Policy

AORN of North Central Florida

Chapter 1016

Election of Officers: Generation, Distribution, and Counting of Ballots

April, 2000

In accordance with Chapter Bylaws, Article VII, section 4: election of officers for Chapter 1016 will be by written ballot mailed to the membership.

I. Generation of the Ballot

1. The slate of candidates will be generated by the Nominating Committee and submitted to the Executive Committee by the third Thursday of April [monthly meeting]. Any nominations from the floor will be included at this time, providing the nominated member meets the requirements designated in the Bylaws. This meets the requirements stated in Bylaws that the Nominating Committee presents the slate of candidates to the membership at least 30 days before the election.
2. The Membership Committee Chair will present a written count of active membership, and mailing labels for all active membership, at this same meeting.
3. The ballot must be postmarked by midnight, the date of the Sunday before the annual meeting [third Thursday in May]. Requiring ballots to be postmarked by this date will provide three to four days for ballots to arrive in the mail, with a final collection of ballots on the Thursday of the annual meeting. The Tellers Committee will have ballots printed and numbered randomly from 1 to the maximum number of active members per the list submitted by the Membership Committee chair.
4. The ballot will contain the chapter name and chapter number, the year of the terms of office, list of open offices and the names of the candidates running for each office, and the number of positions opened for each office. The ballot will also state the date the ballot must be postmarked.
5. A Tellers Committee, comprised of members of the chapter who are not on the ballot, will be appointed at this meeting. Those members of the Nominating Committee who will be continuing in office for a second year could so be designated. The Tellers Committee will have ballots printed and numbered randomly from 1 to the maximum number of active members per the list submitted by the Membership committee chair.
6. The March newsletter will contain the names and phone numbers of the Nominating Committee members, the list of offices that will be vacant, and the job description and qualifications for that office.

2. Distribution of Ballots to the Membership

1. A randomly numbered ballot will be placed in a stamped envelope that has been address to the chapter’s post office box. This envelope will then be placed in another envelope and sealed until all ballots are in sealed envelopes. These envelopes will then be labeled with mailing labels provided by the Membership Committee, stamped with the appropriate postage, and taken to the post office for mailing no later than May 1. Placement of ballots into the envelopes, and the labeling of envelopes after sealing, ensures that the balloting process will be a secret ballot.

2. Counting of the Ballots

1. As the completed ballots are mailed back to the chapter, the unopened envelopes will be collected by the Treasurer [the Treasurer has the post office box key]. Ballots without a postmarked envelope, or a ballot in an envelope postmarked after the designated date will not be accepted for tally.
2. The Tellers Committee will count the ballots at the annual meeting. Duplicate numbered ballots will be declared invalid and not counted in the tally. After the tally, the ballots will be sealed in an envelope. The results of the tally will be presented to the chapter President. The Tellers Committee will hold the sealed envelope of ballots in the event that a recount is called for, or until the chapter membership accepts the results of the election and votes to destroy the ballots.
3. The Chapter President will announce newly elected officers at the annual meeting.

Submitted by Thomas Macheski, RN, Sally Moore, RN, and Wes Williams III, RN

Amended and approved by Board of Directors April 2000.