Election for the next Senate in the winter semester 2025/26
Dear students,
In the winter semester 2025/2026, the small elections to the Senate of Geisenheim University will be held. Students of Geisenheim University are eligible to vote for their representatives to the Senate.
The Senate election will take place online from Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to Monday, February 2, 2026. You will receive a personalized voting link by email.
If you do not have a computer or access to the internet, you can use the computer voting station in the library during this time (please note the opening hours!).
What does the Senate do?
The Senate is the university's highest decision-making body. It advises on matters relating to research, teaching, and studying that are of fundamental importance. Its other tasks are defined in § 42 of the Hessische Hochschulgesetz as well as the university's constitution (Grundordnung der Hochschule Geisenheim).
The Senate sonsists of 17 members from four status groups:
- Professors have nine seats
- Students have three seats
- Academic staff have three seats
- Administrative and technical staff have two seats
The Senate is elected for two years, though students elect their representatives annually.
The term of office for the new Senate members begins on April 1.
General Information about the Election
You will receive your election documents by e-mail to your HGU e-mail account on January 27, 2026 midnight. In your election invitation you will find information about the upcoming election as well as your personalized access data. Now you can decide for yourself when and where you would like to vote during the election period.
The subject line of the election invitation e-mail will be: Your election invitation: Senate and StuPa online election winter semester 2025/2026 of Hochschule Geisenheim University.
This e-mail will be sent from the following address: voting@polyas.com
You can cast your vote from midnight on January 27, 2026 to 23.59 p.m. on February 2, 2026.
1. Registration: Entering the access data
Enter your access data (personal voter ID and a one-time password) to access the online voting system. Please note that your access data is case-sensitive when logging in.
2. Confirmation of registration: Anonymization
The voting system checks whether your data is stored in the electoral roll. Access to the voting system is only granted if you are authorized to vote. More information about secure authentication is available here (in German).
3. Your online vote: Your voting decision
The ballot paper is now displayed and you can vote. You can distribute your available votes to electoral lists, candidates or ballots at the click of a mouse. You can also cast an “invalid” vote.
4. Checking your vote
Once you have completed your ballot paper, it will be shown to you again for confirmation. You can then submit your final vote.
5. Finalizing your vote
After you have cast your final vote, you will receive confirmation that your vote has been received in the digital ballot box. Your vote is then complete. You can then close the browser window.
The Senate appointed an election committee at its meeting on July 1, 2025, to organize and conduct the election. The committee consists of the following members:
From the group of professors:
• Prof. Dr. Kai Velten
• Prof. Dr. Mark Strobl
• Prof. Dr. Andreas Kurth (deputy)
• Prof. Dr. Andreas Holzapfel (deputy)
From the group of research assistants:
• Dr. Timo Strack
• Dr. Maximilian Freund (deputy)
From the group of administrative and technical staff:
• Alexandra Himmel
• Andreas Ehlig (deputy)
From the group of students:
• Justin Ihrig
• Tobias Görres (deputy)
We would like to thank all candidates for their willingness to serve on the election committee for Hochschule Geisenheim University's Senate elections.
The election committee remains in office until the new election committee is constituted. The election manager is Chancellor Mrs. Marion Waldeck. The meetings of the election committee are open to the public. The dates and locations of the meetings as well as the resolutions of the election committee are announced on the Hochschule Geisenheim University website.
