 June 2026
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Candidates progressing to the ballot will have their election addresses published on this site following the close of nominations.
Eligibility
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Only members with five or more continuous years of membership of Unite are eligible to stand for General Secretary.
Election Guidelines
This election is conducted by the Executive Council in accordance with Rule 16.
Guidelines have been issued to ensure the process is open, fair and compliant with both the Union’s rule book and legal requirements. These set out what candidates and supporters can and cannot do.
You can download the full guidelines here:
www.cesvotes.com/unitegensec26/guidelines
Before the Nomination Period
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Ensure branch contact details are up to date.
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Look out for the official mailing inviting nominations, issued from 2 June 2026.
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A full nominations pack containing detailed instructions will be provided to branches.
Queries
For any questions about the election, please contact: elections@unitetheunion.org
