Election Board Procedure |
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Article II. Serc
Article III. Membership
Article IV. Administration
Article V. Duties of the Board of Elections
Article VI. Procedure for Candidates
Article VII. Voting by Machine
Article VIII. Voting Procedure
Article IX. Violations
Article X. Penalties
Article XI. Voting Irregularities
Article XII. Procedure for Voting Irregularities, Campaign Violations, Disqualification of Candidates, Invalidation of Election and Ties
The following procedure shall be followed by CASA and the Student Conference in appointing the Election Board.
1. At its second regular meeting of the new school year each body shall appoint three members to serve on a six person "search committee.
2. This committee shall be responsible for finding students to fill any vacancies that exist on the Election Board due to graduation, termination or resignation. Termination shall be majority vote amongst the whole board only.
3. This committee shall present a list of nominees with qualifications of the individuals to CASA and the Student Conference for ratification no later than the last meeting in the month of October. The nominees are to be voted on individually and must receive a majority vote from both bodies.
4. When this process has been completed and a full Election Board of five members has been appointed, the search committee shall be considered disbanded.
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Article I. Name
(A) The responsibility for all the matters related to elections.
1. Keeping the minutes/agenda/attendance record.
2. To keep financial records.
3. Keeping copies of all documents from all candidates.
4. The reviewing of referendums.
5. The purchasing of equipment.
6. The hiring of staff.
B) To examine the Election Code at least once a year.
C) To distribute the Election Code to candidates.
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Article II. Serc
A) Pursuant to section 15.2 (d) of the University Bylaws,the College Establishes a Student Elections Review Committee (SERC) to approve election procedures and certify the results of student government elections.
Bylaw section 15.2 (d) provides that:
1. Each college shall establish a student elections review committee in consultation with the various student governments. The student election review committee shall approve the election procedures and certify the results of elections for student governments and student body referenda.
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Article III. Membership
A) This Board shall consist of five members.
B) These members shall be appointed according to the procedure stated at the beginning of this code.
C) The official position of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Administrator, Co-Administrator, and Secretary shall be decided upon by the Election Board members at their first meeting.
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Article IV. Administration
A) The Search Committee shall have the power to appoint any members they deem necessary to an Election Board. Part of this board shall consist of secretaries paid by CASA and chosen by the Office of Student Affairs who shall sit at the polls and participate in the tallying of the vote.
B) This Election Board shall be responsible only to the SERC
Article V. Duties of the Board of Elections
A) Chairman
1. Shall formulate the time schedule of the elections and make all changes, with the approval of the Board of Elections, which the Chairman at his/her discretion, may feel necessary.
2. Shall call a meeting of the Board whenever necessary prior to an Election to familiarize the members with the code.
3. Shall along with the other members of the Board supervise the voting
4. All powers and duties not delegated to the Board and not in conflict. With this code shall reserved to the Chairman.
5. Shall call a meeting for the candidates to inform them of:
a) official election procedures
b) the Election Code
c) The poll boundaries for prohibiting campaigning of and distribute the Election Code. Any candidate unable to attend this meeting shall be responsible for obtaining a copy of the code and will be expected to abide by the code.
1. Shall be the official spokesman for the Board of Elections with the Power to release official information to SERC and the press about Election Board policy or official election result and procedures, after SERC has reviewed all information relative to the Election.
2. Shall see that Freshman are informed of the Election procedure during the orientation and through Freshman colloquiums.
B) Vice Chairman
1. Shall assist the chairman carry out the above duties.C) Secretary
2. Shall act as chairman in the event that the chairman is unable to attend meetings or to hold office; and until the Board can elect a new chairman.
3. Shall be responsible for providing voting machinery, which includes voting machines, computer printouts and locked ballot boxes, if necessary.
4. Shall see that Freshman are informed of the Election procedure during the orientation period and through Freshman colloquiums.
1. Shall keep minutes of the Board of Election meetings.D) Administrator
2. Shall contact the Board to announce meetings.
3. A written statement that the above has done shall be given to the Chairman and fail with the Election Board Advisor and SERC.
4. Shall perform any other duties deemed necessary by the Election Board.
5. Shall supervise the tabulation of the voting.
6. Shall see that Freshman are informed of the Election procedure during the orientation period and through Freshman colloquiums.
1. Shall, along with the other members of the Board, supervise the tabulation of the vote.
2. Shall see that Freshman are informed of the Election procedure during the orientation period and through Freshman colloquiums.
3. Shall be in charge of the publicity of the Election, through the utilization of Lehman publications.
4. Shall insure that publicity includes:
Polling time
Location
5. Shall publicize any official debate to be held.
E) Co.-Administrator
1. Shall, along with the other members of the Board, supervise the tabulation of the vote.
2. If voting machines are not provided, shall have paper ballots printed.
3. Shall see that Freshman are informed of the Election procedure during the orientation period and through Freshman colloquiums.
4. Shall ascertain from CASA what the budget of the Election Board is for that school year.
5. Shall order supplies, be in charge of financial matters and file a financial report to CASA which shall have been approved by the Chairman.
F) Elections Board
1. Shall vote and determine actions to be taken on all claims of voting irregularities and campaign violations of the Election Code. Each member of the Board shall have One vote. Any written complaints must be received before the close of the polls.
2. Quorum shall consist of three (3) Election Board members.
3. Shall approve all platforms and campaign literature submitted to the Board.
4. May establish such programs of information to the voters as it deems necessary.
5. Shall have the power to replace any board members who resign, cannot or will not perform his or her duties.
6. Shall designate the time when campaigning and publicity shall begin.
7. No member of the Election Board shall:
A) As of September 1975 no member of the Election Board shall be elected, nominated or appointed to any office in the senate or CASA.
B) Campaign for any candidate.
C) Express verbally or written any opinion of any candidate.
D) Reveal whom they are voting for.
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Article VI. Procedure for Candidates
A) Intention Forms must be filled out in triplicate.
1. The Election Board shall formulate an intention form which shall ask the candidates:
a) Name2. No Intention form will be accepted by the Election Board that does not have three copies of the intention forms attached.
b) Address
c) Phone Number(s)
d) Class Schedule
e) Day, Evening or Grad.
f) Freshman, Soph, Jr. or Senior
g) Statement that he or she will abide by all rules and regulations and understands the duties of the office he or she is running for.
h) Signature
3. A copy of each candidate's platform shall be submitted by the Board to the Administrator to Lehman Publications and Election Board Advisor, once student status is confirmed by the College.
4. The Office of Student Activities shall clock and sign each intention form and platform and be submitted thereafter to the Election Board.
5. No student may run for more than one office of either CASA or Student Conference during any election.
6. No intention form will be accepted after the filing date, unless an extension is approved by the Board for all candidates.
7. In case of a student who is unopposed, the name of the candidate shall appear on the ballot with provision for a "yes"-"no" vote. A candidate must receive more "yes" votes than "no" votes to be elected.
8. Any referendums that are to be considered in the Election must be submitted by the intention form deadline date.
B) Platforms
1. Shall be submitted in triplicate by the platform deadline date.
2. A specific reason in writing shall be given at the candidate's meeting for a platform that is not approved, by the Election Board.
3. Once a platform is approved, it may not be altered in any manner without the knowledge and/or written consent of the Board.
4. All platforms should include party and organization endorsements, if applicable.
C) Campaigning
1. All campaigning literature shall be stamped by Student Activities and forwarded to the Election Board it is distributed.
2. Publicity shall begin at a time designated by the Election Board.
3. Candidates may begin to campaign from the time so designated by the Board until. the end of the voting period.
4. The platform of each candidate may be on display prior to and until the end of the
5. voting period at the discretion of the Election Board and shall be published in
6. Lehman Publications.
7. In accordance with college regulations, candidates are prohibited from rallying or demonstrating in the bookstore, library, lounges and classrooms.
8. A candidate may address a class only with the permission of the instructor if the class is in session. In this case, the candidate may only state his or her name, the position the candidate is running for and the platform.
9. A candidate may campaign without the instructor's permission if the instructor is not present before a class begins (signaled by the bell) or after the class has ended (signaled by the bell).
10. During the voting period, no campaigning shall take place in the restricted area near the polling place specified at the candidate's meeting.
11. In the spring Elections a debate or forum may be held among the candidates under the auspices of the Election Board.
12. At the candidate's meeting a candidate shall submit a request to use the fences on and off campus.
14. No candidate may put up signs or literature on any fences or trees without the expressed written consent of the Election Board.
15. No candidate shall deface college property at any time.
16. The Poll Watcher's only concern should be whether eligible students vote and that ineligible students do not vote. Poll Watchers are to be selected with this in mind. Their responsibility is to insure a fair election.
17. There will be a mandatory debate of all parties, slates or individuals running for CASA and student conference. Each slate/individual is required to send at least one representative to participate in each scheduled debate. In the event of only one party/candidate, a mandatory open forum will be held at the same time at which time the candidate will be required to state their platform and entertain questions from the student body.
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Article VII. Voting by Machine Voting machines may be procured by contacting the appropriate providers of machines well in advance of the election. When making the request for the machines, the names of the candidates and positions they are running for should be available. Any referendum must also be available.
Procedure
1. In an attempt to prevent plural voting the Election Board shall designate one central voting area which shall be accessible to all students and electrical power.
2. Voting for major spring elections shall tale place other a period designated by the Election Board for three (3) days and two (2) nights except in the case of official closing. The first two (2) days and two (2) nights poll, shall be open from 9 AM until 9 PM. The last day polls shall be open from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.
3. One (1) computer printout containing the names and Social Security Numbers of all Lehman Students shall be requisitioned Through the Dean of Student’s Data Processing Representative. This list must be divided up into plastic binders with names in alphabetical order.
a. Voting in any other election shall take place over a period designated by the Election board.
4. For every voting machine that has been procured, two secretaries (who can be hire through the Dean of Students) are needed at the discretion of the Board. One will operate the machine and the other will be responsible for the computer printouts. It is suggested that a day shift and a night shift be hired. A direction list for these secretaries must be formulated.
1. The voting Procedure at the polls is as follows:
a. A student shall present his/her validated Lehman College ID card to the secretaries handling the computer printouts. No other form of identification is permissible. Students are responsible for having in their possession at all times official Lehman ID. Cards. In the event that a student’s name does not appear on the computer list, the student must go to the Register and obtain proof with seal that he/she is currently a registered student at Lehman College.
b. The secretary at the desk shall ascertain whether or not the student is said person by checking the photo, the signature and number on the ID card with the name and social security number on the computer list.
c. The secretary while retaining the ID card shall cross the student’s name and social security off the list.
d. After completing this procedure the secretary at the desk shall hand the ID card to the secretary operating the machine.
e. The voting machine operator will then be responsible for calling out the student out the student’s name, allowing the student to vote and after the student has voted, to return the ID card to the student. (THE ORDER OF THESE PROCEDURES SHALL BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO.)
f. On the first day before the polls open a Board members shall test all machines by registering their own vote and making sure they are tabulated, and the machines are working properly.
g. At the end of each day the Election Board, Dean of Students Designee and (1) representative from each slate will close the polls and keep a record of daily tallies. They shall keep a record of this tally and contact the secretaries who open the polls in the morning to disclose the tally.
h. A detail from security shall be responsible for securing the voting machinery at the beginning of each day.
i. If the tally check in the morning is not the same as the tally made at the close of the polls the night before, voting shall be terminated immediately and the election invalidated.
j. The tabulation of the final results shall be made by the secretaries under the supervision of the Election Board. One (1) representative from each slate and the press may be present.
k. The Election Board and their advisor shall oversee this entire voting machine procedure.
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Article VIII. Voting Procedure for use with Paper Ballots
1. This procedure shall be used only in the event that voting machines cannot be obtained and in the event of a run-off election.
2. The same procedure as in article VII, Sections 1-3 shall be followed.
3. Two (2) secretaries (which can be hired through the dean of Students and paid by
i. (by CASA) will be needed for the day shift and for the night shift, plus an Election1.1 for major spring elections two (2) secretaries (which can be hired through the Dean of Students and paid by CASA) will be needed for the day shift and for the night shift, plus an Election Board member will be present.
ii. Board member will be present.
a. For any other election, the Board can hire the number of secretaries they deem necessary to carry out an efficient election.1. A locked Ballot Box, chairs and tables shall be requisitioned through Buildings and Grounds.
2. The voting procedure is as follows:
a. A student shall present their validated official Lehman College ID card to the secretary with the computer list containing the student's name. No Other form of identification is permissible. All students are responsible for having in their possession their validated official Lehman College ID card.
b. If the student's name does not appear on the list, the student must obtain from the registrar verification with seal, that he/she is an officially registered student at Lehman College.
c. The secretary shall ascertain whether or not the student is said person by checking the photo and the signature on ID card against the name and social security number on the computer list.
d. Next the secretary shall cross off the list the name of the student. The student may now fill out the ballot, fold it and hand it to the secretary who shall then return the student’s ID card and deposit the ballot into the ballot box. This box shall be located in a position such that it is out of the reach of students. The order of this procedure must be strictly adhered to. No student may deposit ballots.
e. At the beginning of each day the secretaries and security detail shall be responsible for delivering the ballots, ballot box and computer lists to the polls. At the end of each night the reverse procedure shall be followed.
f. The tabulation of these ballots shall commence at the close of the polls on the final day of voting according to the following procedure and rules:
1. A secluded room shall be requisitioned well in advance for the purpose of ballot counting.
2. Only the members of the Election Board, Dean of Students Designee and Secretaries shall be permitted into the counting room. This is necessary to keep Confusion at the minimum and to allow those involved to work quickly and efficiently without undue pressure. No poll watchers or press will be permitted.
3. Count number of student’s crossed off the list. This should match the number of ballots cast.
4. Tally Ballots
a. In cases where more than the allowable number of candidates have been voted for in the Conference, count the first 42 votes only.
b. Any other technicalities and their procedures for being dealt with shall be decided and agreed upon by the Board.
c. In a case where two different candidates have received a vote for the same office in a CASA Election, the vote on that ballot for the office involved shall be disregarded.
5. A letter stating the winner and the totals of each candidates votes shall be signed by the members of the Election Board and the Dean of Students Designee that was present during the tabulating of the votes. The copies will then be clocked and sent to SERC, the Dean of Students, Lehman College Publications. A copy shall be kept on file with the Election Board and Office Of Student Activities.
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Article IX. Violations
All Candidates will be expected to know all the rules and regulations herein and will not be given any warnings.
1. Campaigning before the period so designated by the Board.
2. Harassment and intimidating of any member of the Election Board expressed or implied.
3. Failure to abide by any rule set forth in this code.
4. Electioneering within the restricted polling are specified by the Board.
5. Removal of a candidate’s name from the ballot/machine other than an authorized person.
6. Using another student’s ID card.
7. Candidates present during the counting of a paper ballot.
8. Rallying or demonstrating in a classroom, library or lounge.
9. Taking down or defacing another candidate’s publicity or college property.
10. Use of unauthorized endorsements.
11. No public address system will be allowed for campaigning purposes during the election and campaign periods (including bullhorns).
12. No campaigning literature, etc., may be mailed to individual students home address.
13. No campaigning of any kind is allowed near Shuster Hall, the days of voting.
All alleged violations shall be submitted in writing to the Election Board before the close of the polls on the final voting day. The shall include the following information:
a. violators name
b. time, date, place of occurrence
c. nature of violation with details pertinent to election code regulations.
This shall be submitted in duplicate by the complainant with the understanding that he/she may have to appear before the Election Board open hearing as a witness. The complainant shall print and sign the violations notice. Violation notices shall be acted upon before the tallying of final results, and shall be subject to the procedures that follow in this Election code.
The accused violation will be entitled to a rebuttal at a hearing before the Election Board
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Article X. Penalties The following penalties may be implemented after the procedures that follow this code have been utilized.
1. Any candidate who fail to comply with the Election Code shall be subject to disqualification after the mechanism for alleged campaign campaigning violation has been follow, and a conclusion has been determined.
2. Any student other than a candidate shall be brought before the Election Board and the Board shall rule on the validity of the Violation.
Article XI. Voting Irregularities
1. Plural voting
2. Tampered voting machines.
3. Tampered paper ballots.
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Article XII. Procedures for dealing with Voting Irregularities, Campaign Violations, Disqualification of Candidates, Invalidation of an Election and Ties
1. In a case involving ONLY campaign violations.
a. Proper written allegations must be received, by the Board before counting ballots or tabulating voting machine results.
b. All candidates must be notified of an open hearing which shall include the members of the Election Board, the candidates, two counselors and the press.
c. Witnesses shall be allowed to participate.
d. If a member of the Board is a witness, or has pressed charges, he/she shall be disqualified from serving on the hearing panel.
e. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the BHE by-laws section 15.3a – Section g as it appears in the 1973 – 1974 Student Handbook on pages 92-93.
f. At the conclusion of the hearing the Election Board shall vote in closed session on the retention or disqualification of the candidate or candidates involved
g. the ballots and voting machine tallies may then be taken and a winner declared.
2. In a case involving ONLY voting irregularities:
a. If there are voting irregularities as specified in Article XI, Section, 1-3, and
b. If the result of the voting is close enough for the voting irregularities to possible make a change in the outcome of the election, then
c. The Election Board must investigate the Election, process from its beginning to determine its validity. Should no voting irregularities be found in accordance with Section XI, the election will be valid.
d. A decision of invalidation shall mean that a new election must be scheduled as soon as possible. No appointment by any governmental body may be made to fill the vacancies. This rule supersedes any by-laws of the Student Government.
e. No candidate’s name will be stricken from the ballot, however a candidate’s may wish to make a statement to the press requesting the students to defer their votes to another candidate in the new election.
f. No new candidate will be accepted.
g. Campaigning may take place at a time designated by the Board.
3. In a case where there are voting irregularities AND campaign violation:
a. If in some way it is determined before the poll close on the final voting day that there have been voting irregularities and/or campaign violations, the Board shall schedule a closed meeting with the candidates, the Election Board and the advisor to determine whether the Election Board should decide to take action on the irregularities or violations. This procedure would be followed only if the irregularities are crucial to the final day of voting. Otherwise the procedure in Article XII, Section should be followed.
b. After the advice at the candidates had been received, the action on the voting Irregularities or the campaign violation; whichever acting is decided, the procedures for that action shall be followed.
c. The chairman should conduct the closed meeting and present the specific voting irregularities and specific campaign violation; however, without mentioning candidate’s names. He/she should then appraise the candidates of the two plans of action that the Board can take and solicit the candidate’s advice. The Board adjourns and makes the decision to follow Article XII, Section 1 or 2.
4.
a. In the event of a tie, all candidates involved shall participate in a run-off election.
b. After a tie has been determined, this election shall take place in two weeks immediately following the original election.
c. No campaigning may take place.
d. The only publicity shall be that of the Election Board to publicize the rum-off procedure.
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