Standing Rules |

A.

Rules and Elections Committee

1.

The Rules and Elections Committee shall be composed of eight (8) members corresponding to the segment representatives of the Board of Directors whenever possible.

The Committee and Chairperson shall be appointed by the president and approved by the Board of Directors to which it is responsible.

3.

The Committee shall be composed of members who are not on the Board of Directors and who are not declared candidates for that election.

4.

The Committee is charged with ensuring that elections are conducted in a fair and impartial manner.

5.

A member shall abstain from participation in the Committee activities (preparing and/or counting ballots) during the period in which s/he or her/his immediate family member is a candidate.

B.

Election Requirements

1.

The Association shall ensure that an open nomination procedure is in place (i.e., any member may nominate any member, including himself or herself). The only qualifications for office shall be membership in the Association and assignment in the appropriate segment if running for Segment Director.

2.

Every member shall be assured of voting by secret ballot.

3.

There shall be at least a fifteen (15) workday period between notice of election and nominations from Representative Council and candidate speeches at Representative Council.

4.

The Association shall provide means for all members to vote, including members on leave. It shall be the responsibility of a member to notify the Association within five (5) workdays of the announcement of the election if s/he desires a ballot at a site other than the regularly scheduled voting place.

5.

A member shall acknowledge receipt of a ballot by signature on a registration sheet at the time of issuance of the ballot or on an envelope when returning the voted (completed) ballot.

6.

When a roster of members is prepared for a work site, initials of the member may be accepted. (However, full signatures are required for the CTA and NEA/RA elections)

C.

Announcement

1.

The announcement of an election shall include the offices, length of terms, and the election timeline.

2.

The announcement shall be publicized at each of the worksites in a manner that ensures every member has an opportunity to file a declaration of candidacy

D.

Timeline

1.

The timeline for the elections shall include:

a.

Announcement of vacancy(ies) and term(s) of office using a method that will ensure each member is aware of the opportunity to file a declaration of candidacy;

b.

At least fifteen (15) calendar days between the announcement date of the vacancy(ies) and the date of the election;

c.

Place, time and date of receipt (date received, not date postmarked) for declaration of candidacy forms;

d.

Final date to acknowledge candidates' declaration of candidacy;

e.

Date for preparation of ballots;

f.

Date on which ballots will be distributed;

g.

Date by which to request a ballot;

h.

Date(s) when voting will take place;

i.

Deadline date (date received, not date postmarked), time and place for return of ballots;

j.

Date, time and place where ballots will be counted, which should be immediately following the deadline for receipt of voted ballots;

k.

Date that announcement of results shall be made to leadership, candidates, members, and posted at each work site, which date shall be not later than five (5) calendar days following the counting of ballots;

l.

Dates and timelines for run-off election, if necessary; and

m.

Deadline for filing of challenges to initial election and run-off if held (date received, not date postmarked).

E.

Finances

1.

Monies received by the GGEA by ways of dues, assessment or similar levy must not be used to promote any candidate.

2.

GGEA may not state or indicate its preference for a candidate in the unit's publications.

3.

The use of links to the Association website by a candidate is prohibited.

4.

The Association shall not make available personal emails to candidates.

5.

District email addresses and/or systems shall not be used for campaigning.

6.

Candidates cannot campaign on any affiliated chapter/service center social networking sites created for association/leadership members to communicate with each other.

7.

Each candidate shall have the right to a list of the work site names and work site addresses with the number of Active members at each site for the purposes of campaigning.

F.

Candidate's Rights

1.

Privileges extended to one candidate shall be extended to all candidates.

2.

A candidate cannot accept direct contributions from GGEA's treasury or indirect contributions in the form of use of a unit's assets, facilities, staff, equipment, mailings, good will or credit.

3.

A candidate cannot use the official logo of GGEA or the official Association title in a way that suggests that the candidate has the support of the unit, CTA or any of its affiliates. This prohibition includes candidate email addresses.

4.

All campaign flyers/materials must include a disclaimer stating that the view and opinions expressed are those of the candidate and not necessarily those of the GGEA, CTA or any of its affiliates.

G.

Ballot

The CTA alphabet should be used to determine the order of the candidate’s names. In the event that the last name of more than one candidate begins with the same letter or more than one candidate has the same last name, the CTA alphabetical order shall continue to be applied throughout the name, including the first name.

The ballot shall state the name of the office, the term, and the name for each office/position of the candidate(s) who have filed declarations of candidacy within the timeline. The ballot shall include space for a write-in candidate for each office/position, except in a run-off election.

H.

Distribution of Ballots and Method of Voting

All Active members must have an opportunity to vote. Active members who are off-track or on a dues paying leave shall be notified by mail in order to provide them an opportunity and right to vote. Active members on Association/Affiliate business may request a ballot by mail. Provisions must be made for members to cast a ballot in such a manner that the person casting the vote cannot be identified with the vote cast. Voting by mail may be used at sites where it is difficult to contact each member individually to secure a signature on the official voter roster/sign-up sheet. Any Association member who is either a candidate on the ballot or whose immediate family member is a candidate shall abstain from all election committee activities on that particular ballot.

1.

On Site Voting:

Each voter must sign or initial a voter roster/sign-up sheet before receiving a ballot.

Voter Roster – List of eligible voters.

Voter Sign-up Sheet – List of eligible voters which includes a place for a signature.

The marked ballot must be returned to a designated site representative or ballot box.

Campaign materials are not allowed in or near the polling area nor should campaign materials be distributed with ballots.

d.

Site representatives must return all voter roster/sign-up sheets and ballots to the Elections Committee by the designated date and time. Ballots must be secured and uncounted. Roster/sign-up sheets and ballots from each site must be kept together until verified by Elections Committee.

e.

Preliminary counts shall not be completed at school/work sites.

f.

It shall be the responsibility of a member to notify the Association within five (5) workdays of the announcement of the election if s/he desires a ballot at a site other than the regularly scheduled voting place.

2.

Vote by Envelope at School/Work Site/Specified Site:

The following procedure may be used to conduct an election at sites where it is difficult to contact each member individually to secure a signature on the official voter sign-up sheet upon issuance of the ballot.

a.

A list of current members shall be prepared, which includes each member’s name and work address.

b.

The voter shall be provided with:

1)

A ballot;

2)

Instructions on: a) Folding and placing of the ballot in the unsigned inner envelope; b) Placing of the unsigned inner envelope into the outer envelope; c) Signature and school/work site on the outer envelope addressed to the chapter; and d) Deadline date for receipt of the voted ballot at the chapter office;

3)

4)

A larger envelope (outer envelope) addressed to the chapter, on which the voter prints and signs his/her name.

c.

Prior to the counting of the ballots, the names on the outer envelope shall be checked against the official list of voters. The name on the official list shall be marked to show that the voter has returned a ballot.

d.

e.

All inner envelopes shall be placed in a separate receptacle.

f.

The inner envelopes shall be slit and the ballots removed from the envelopes, stacked and then counted

g.

Refer to Section IX for the Counting of Ballots procedures.

1)

Members who are on a dues paying leave and have notified the Association shall be provided with a mail ballot in order to provide them an opportunity to vote.

3.

Voting by Mail:

Special care should be taken in all phases of handling of ballots to ensure the accuracy and the secrecy of voting by mail. The following procedures and guidelines have been developed for this situation:

a.

A list of current official members shall be prepared, which includes the following: name, work and home address.

b.

A determination shall be made prior to the election whether the ballots shall be sent to the school/work site or to the home of the member.

c.

The voter shall be provided with:

1)

A ballot;

2)

Instructions on: a) Folding and placing of the ballot in the unsigned inner envelope; b) Placing of the unsigned inner envelope into the outer envelope; c) Signature and school/work site on the outer envelope addressed to the chapter; and d) Deadline date for receipt of the voted ballot at the chapter office;

3)

A small envelope (inner envelope) in which to place the voted ballot; and

4)

A larger envelope (outer envelope) addressed to the chapter, on which the voter prints and signs his/her name.

d.

At the time of counting, the names on the outer envelope shall be checked against the official list of voters.

e.

The name on the official list should be marked to show that the voter has returned a ballot.

f.

The outer envelopes shall then be opened and put in a separate stack for safekeeping.

g.

All inner envelopes shall be placed in a separate container.

h.

All inner envelopes shall be opened and the ballots removed from the envelopes, stacked, and then counted.

I.

Garden Grove Education Association Vote Requirement

1.

Unless otherwise specified, all Garden Grove Education Association local elections shall be decided by a simple majority vote. Write-in votes are valid and must be counted, except in run-off elections.

2.

If a candidate does not receive a simple majority vote, a run-off election shall be conducted among the candidates receiving the highest number of votes. The names on the ballot will be one (1) more than the number of vacancies to be filled. When there are only two (2) candidates for an office, the candidate receiving the higher number of legal votes cast shall be declared elected.

J.

Receipt and Counting of Ballots

1.

Each candidate may designate one observer, who may be the candidate, to observe the vote counting process. The observer shall not interfere with the work of the Elections Committee and must remain in the room where the vote count is taking place.

2.

The Elections Committee shall verify signature sheets with ballots received, which should be completed immediately following the deadline for receipt of voted ballots.

3.

Ballots set aside and not counted are:

a.

More ballots than signatures;

b.

Ballot(s) submitted after deadline; and

c.

Voting envelopes without a signature.

4.

After verification of signatures, ballots shall no longer be separated by site.

5.

Each office/position on the ballot shall be treated as a separate race. Therefore it is possible that blank or illegal ballots for one race may still be counted in remaining positions on the ballot.

6.

Blank and/or illegal ballots for each office/position shall be set aside. Examples include the following:

a.

Member not listed on the voter roster;

b.

Voter's intent unclear;

c.

Votes cast for more than number allowed;

d.

Votes cast on unofficial ballot (probably reproduced); and

e.

Candidate is not a member;

1)

The Elections Committee should categorize each illegal ballot, make a determination on whether the vote(s) in that category should be counted separately, as listed in 4 above, and make a note of the decision. The ballots should remain separate.

2)

The Elections Committee will prepare the Teller's Report, recording information on the total number of votes cast, the number needed to win/pass, the number of votes received by each candidate/issue and the number of blank and illegal ballots for each office/position with an explanation of illegality, and signed by each Elections Committee member. The Teller’s Report shall not contain a school-by-school or site-by-site breakdown report.

3)

The Chairperson of the Elections Committee will deliver the report of the election results to the president and interested parties. The election results shall be posted at each work site no later than five (5) calendar days following the counting of the ballots. Specific to County office of Education chapters only – election results shall be posted electronically as soon as possible following the election.

4)

The ballots and voter sign-up sheets should be retained by the unit for one year after the election.

K.

Challenge Procedure

1.

A challenge cannot be initiated until after the results of the election have been posted at each work site.

2.

Challenges for election of State Council Representatives, Alternates, State, and Local delegates to the NEA RA follow procedures in the CTA Elections Manual.

3.

Challenging party(ies) must notify the unit president and elections chair of a challenge in writing, using the official CTA Challenge Form. (May be accessed on My CTA), within ten (10) calendar days after the announcement of the results of the election. If the unit president is a candidate on the ballot, please see item number 5.

4.

Upon receipt of the challenge, the Elections Committee will notify all the candidates in the election being challenged that a challenge has been filed. Within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the challenge, the Association’s Elections Committee shall, in accordance with the GGEA bylaws and standing rules, conduct an investigation and determine whether or not the challenge

a.

Is a violation of the unit’s election requirement(s);

b.

Is supported by the appropriate documentation;

c.

Requires more information. The information will be obtained via the most feasible method.

d.

Identified violation(s) that may have affected the outcome of the election.

e.

Within the same 10 calendar day period, the unit’s Elections Committee shall submit a written report including issues, findings, and recommendations to the chapter president and the Governance Board.

f.

The names of challengers and challenge forms shall remain confidential.

1.

Any member of the Governance Board who was a candidate in the race that has been challenged, or whose immediate family member is a candidate in the race that has been challenged, shall recuse themselves from discussion of and voting on the challenge. If in the case where the majority of the Governance Board is unable to act on the challenge the decision shall move to the next highest decision making body according to the unit’s governance documents. [Adopted 6/05]

2.

The Governance Board shall act on the report no later than 10 calendar days following receipt of the written report of the Elections Committee in accordance with CTA Challenge Procedures as described in the CTA Challenge Procedures – Local /Service Center Council Elections on the next page. The names of challengers and challenge forms shall remain confidential.

3.

If the challenging party(ies) wish(es) to appeal the decision of the GGEA’s governance body, he/she may file an appeal in writing to the CTA President within ten (10) calendar days from the date of the decision of the unit’s governance body. The appeal shall be the original challenge filed at the unit level. It shall include information requested on the official CTA challenge form located in Appendix M.

4.

In the circumstance where an election has been conducted to elect one or more officers, and the elections results are challenged, the winner(s) of the election shall hold office until such time as the challenge is resolved.]

5.

The challenge procedure for election of State Council Representatives and Alternates, and State or Local Delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly is outlined in the CTA Elections Manual.

L.

Contract Ratification Election

1.

Upon determination by the Board of Directors that a tentative agreement has been reached, the Board shall decide the method by which the election shall be conducted:

a.

General meeting of the membership;

b.

Work site balloting; or

c.

Mail ballot.

2.

This election shall provide for a decision by the membership within ten (10) work days.

3.

The method of election shall comply with established election procedures.