Elections 2026

The University of Groningen (UG) has a University Council. This 'U-council' (UR) consists of twenty-four members: twelve elected from and by the students each year, and twelve from and by the staff every other year. The UR members together represent the academic community. They constitute the highest democratically elected body within the governance of the university.

The University Council is in charge of various tasks, such as checking the policy-making of the Board of the University (CvB), the renovation of the University buildings, general teaching and exam regulations, and the annual University budget. The UR has the right of consent and can therefore vote on specific documents or measures.

Currently, several student parties are active in the University Council.
The parties participating in faculty councils can be found on the faculty webpage.

The number of seats for each party is distributed each year, during the university elections in May.

After the University Council, the faculty councils are the highest consultative participation bodies within the University. They act as intermediaries between the various departments within each faculty. These councils have the right of approval and the right to issue advice on certain topics relevant to the faculties, such as on parts of the Education and Examination Regulations (OER). These councils also act as representatives of students and staff within their respective faculties and as sounding boards for their respective faculty boards.

Three of the University of Groningen service units have employee councils and consist solely of staff members of the service units concerned. The service councils have the right of approval and the right to issue advice on cetain topics relevant to the service units. University Services, the University Library and the Center for Information Technology (CIT) have a service council.

On January 21, 2026 everyone concerned will be informed by the Central Electoral Office (CSB) about the elections.

The right to vote is laid down in the Electoral Regulations. Students and staff who are eligible to vote are included in the electoral register of the respective division and council.

This year, on February 3, 2026, the electoral register will be established. At that time, you must be registered as a student or employed by the RUG to be eligible to vote in May.

From February 4 to 6, your own data in the Electoral Register can be viewed using the blue button "view electoral register". (Only visible during this period). Everyone will receive an email for this purpose.

More information about the Electoral Register you can find in he Electoral Regulations with appendix 2 about the who are elegible to vote.

From March 16 through March 25, 2025, you can run for the elections. The submitters of participating parties enter their candidates in the digital voting application. Candidates must then confirm their candidacy then confirm their candidacy during the same period. After March 25, the list is final and the Central Ballot Bureau decides on its validity.

As of Feb. 23, 2026, you can find the official Announcement no. 2 Candidacy below.

The list of candidates for the elections will be determined on April 2, 2026.

The list of participating parties and candidates can be found in

Further information about the elections themselves can be found in

From April 3 until April 16, 2026, candidates can fill their candidate profiles. They can use the blue button "Candidate: update profile" on this page.

In this period List submitters can update their party's information with the blue button " Submitter: Update Party Information"

Elections start on Monday, May 18, 2026 at 7:00 am.

Elections close on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

The results announced on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

More information you can find in Announcement no.5