Article V - Elections

  1. March Elections

    Officers of the Local shall be elected every two (2) years by secret ballot membership referendum beginning during the first two weeks of March. A member may simultaneously run for an Officer position as well as a Unit Chairperson or another unit executive member.

  2. Elections Committee

    1. A Nomination and Election Committee of up to three members and up to three alternates to handle all Local elections and referendums shall be elected annually by the membership at least 60 days before the Annual Local Election. This Committee shall not take office until the completion of the meeting at which it is elected. The Committee shall receive nominations for local elections, ascertain if nominees are eligible and willing to stand for office, and make all preparatory arrangements so that the elections may be conducted in an orderly and expeditious manner.

      Decisions of the Election Committee will be considered final unless changed by a majority vote at a general meeting. The Executive may not interfere or in any way make decisions for the Election Committee. A copy of this Article shall be provided to each member and each alternate on his or her election to the Nominations and Election Committee. Election Committee members shall perform their duties in a neutral manner and shall not campaign for or endorse any candidate.

    2. No member of or candidate for the Executive Committee shall be a member of the Election Committee.

    3. The Representative Council shall provide the Election Committee with a budget sufficient to engage independent persons, including National and Local staff, as necessary to administer votes and ensure ballot integrity.

  3. Nominations

    Nominations shall close at the close of the nomination meeting, whether or not a quorum is present. Nomination refusals or acceptances must be delivered to or obtained by the Nomination Committee within 48 hours after this nomination meeting.

    1. Nominations for Officers of the Local shall be made in writing, phone or electronically with the name of the mover and seconder, and given to the election Committee.

    2. A member may be nominated for more than one office, but no person shall allow his or her name to stand for election for more than one of President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Third Vice-President, Fourth Vice-President, Fifth Vice-President, Sixth Vice-President, Treasurer or Secretary.

    3. No member shall place in nomination more than the number of candidates to be elected for each position.

    4. The nomination shall be reported by the Committee at a General Meeting in January. At least 15 days' notice that the meeting will include nominations shall be given by steward distribution, website posting, e-mailing, faxing and selected mailing to each eligible member, including elections to fill vacancies as provided in 6(a). Additional nominations may be made from the floor at this meeting before nominations are finally closed. Nominators from the floor shall confirm such nominations in writing to the Nomination Committee before the close of the meeting.

    5. If there is only one nominee for an office, he or she shall be declared elected by acclamation after nominations have closed.

  4. Voting

    1. Only members in good standing shall be entitled to move or second nominations, to stand for office, or to vote. A member in good standing is one who has signed a membership application in a certified bargaining unit of the local union and who is not barred from membership by reason of having committed a violation of the constitution, or had their application for membership rejected under the constitution. A certified bargaining unit is one where there has been a successful vote, or one which has received a certificate from the appropriate government authorities, no later than the date of the meeting at which candidates are nominated for that election.

      1. Balloting shall be done on a ballot form adopted by the Nomination and Election Committee.

      2. Ballots shall be printed or mimeographed or photocopied and their exact number certified — under the personal supervision of at least two members of the Election Committee.

      3. Ballots shall be distributed by stewards or by mail, as the Committee may decide. In the alternative, upon the decision of the Representative Council, the Election Committee shall implement and supervise workplace and/or electronic balloting provided that practical voting options are available for remote workplaces or job assignments.

    3. When a post office box is used for the receipt of ballots, at least two members of the Election Committee shall be present when it is opened. No fewer than two members of the Committee shall have charge of the ballots until they have been counted.

    4. Returning Officers shall be elected by the Nomination and Election Committee.

    5. An up-to-date list of members in good standing shall be furnished to the Election Committee for the purpose of checking nominations and eligibility to vote.

    6. The official voting period shall be open for at least 10 business days (excluding Saturdays and Sundays), opening at 9 a.m. on the first day and closing at 5:30 p.m. on the final day. Only ballots that are in the Union Post Office Box or properly in the possession of the Election Committee at 5:30 p.m. on the final day will be counted.

      When ballots are distributed by stewards, the stewards shall be notified four days before the opening of the polls when ballots will be ready for distribution. They will pick up the ballots on the days polls open, and distribute them. All ballots which in their judgment, they would be unable to deliver by hand within two days, must be returned to the Union office for immediate mailing.

      No candidate for any Unit or Local office shall distribute, collect, or tally ballots.

      Election Committees will make every effort to time distribution so that ballots will not be delivered to members before the official voting period, but so as to reach members at the earliest possible time after the beginning of the voting period.

      The following statement shall appear on all envelope flaps:

      “This ballot is to be mailed so as to reach the Union Post Office Box not later than (final hour and date of closing). Only ballots that are in the Union Post Office Box at the closing hour will be counted.”

    7. Advanced polling facilities shall be provided at the Union Office or any other location designated by the Election Committee for three complete office days prior to the voting period for members unable to be present during that period. Advance polling shall be by sealed, stamped envelope provided by the office staff, on signature of a receipt, addressed to a Post Office Box provided by and under the sole control of the Election Committee. Envelopes shall be kept unopened and under the control of the Election Committee until ballots are counted after the close of the election. Members who are out of town shall be provided mailed ballots by first-class mail in Canada and by airmail elsewhere, five calendar days prior to the opening of regular polling.

    8. If there are more than two candidates for any Union or unit office, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected.

    9. While campaigning may commence at any time during the year, it shall cease 24 hours before the polls open. In the event of mails being used, the postmarked time shall obtain.

  5. Term of Office

    All officers and members of the Representative Council shall take office April 1 and shall hold office until the following March 31.

  6. Election of Convention Delegates

    1. Delegates and alternates to the conventions, conferences, or committees of Unifor National, the Ontario Federation of Labour or the Canadian Labour Congress, shall be nominated from the floor and elected by secret ballot at general membership meetings, which shall also determine the number to be elected. The number of delegates to be elected and receiving the highest vote in the election shall be declared elected. Candidates nominated but not elected as delegates shall be declared alternates, to be called on in the event one or more delegates is unable to serve. Alternates shall be ranked according to the number of votes each received. Where a meeting at which such an election was to have taken place fails for lack of a quorum, the Executive Committee shall determine the number of delegates to be elected and shall elect them at its next meeting.

    2. Delegates to the Toronto and York Region Labour Council shall be elected at the annual membership meeting for a one-year term.  In the event of a mid-term vacancy, the Executive Committee may appoint an alternate delegate.

    3. Where elections are held at a membership or Representative Council meeting, candidates shall be eligible for election only if they indicate willingness to stand in person or by a letter delivered to the Secretary or Nomination and Election Committee prior to the completion of the meeting.