2009 Election Procedures

Note: For the purposes of these procedures, “immediate family members” means members of the same household, or people in a relationship that is known within the BSDM community even if not cohabiting.

1. Absentee Voting

The ballot will be available on the website not later than one month prior to the ABM, along with instructions for absentee voting. Instructions are as follows:

A. Print a copy of the ballot and mark votes on it.

B. Place completed ballot in a plain envelope and seal it. Do not put any indication of name or contributor number on the ballot or this envelope.

C. Place the first envelope inside a second envelope. On the back of this outer envelope, write the contributor number and name of the person voting.

D. Mail to:

BESS
1001 Frederick Rd
P.O. Box 3141
Catonsville, MD 21228

E. Ballots must be postmarked no later than one week prior to the ABM, that is, postmarked no later than November 11, to allow time for them to be received.

F. If the contributor attends the ABM, their absentee ballot will be destroyed.

The president, or their designee, will pick up all absentee ballots from the BESS P.O. Box prior to the ABM and bring them (unopened) to the ABM. BESS cannot be responsible for any absentee ballots not received at the P.O. Box.

2. The Board Meeting Immediately Prior to the ABM

The board shall make the following appointments:

A. The current board shall appoint a board member not standing for re-election to serve as “Election Judge”. The “Election Judge” is the final arbiter of any issues that arise during the conduct of the ABM election.

B. The current board shall appoint a “Questioner” from the Contributorship. However, immediate family members of any candidate are prohibited from serving in this position.

C. The current board shall appoint two “Validators” from the Contributorship. One “Validator” must be a board member or officer of BESS. Neither “Validator” can be a candidate in the election nor an immediate family member of any candidate.

D. If the Corporate Team Leader is a candidate, the current board shall appoint a substitute from the Contributorship to perform this role at the ABM. Since this role does not handle ballots, questions, or Contributor validation, there are no additional restrictions on who can be appointed.

E. It is acceptable for any individual to serve in multiple roles so long as they meet the requirements of each role.

3. The ABM

The following is the process for activities during the ABM:

A. General Procedures

a. Immediate family members of any candidate are prohibited from physically touching any completed ballot other than their own. This precludes them serving as either a “Validator” or a “Reader”. They are also prohibited from serving as “Questioner”. Otherwise, they can participate in any role since everything is done in full view of all present.

b. The Corporate Team shall be responsible for planning the ABM, preparing the materials needed, and executing the agenda of the ABM, pursuant with the By-laws, Corporate Team Handbook, and any specific directions agreed upon by the board prior to the ABM

B. At the door:

a. Only contributors will be admitted to the meeting room.

b. Contributorship will be checked by the two “Validators” upon entry. Both “Validators” must agree on the validity of each contributorship.

c. Each contributor’s number will be checked against the absentee ballots received. If an absentee ballot exists for someone present, the absentee ballot envelope will be marked with a large X and destroyed. It is important that the ballot NOT be returned to the contributor to ensure they do not have two ballots in their possession.

d. Upon validation, each contributor will be given an election packet. The packet will consist of 1 ballot, the bios of all candidates, a copy of all proposed By-laws changes, and a copy of these procedures.

C. Candidate Question Period:

a. Any Contributor in attendance may submit questions for the candidates on an index card provided at the ABM. Questions may be addressed to a specific candidate, or to all candidates. Filled-out index cards are placed in the question box.

b. The “Questioner” will select an index card at random from the question box, and read it aloud. They will then call upon the candidate(s) by name for their response(s).

c. Each applicable candidate will have up to 3 minutes to respond.

d. The Corporate Team Leader shall serve as timekeeper and interrupt when the time period is expired.

e. The Corporate Team Leader shall also announce when the total allotted time for questions, according to the agenda, has expired. Any question being asked or answered at that time will be allowed to complete.

f. The time limits are not intended to curtail the process but to ensure that the ABM can be completed within the time period that the meeting space is available.

D. At the time of voting:

a. Once the ABM progresses to the point of voting, all Contributors will be asked to place their ballots in the ballot box, but they may remain in the room. All remaining actions will be performed in front of those present.

b. All remaining absentee ballot envelopes will checked for validity by the “Validators”. This means that the contributor number on the outer envelope must match the name on the outer envelope; the contributor must be current on their dues; and the envelope must be postmarked no later than one week prior to the ABM. This check is performed based on the Contributor’s Team Contributorship database.

c. Invalid absentee ballot envelopes will be marked with a large X and destroyed.

d. Valid absentee ballots will have the outer envelope opened, and the inner envelope (which contains no indication of the Contributor) placed in the ballot box.

E. Vote Counting:

a. Four volunteers will be selected at random by the “Election Judge” from those present prior to the start of vote counting. Two volunteers will serve as “Counters”, and two will serve as “Readers”.

b. Two large sheets of paper will be taped to the wall in plain view of all present, for the purpose of tallying votes. Each will contain a list of candidate names and the proposed By-laws changes. Each “Counter” will be asked to mark the votes on one piece of paper as the votes are called out.

c. Only the “Readers” will handle the actual ballots. One will draw a ballot from the ballot box, and if it is an absentee ballot, opens the sealed envelope. Each ballot will be checked for validity as not having more than the permissible number of votes. This “Reader” then reads the ballot out loud. The other “Reader” observes this process to concur that the ballot is valid and read correctly. The two “Readers” will alternate roles as they process all ballots.

d. Anyone present can challenge the recording of a ballot only immediately after it is read, if they feel it was marked by a “Counter” incorrectly. Once the next ballot is selected by the “Readers”, previously recorded votes are considered valid.

e. After all ballots have been read, each “Counter” will be asked to total their respective sheets, and mark those totals on the sheet. The voting is considered valid only if all totals agree. If there is a disagreement in the totals, then the counting process is repeated.

f. The “Election Judge” will then announce the results.

g. In the event of a tie that affects the final results, each of the tied candidates will be given 3 minutes to speak, followed by an additional round of voting. A fresh set of ballots (or blank papers if not enough ballots are on hand) will be used. Only the candidates involved in the tie can be voted for in a tie-breaker. The same vote counting process will be used. Only those present are eligible to vote in tie-breakers. The tie-breaker only decides the results of the tie and does not affect results from earlier voting rounds.

4. Post ABM Actions

The following covers activities after the ABM:

A. Challenging the Election:

a. Any contributor who wishes to challenge the election results must contact the “Election Judge” no later than 1 week after the ABM. The “Election Judge” and all board members who were not candidates or immediate family members of any candidate will serve as the resolution committee.

b. It is the responsibility of the “Election Judge” to coordinate the actions of the resolution committee, and to inform the board and the Corporate Team Leader of the status of the election results.

c. The resolution committee must reach a conclusion, by majority vote, within 30 days of the ABM. The vote of the “Election Judge” shall serve as a tie breaker, if needed. The decision of this committee is final.

B. Results will be posted on the website and distributed in the TWAB after the results are deemed final. This occurs 1 week after the ABM if no challenges are submitted, or in the event there is a challenge, upon the decision of the resolution committee. The results posted/distributed will include only the results, not the counts, as the counts add nothing beneficial to the announcement.

C. All ballots and counting sheets will be retained by the Corporate Team until the time of the next ABM.