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Article VII. Elections

Section 1. Time of Elections

In April the membership elects the board of directors, and the current president (with the current board's approval) appoints the committee managers. At the regularly scheduled Chapter meeting in May, the new board members and committee managers are inducted. The responsibilities held by the previous board and its committees are officially transferred to the incoming board and committees upon induction.

Section 2. Nominating Committee

The nominating committee, formed to begin work no later than January 31, consists of a manager and at least two other members. The president appoints the committee manager. The board selects the remaining members.

The committee is responsible for selecting candidates and preparing the preliminary slate, final slate, and ballot. The candidatesÌ qualifications are evaluated in accordance with standards and criteria developed by the nominating committee. The committee also handles nominations by petition from the membership. The board of directors may direct the nominating committee to act also as the tellers committee.

Section 3. Tellers Committee

The tellers committee, consisting of at least three members, is appointed by the president and approve by a majority vote of the board of directors. The committee determines the validity of votes, counts the votes, and announces the results to the board of directors. No person appearing on the ballot as a nominee shall serve on the tellers committee for that election.

Section 4. Procedure

Chapter elections are conducted at the regularly scheduled Chapter meeting in April. At least four weeks prior to the date of the election, a preliminary slate of candidates and the time and place of voting must be announced to the membership. At least 10 days prior to the date of the election, a final slate of candidates, if different from the preliminary slate, must be announced.

1. Selection and Evaluation of Candidates

At Chapter meetings and in the newsletter, the nominating committee requests names of candidates to be considered for election. The committee also may contact individual members for recommendations.

The committee evaluates candidates' qualifications in accordance with standards and criteria developed by the nominating committee.

2. Preparation and Distribution of Preliminary Slate

The nominating committee evaluates all candidates who have agreed to serve if elected for specific positions on the slate. Only one candidate is presented for president (the vice president automatically progresses to president). Whenever possible, the committee should offer more than one candidate for each position other than that of president. The nominating committee prepares the preliminary slate and announces and publishes the slate with instructions pertaining to nomination by petition.

3. Nomination by Petition

Additional candidates for any elective office may be nominated by petition. The petition must include the signatures of at least three Chapter members. The full name and address of each signatory to such a petition must be typed or printed adjacent to the signature. The petition must be accompanied by the candidate's signed statement of acceptance and pertinent biographical data. The name of any candidate qualified in accordance with the bylaws and properly nominated by petition must appear on the final slate and ballot.

4. Election by Open Voting

If multiple candidates run for a particular position, the nominating committee prepares the final slate and ballot for distribution to all voting members at the regularly scheduled Chapter meeting in April. The ballot should offer a Yes or No option for each unopposed candidate. The ballot should provide a brief biography of each candidate and voting instructions that clearly identify how many candidates for each office can be selected. All votes are secret, and members are not required to sign their ballots.

The tellers committee validates the ballots while protecting the identity of the voters, and counts and records the vote. The candidate for a particular position who received the majority of votes cast is the winner. A time vote is resolved by a majority vote of the board of directors. If an unopposed candidate receives fewer affirmative than negative votes, that office is declared vacant. The current board of directors may choose to fill the office by special election or by a majority vote of the current board.

5. Announcement of Results

The manager of the nominating committee notifies the president, candidates, and membership of the election results.

Section 5. Voting Matters Other Than Elections

Whenever possible, special Chapter issues such as amendments to the Chapter bylaws should be included on the annual election ballot. However, the board of directors, by majority vote, may authorize a special ballot.

When a special ballot is issued to the Chapter membership, the ballot and instructions are assembled and mailed to Chapter members at least two weeks before the final date they must be returned. The tellers committee counts and records the vote.

Tie votes are resolved by a majority vote of the board of directors. The manager of the tellers committee notifies the nominating committee manager of the election results. The nominating committee then announces the results to the membership at the next monthly meeting or in the next issue of the newsletter.