Voting is now open in the 2025 elections for RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses (VN) Council, with veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses having the opportunity to cast votes for their preferred candidates in their respective elections.

Voting emails were sent by Civica Election Services (CES), which runs the elections on behalf of the College, on the afternoon of Wednesday 12 March. Each email contains a secure link to the voting website, containing pre-filled codes which are unique to each individual veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse.

Voting emails for veterinary nurses voting in the VN Council election will come from vnvote@cesvotes.com.

The Privy Council has agreed amendments to the RCVS Election Scheme meaning that, among other things, the RCVS can hold an online-only election this year rather than sending out paper ballots. The few veterinary nurses for whom the RCVS holds no unique email address will be sent a voting instructions letter by post.

Veterinary nurses will have until 5pm on Friday 25 April to cast their votes for up to two of the three candidates standing in this year’s VN Council election. The candidates who are standing in this year’s election are:

• Bethan Pinhey RVN
• Hannah Welsman RVN
• Lauren Whittaker RVN

The two candidates with the most votes will join VN Council for their three-year terms at the College’s AGM in July. The individual candidate profiles are available to view at www.rcvs.org.uk/vnvote25 where you can also read the candidates’ answers to a question of their choice submitted by the profession.

As well as the initial voting email, CES will also send regular reminder emails to those veterinary nurses who have not yet voted in their respective elections.

Any veterinary nurses who have not received their voting email should contact CES directly on support@cesvotes.com stating which election they are eligible to vote in.