AAUP Advocacy Local 6741 of the AFT Election Rules

AAUP Advocacy Local 6741 of the AFT
Election and Campaign Rules for Election of Local Officers and Delegate(s) to the American Federation of Teachers Convention

1.  Position

These rules govern the nomination and election of AAUP Advocacy Local 6741 of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (“local”) officers (president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer and two executive committee members) and delegate(s) to the American Federation of Teachers Convention.

All of the elected officers shall serve as delegates to American Federation of Teachers Convention. The local will elect up to five additional delegates.

The nomination and election of local officers and delegates shall comply with these rules, and with the AAUP Constitution, the AFT Constitution, the federal Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA), and the local Bylaws or Constitution as applicable.

2.  Term of Office

The term of office for officer positions is two years. The officers elected will serve a term from the scheduled date of the election until the date of the election of successor officers.

The delegate(s) elected will serve a term from the scheduled date of the election until the close of the AFT Convention for which they are elected.

3.  Eligibility to Hold Office

In order to be nominated and to serve as an officer or delegate, an individual must be a member in good standing of the local and of the AAUP.

4.  Nomination Notice

A nomination notice will be sent by email, or if email is not available by US mail, to all local members no later than January 15 of the year of the election.

5.  Nominations

Nominations for officer or delegate must be made in writing and sent either by email or by US mail to the local email or mail addresses specified in the nomination notice and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 1 of the year of the election. In order to nominate a candidate, a member must be in good standing. A member may self-nominate for the position.

6.  Candidate Eligibility Determinations

Nominees will be notified of their eligibility, provided a copy of these rules, asked to accept or decline the nomination, and asked how they wish their names to appear on the ballot. Ineligible nominees will be advised of the reason(s) they are not eligible to run for office.

7.   Election by Acclamation and Election Ballots

In the event that there is only one nominee for any position (officer or delegate) at the time when ballots are to be distributed, that nominee will be considered elected by acclamation and no ballot vote will be held for that position. In the event of a ballot vote, write-in votes are not permitted. The ballot for contested offices will be in the following order: president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, two executive committee members, and delegates. The ballot order of the candidates for each office will be randomly determined with advance notice to the candidates of the time and method of determination.

9.  Inspection of the Membership List

Each candidate may inspect (not copy) the local membership list once within 30 days prior to the election. No candidate is entitled to receive a copy of the list.

10. Distribution of Campaign Material and Literature

All candidates may submit a candidate statement and a biography. The candidate statement shall not exceed five hundred (500) words. The biography shall not exceed three hundred (300) words. The biography and/or statement may have a link or links to additional material or websites posted by the candidate. The local will not edit these documents.

The local will notify candidates of the due date for the material. Material will be posted within three business days of the due date. Candidate material will be posted in the order of the ballot. Candidates should check the AAUP’s election website to make sure that their submitted materials have been posted.

The local will distribute candidate campaign literature, at the candidate’s expense. The local will not edit campaign literature. Candidates may mail campaign literature to the home addresses of local members at the candidates’ expense. Campaign literature must be provided to the local in sealed, stamped envelopes which are ready for mailing. Candidates may send electioneering emails to members at the candidates’ expense. Candidates must provide to the local the language of the email, including any links or email addresses for reply emails, to the local. The local will send the emails to the members’ email addresses maintained by the local, if permitted by law. The local will provide the candidate with an estimate of the charge for mailing or emailing campaign literature. The candidate may be required to pay the charge in advance of the mailing or emailing. The local will email or mail the literature to the members within a reasonable time period after receipt of the literature.

11. Campaign Restrictions

Federal law prohibits the use of any union/local or employer funds to promote the candidacy of any person in a union/local officer election. This prohibition applies to cash, facilities, equipment, vehicles, office supplies, etc., of the local and any other union, and of employers whether or not they employ local members. Union/local officers and employees may not campaign on time paid for by the union/local. Federal law also provides that candidates must be treated equally regarding the opportunity to campaign and that all members may support the candidates of their choice without being subject to penalty, discipline, or reprisal of any kind.

12. Voter Eligibility

Any local member who is in good standing at the time the ballots are mailed will be eligible to vote in this election. There will be a 15-day grace period for payment of dues.

13. Election Notice

In the event of a ballot election, a combined notice of election and ballot will be sent by US mail to the last known home address of each local member who is eligible to vote in the election. (The US Department of Labor publication “Electing Local Union Officers by Mail” should be consulted for guidance on the election process.)

A. The notice of election and ballot shall be distributed no earlier than March 25 but no later than March 29, or the next business day. Candidates will be advised of the date and place for the preparation and mailing of ballot packages.

B. Ballots shall be returned and received on or before April 25 or the next business day.

C.  The voting process shall assure both the secrecy of each ballot and the protection of the ballot results. 

14. Observers

Each candidate is entitled to have an observer present for balloting at the polls, at the preparation, mailing and opening of the ballots, and at the tally of ballots. Observers will be provided the ability to observe remotely if feasible. A candidate may serve as his or her own observer, or he or she may designate an alternate observer. Observers should not interfere with or disrupt the casting or counting of the ballots.

15. Tally of Ballots

Counting of ballots shall begin on the business day immediately following the last date for the receipt of ballots and continue until such counting is complete. Candidates will be provided with the exact time and location of the ballot count in advance of the mailing of the ballots.

The candidate who receives the highest number of votes cast for each office or delegate position will be declared elected. Any tie votes will be decided by a coin toss at the conclusion of the ballot count.

16. Election Results

The election results will be emailed to local members after the tally is completed.

17. Election Committee

There shall be an election committee composed of three members of the local appointed by the officers of the local. No member of the committee may be a candidate for election, or an incumbent seeking reelection, for office governed by these bylaws during his or her period of service on the committee. No member of the election committee may endorse a candidate for local elective office.

1. The election committee shall resolve any disputes which may arise under these election rules.

2. Any member wishing to submit a protest regarding the manner in which an election is being or has been conducted must file such protest in writing no later than ten (10) business days after the date on which final vote totals are announced.  All such protests shall be filed with the election committee.

3. The election committee’s decision will be final and binding.

4. The election committee will report to the local executive committee after each election regarding any complaints filed with the committee and their disposition, and recommend any policy changes for consideration by the local.

18. Election Records

The local is responsible for maintaining all nomination and election records for at least one year after the election, as required by federal law. The above rules are not all inclusive. Additional election rules or clarifications may be issued by the local as needed during the nomination and election period.