Bylaw Changes Announcement
Dear Members,
One of our members has requested changes to our bylaws. Per our bylaws, changes must be published 30 days prior to presenting changes to the membership.
All proposed changes are in the Nominations and Elections Section (XIII). The first change (Section 2) would require all board members to have been a member of Local 1000 for one year prior to running for a position on the board. The second (Nominations: section 3) is that nominations for board positions would need to be made by September 15th rather than allowing members to bring up nominations until the close of nominations at the meeting. The final change (Elections: section 4) is a new section, allowing us to conduct elections electronically if needed.
The wording is printed below. New language is underlined and old text is struck through. We will vote on the 3 changes separately during our membership meeting on Saturday, August 21st
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XIII. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Terms of Officers and Executive Committee Members will be of a duration of three years and will be arranged so as not more than three officers and/or board members will be elected in one year. Elections will be held once a year.
This will be facilitated in the following manner:
The President, Vice-President From Canada and Midwest Executive Committee Member will be elected in the same period and serve three year terms beginning with the election of 2008 (offices to be served beginning 2009.)
The Vice-President From The United States and Eastern Executive Committee Member will be elected in the same period and serve three year terms beginning with the election of 2021 (offices to be served beginning 2022.)
The Secretary-Treasurer and Western Executive Committee Member will be elected and serve three year terms beginning with the election of 2019 (office to be served beginning 2020).
Hence, duration of the terms of all offices shall be three years.
Section 2. Only Active Members in good standing shall eligible to be nominated for and hold office in the Union. To be eligible to run for office a member must have been a member in good standing for at least one year immediately preceding the election period.
NOMINATIONS
Section 3(a). Nominations shall be held at the third general meeting. At least thirty days before the third general meeting, the Secretary-Treasurer shall publish an official notice of nominations in the official journal of the Union, which shall be distributed to all members of record.
Section 3(b) Nominations may be made by either of the following methods:
(i) A nominating Committee of three Active Members shall be appointed by the President, and may nominate one eligible Active Member for each open position. The Nominating Committee shall be charged with ensuring that each position open for nominations has at least one nominee. The Nominating Committee shall further be charged with presenting candidates who reflect diversity of the Union in regard to race, geography, gender, age, musical-style, etc. To that end, the Committee shall confer for the purpose of soliciting candidates for each election and shall submit its list of candidates to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than the third general meeting. Members of the Nominating Committee may neither be officers nor candidates for office.
(ii) Any eligible Active Member in good standing may declare his or her candidacy for office by advising the Secretary-Treasurer of such in writing no later than the closing of nominations at the third membership meeting or by nominating him or herself by voice during the call for further nominations at the third membership meeting. September 15 of election year.
(iii) Any Active Member in good standing may place in nomination any other eligible member in good standing for office by advising the Secretary-Treasurer of such in writing no later than September 15 of election year. the closing of nominations at the third general meeting or by placing the nomination by voice during the call for further nominations at the third general meeting.
Section 3(c). Immediately following the deadline for nominations, the Nominating Committee shall verify the eligibility for every candidate to run for and hold office utilizing a list supplied by the Secretary-Treasurer containing the names of every eligible Active Member who was in good standing of the Union at the close of nominations.
Section 3(d). Following the completion of nominations and eligibility verification, the Nominating Committee shall supply the list of all nominees to the Election Committee made up of three Active Members appointed by the Executive Board for the purpose of preparing the ballot and conducting the election. The Election Committee shall be instructed to determine the order in which candidates’ names appear on the ballot by utilizing a random drawing method.
ELECTIONS
Section 4(a). No sooner than thirty days nor later than forty days after the nomination deadline, the ballots shall be prepared and mailed out by the Election Committee via first class mail to all Active Members. The Secretary-Treasurer shall supply the Election Committee with one set of mailing labels of all eligible voters for that purpose together with a separate list of eligible voters for verification during tallying. Each eligible member shall receive an official ballot, an instruction sheet, one envelope marked with the words “SECRET BALLOT”, another larger envelope pre-addressed to the Election Committee that shall have on its face printed lines identified for the member to sign and print his or her name and return address.
NEW SECTION
Not withstanding the above, elections of officers may be conducted by electronic ballot by a reputable vendor experienced in conducting union elections.
Section 4(b). When the number of candidates for a position does not exceed the number to be elected, those candidates shall be declared elected by acclamation, and the ballot shall so state. When the number of candidates for all positions does not exceed the number to be elected, those candidates shall be declared elected by acclamation, and the Secretary-Treasurer shall so advise the membership in the official journal of the Union, under which circumstances a balloting of the membership shall not be required.
Section 4(c). The writing in of names of persons not nominated and listed on the ballot or voting for more candidates than the number to be elected are is prohibited. Failure to observe these prohibitions shall result in the voiding of that section of any ballot so spoiled.
Section 4(d ) In the event of a mail ballot election, and A at a date and time to be determined by the Executive Board, which shall be no sooner than thirty days nor later than forty days from the date on which the ballots were mailed, the Election Committee shall (1) verify the validity of each ballot by comparing the names on the return addresses with each ballot by comparing the names on the return addresses with the list of members from which the ballot mailing was made; (2) open the outer envelopes and remove the ballot envelopes, separating and setting aside the outer envelopes; and (3) open the ballot envelopes and tally the votes. At the conclusion of the tallying, the Election Committee shall certify the results of the tallying and shall supply a report of same to the President and Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall publish the results in the next issue of the official journal of the Union.
Section 4(e). In the event of a mail ballot election, Tthe Election Committee shall retain all ballots and envelopes for the Union as part of the Union’s records for one year following the election. Invalid, spoiled and unused ballots shall also be retained for one year.
Section 4(f). A plurality of votes cast shall elect a candidate to office.
Section 4(g). The term of office shall be for three years and shall begin January 1st.
Section 4(h). Oath of obligation for officers: “I (…giving name … ) do hereby solemnly pledge my most sacred honor that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office as
( … stating office … ) of this Local during the term for which I have been elected, or until my successor is duly elected and installed; that I will support the Bylaws of the American Federation of Musicians and the Bylaws, rules and regulations of this Local No.1000, and that I will enforce the laws thereof to the best of my ability without prejudice or partiality.”
RIGHTS OF CANDIDATES
Section 5(a). Each candidate may submit a campaign statement in support of his or her candidacy of no more than 200 words to the Secretary-Treasurer for inclusion in the election issue of the official journal of the Union. Statements shall be printed in identical type size and shall appear in the same order in which the candidates’ names will appear on the ballot. Each candidate may also purchase a mailing list in printed form or on magnetic media (if available) of all members eligible to vote at a cost to be determined by the Executive Board.
Section 5(b). Any candidate, or his or her designee(s), shall have the right to be present at and observe the opening and tallying of the ballots so long as observers do not interfere with that process. A designee must be a member of the Union, and must present the Election Committee chairperson with a written statement from the candidate authorizing him or her to observe.
Section 5(c). The Secretary-Treasurer shall advise all candidates of these rights within seven days following the close of nominations.
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If you have questions or comments please send them to me president@local1000.org
Our membership meeting is Saturday, August 21st on Zoom. Login details are below:
Time: Aug 21, 2021 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84953693093?pwd=cFNjbEZJWENNcUhSc1dtUW5HSTcxQT09
Meeting ID: 849 5369 3093
Passcode: 639750
Aaron Fowler, President, Local 1000
On behalf of the Executive Board