CSRA Election Guidelines

CUPE STAFF RETIREES’ ASSOCIATION (CSRA) ELECTION GUIDELINES

Amended May 2021

1. In the late winter or early spring of the 3rd year of their mandate[i], the CSRA Executive Committee will hold a meeting and establish the date for the election of the next CSRA Executive Board to be held in the autumn of that year, appoint three members to be the CSRA Elections Committee and set out the time-line for the steps in the election as described below.

2. Table officers and chapter representatives who intend on standing for re-election will not be eligible to be members of the Election Committee.

3. One member of the Elections Committee will reside in or near Ottawa so that the CSRA can access the logistical support provided to us by CUPE. That member of the Committee will be the liaison with CUPE staff who assist the CSRA.

4. One member of the Election Committee will be named as Chair and as the Liaison with the Executive Committee.

5. At least one of the members of the Elections Committee should be bilingual, speaking and writing both French and English well enough to translate committee communications. When that is not the case, someone should be identified to assist the Committee with translation on an as-needed basis.

6. The Elections Committee will meet electronically (telephone or video-meetings) unless they are able to meet in person without travel expenses (or if the Executive Committee has pre-approved travel costs).

7. The Executive Committee will determine, prior to any communication with the general membership about the election, whether “mail” for the purposes of the election will be hard copy mailing or email or a combination of the two. Members may be asked to elect which method they which to use. Whatever methods are selected, every member for whom the association has an address – land or email - must have the opportunity to participate in the election from that address.

8. Mail – whether letter mail or electronic – to members in Quebec will be in French or bilingual. English and French messages will be sent at the same time.

9. The Executive Committee will provide the Elections Committee with the most up-to-date list of members and their contact information that is available from CUPE.

10. Each member may vote for each table officer and members of each region may vote for the chapter representative for that region. Any disputes about which region a member may vote in will be addressed to and decided by the Elections Committee.

11. Election procedure

11.1. On a date set by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Elections Committee, a notice of the election for the CSRA Executive Board (as described in the bylaws of the CSRA) will be mailed to all members of the Association at the last known address or email address for each member. It will include information about the procedures and timelines for the election and a nomination form. The nomination form should indicate where the member being nominated worked when they worked for CUPE as there are individuals with the same name in the CSRA.

11.2. Members will be asked to return completed nomination form(s) within 4 weeks.

11.3. Nominations must be signed (or agreement indicated in writing or by email) by the nominee and the nominator. Electronic signatures will be allowed.

11.4. Individuals nominated to table officer positions must be members in good standing of the Association. They may be nominated by any other member in good standing.

11.5. Individuals nominated as one of the 9 chapter or regional representatives on the Board must be nominated by another member in good standing from that same region.

11.6. At this stage, members may stand for more than one position, although they will only be able to run for one position. Nominators may only nominate one person for any position, and may nominate people for more than one position.

11.7. Five weeks after the election notice and nomination forms have been mailed, the Elections Committee will meet to collect and review the nominations. The list of nominees will be forwarded to the Executive Committee.

11.8. That same week, members who have been nominated will be notified – by phone or by email - that their nominations have been received and will be provided with a list of all of the nominees for all of the positions. They will be asked to indicate in writing (email) within one week whether they stand or decline any nomination. Each member may only run for one position.

11.9. Members standing for election for a contested position will have 2 weeks to submit a bilingual one-page information flyer about themselves and their goals for the CSRA to distribute to the members. Nominees are responsible for translation. The CSRA may provide possible translators’ contact info. These flyers will be reviewed by the Elections Committee to ensure they comply with non-discriminatory and ethical practices of the Association. If the Committee determines that a flyer does not meet those requirements, the candidate will be asked to revise it before distribution.

11.10. The Elections Committee will establish the list of members running for each position, noting which positions are acclaimed, and forward that list to the Executive Committee within a week.

11.11. The Elections Committee, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will develop a ballot to be mailed to all members.

11.12. Four weeks before the election date a mailing to all CSRA members will include:  A letter explaining the voting procedure(s) and timelines for the election including the date by which completed ballots must be received in order to be counted;  A list of the people and positions which were acclaimed;  A ballot or ballots as needed for the election to positions for which more than one person is running;  The candidate information submitted by candidates; and  If letter mail is used, a plain envelope with no identifying marks in which to put the completed ballot, and a stamped self-addressed return envelope in which to put the other envelope containing the ballot to mail it back to the Elections Committee at the address identified for this purpose.  If e-mail is used, instructions on how to cast an electronic ballot in such a way that each member may only vote one time and that the way in which that member voted will be anonymous.  Or both, if both methods of voting are enabled.

11.13 Candidate information for regional or chapter representatives should only be mailed to members eligible to vote for that position.

11.14 Five weeks after the ballots have been mailed – one week after the deadline for return of completed ballots – the Elections Committee will meet to count the ballots.

11.15 The Elections Committee will inform the Executive Committee of the results and will inform the nominees for the contested positions of the results, including vote counts.

11.16 The Elections Committee will submit a final report to the Executive Committee in time for its next meeting.

11.17 Within 2 weeks the Executive Committee will mail to all CSRA members the final results of the election for the Executive Board of CSRA.

12. The outgoing Executive Committee will join the incoming Executive Committee to join them for the final meeting of the outgoing executive’s mandate within two months of the election. The incoming executive will set the date for their first meeting for the following calendar year.

[i] If, for any reason, the CSRA decides an election is needed in another year, these guidelines would apply.