BY-LAW 11 - ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1

  1. The President and the Vice-Presidents shall be elected by ballot during Convention.
  2. The Regional Vice-Presidents shall be elected at a regional caucus during Convention as set out in By-Law 11, Section 9.
  3. Only delegates, as defined by By-Law 9, Section 1 (5) and (9) shall be entitled to vote for the election of officers. 
  4. A delegate may nominate a member in good standing, who is not a delegate, for an office, provided the member so nominated, has indicated in writing their acceptance of the nomination.
  5. All nominations must be seconded by a delegate.

Section 2

The Executive Council shall appoint a Nominations Committee of at least three (3) and not more than five (5) persons and shall name one as Chairperson. The Nominations Committee shall:

  1. call for nominations for the offices of the National Officers from delegates;
  2. receive nominations for offices of the National Officers from delegates; 
  3. determine the eligibility of such nominees; and 
  4. place the names of all eligible nominees in nomination at the time set forth for the election of the National Officers and to report to the Convention the name of any nominee considered to be ineligible. 

Section 3

All nominations submitted to the Nominations Committee shall be in writing, signed by the nominators and by the nominees signifying that they will accept office if elected.

Section 4

The Nominations Committee shall publish a list of nominees for each office and post this list in a conspicuous place in the Convention Hall by 18:00 hours of the day prior to the day set for the election of officers. 

Section 5

In addition to the nominations reported to the Convention by the Nominations Committee, nominations for each office as called may be made from the floor of the Convention by delegates. The nominees' agreement shall be secured prior to the nomination being accepted. 

Section 6

Any member in good standing is permitted to speak on behalf of any member nominated for elected office, if chosen by the member nominated.

Section 7

The Chairperson of the Nominations Committee shall:

  1. preside at the election of the National Officers;
  2. appoint the necessary persons to distribute, collect and count the ballots;
  3. receive the results of each ballot from those appointed in Sub-Section (2);
  4. report to the Convention, the results of each ballot; and
  5. report the results of the elections of Regional Vice-Presidents and their Alternates following the election of the President and Vice-Presidents.

Section 8

Officers are elected by an absolute majority of votes; if no candidate obtains the required majority in the first ballot, the candidate with the lowest result in that ballot is eliminated and a new ballot is held. This process is repeated until a candidate obtains the required majority. Where only two (2) nominees remain, or where only two (2) nominees are standing for election for the same office and a tie vote results, the Chairperson of the Nominations Committee will declare no ballot and a new vote be taken immediately. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if only one candidate accepts the nomination for a position, the candidate is declared elected by acclamation at the close of nominations without the need for a ballot.

Section 9

  1. Prior to the election of the National Officers, each Regional Vice-President shall convene a meeting of delegates of their region in order to elect a Regional Vice-President and an Alternate.
  2. the election of the Regional Vice-Presidents and their Alternates shall be conducted by a person who is ineligible to vote in such election and shall be appointed by the RVP.
  3. In the event that a tie vote between candidates cannot be resolved by the region, the question shall be brought to the Convention for a deciding vote following the election of the National Officers.  Each candidate or their designate shall have the right to address the Convention before the ballot is taken on the floor.
  4. Elections shall be by simple majority vote.