RAHU statement: “Announcement of Feb 2026 RAHU By Elections”

RENTERS AND HOUSING UNION Feb 24 2026

Whilst we came in strong into 2026 with Office Bearers being elected, we did not fill in all positions and this email is to communicate that we are opening up nominations to fill unoccupied Office Bearer positions 

Our union is fundamentally powered by its members and a huge volunteer effort.

Comrades who step up to leadership roles assist with the running of RAHU in Governance and Operations capacities and as such, provide the stability and longevity we need to shape the fight for safe, secure, and affordable housing for all. 

This is your official call to NOMINATE for the positions outlined below 

Following this nomination period, VOTING will open – read on for more info

In a nutshell:

What? Elections for a range of roles (See below)
Who? We encourage all members to nominate! (See eligibility details below)
How? Nominate yourself or another member (with their consent!) by writing to [email protected] (See more below)
When? Nominations are open for 14 days as of today 23rd February 2026, closing at 11:59 PM on Tuesday 10 March 2026. Voting happens after this period closes. 

_________________________________________________________________________

The Positions Up for Election

Some roles can be held by two people in a co-leadership model! (see more below

If you want to take on the role alongside another OB, please make this known. 

Note: WOGD below means “Women or Gender Diverse” (anyone who does not identify as a cis man).

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Officer [1 role to be filled]:
    The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Officers chair a committee which involves proactively organising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, ensuring their voice is represented within the Union, conducting outreach to grow First Nations membership, and organising up-skilling events. This Committee has the power to vote to change where RAHU sends its Decolonisation Fund
     *Only members who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander can nominate
  • Research & Policy Officer/s: [2 roles to be filled, 1 must be a WOGD]  Chairs/Co-Chairs the Policy and Research Committee, which writes policy documents, researches solutions for advocacy and helps to substantiate our campaign efforts.
  • Social Media Officer/s [2 roles to be filled, 1 must be a WOGD]: Chairs/Co-Chair works closely with the Communications Officer and together are collectively responsible for the external voice of RAHU through traditional media, written articles, media releases etc. Social Media and Communications are highly related roles that require a very different skill set, but both communicate to the outside world and members the goals of the union. Currently, we require a Social Media person to dedicate time to Chairing and organising our platforms.
  • Operations Co-Officer  [1 role to be filled]: Co-chairs the committee involved in coordinating RAHUs operations including software, tech and administrative services. A system administrator or software engineering background is encouraged.
  • Inventory Officer – Melb based only [1 role to be filled]: Co-chairs the Inventory Committee which acts as caretaker for the RAHU Office in Carlton, Victoria, ensures office supplies are kept full, and runs the RAHU Merch store, sending out and ordering merch.
  • Queer Officers: [2 roles to be filled – for members who identify as LGBTQIA, with at least being a WOGG]: This committee is tasked with advocating for their specific group, both within and outside the union. Ensuring the voices for marginalised groups, and building collective power structures.
  • Campaigns Co-Officer:  Co-chairs the Organising Committee, which organises the campaigns run by RAHU, things like protests, events, rent strikes, unionising buildings etc.

The following roles (1 each) are open to nomination only if you identify as *female/gender diverse* and are a full RAHU member:

  1. Co-Secretary: Co-chair of the Governing Committee, the main organiser of other Office Bearers and Delegates within the union. Their role is to ensure adherence to the constitution, to steer the culture of the union, and to ensure all other Office Bearers are able to do their role.
  2. Co-Treasurer: Co-chairs of the Finance Committee, they ensure the financial stability of the Union, track spending, budgets, grants, and income. They are required to do regular financial reports.
  3. Communications Co-Officer: Co-Chairs the committee which together with Social Media are collectively responsible for the external voice of RAHU through traditional media, written articles, media releases etc (Communications) and social media (Social Media) – these are highly related roles that require a very different skill set, but both communicate to the outside world and members the goals of the union.
  4. Renters Rights Co-Officer: Co-chairs the Renters Rights Committee, which assists members to understand their rights, educations on self advocacy, and assists in building union resources for members.
  5. Public and Social Housing Co-Officer:  This committee is tasked with advocating for their specific group, both within and outside the union. Ensuring the voices for marginalised groups, and building collective power structures.

Each Office Bearer has the following responsibilities.

  • Organising regular meetings of their committee
  • Contacting general members and inviting them to join their relevant committee Upskilling members on appropriate subjects connected to their committee Voting on behalf of their committees in the monthly Governing Committee meeting on the administrative issues of the union
  • Regularly checking their union emails
  • Any tasks assigned by their committee or the Secretary
  • Read over the constitution and bylaws

All roles are voluntary. However, based on our bylaws and when our finances are healthy, the union may gift elected office bearers an honorarium of up to $600 per month. This should not be the reason you take on a OB role and no employee relationship is created by virtue of your service to the Union.

Our Co-Leadership Model – What to Know

To break from the model of singular, hierarchical power and to ensure our leadership reflects our diverse membership, we operate on a co-leadership model. This means:

  • Some positions can have up to two people elected into the role i.e. where 2 spots need be filled. 
  • If two people are elected, at least one must be a woman or gender-diverse person. Therefore, two cisgender men cannot be elected as co-office bearers for the same role.
  • Responsibilities can be shared between the co-office bearers as they see fit.

✅ Eligibility to Nominate

We strongly encourage every member who is passionate about our union to consider nominating.

The standard rule is that candidates must have been a financial member in good standing for at least the last 6 months.

However, don’t let this discourage you from nominating! The constitution allows for an exception: if no member who meets the 6-month requirement nominates for a particular role, then members with less than 6 months of good standing become eligible for that specific role.

So, by nominating, you ensure that every role is contested and that members have a choice. Your nomination is valuable, even if you’re a newer member!

Members may nominate for as many roles as they like, however only one may be held, so if you are elected for more than one role, you will have to decide which role to accept – any role you do not accept will go to the next highest voted candidate or be left vacant.

Note: Homeowners are not eligible to vote. 

  Method for Nomination

If this sounds like something that’s up your alley, please nominate by emailing [email protected] 

Try your absolute best to communicate with the Returning Officer no later than 10pm (Eastern) on the last day of the nomination period. 

Note the following when you write to the Returning Below:

  1. Your Full Name
  2. The Position you are nominating for.
  3. A Candidate Bio (suggested approx. 150-200 words). Please tell us who you are, why you’re passionate about RAHU, and what you hope to bring to the role. This will be shared with voters.
  4. Confirmation that you are a member in good standing.
  5. For Co-Leadership: Please indicate if you identify as a woman or gender-diverse person. This is crucial for ensuring our co-leadership model functions as intended.

Voting Timeline

Nomination Period (current)

  • Nominations Open: 23rd of February
  • Nominations Close: 11:59 PM Tuesday 10 March 2026.
  • Candidate Announcement via Email: Closer to the voting time or on the day voting opens, we should have all of the profiles ready for public announcement. Profiles will also be included in the voting email. 

Voting Period (upcoming)

  • Voting period starts: Saturday 14th of Feb for 7 days to Saturday the 21st of Feb at 11:59pm
  • Results Declared: By 11:59PM Monday 23rd March, via email announcement

ℹ️ A Little More Detail

  • Voting System: We use a preferential voting system. You’ll rank the candidates in your order of preference.
  • Seeking More Candidates: The ballot will include a “Seek Further Candidates” option. If this wins, we will re-open nominations to find more people for the role.

The landlord class is organised. Capital is organised. Our power comes from our own organisation. Do not wait for someone else to lead. Be the leadership. 

If you have any questions about the process, the roles, or what’s involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

In solidarity,

Returning Officer
Renters and Housing Union (RAHU)

Media Contact:           RAHU Returning Officer:                  
0437 227 463             [email protected]
[email protected]