Election Protocol

Nominations
The call for nominations needs to go out at the end of the spring semester.  Once people are nominated, they have to accept the nomination and agree that if they are elected they will uphold the obligations of the position.   Nominees will be given the opportunity to write a brief description of why they are running and what their platform is.  This should be explained when individuals are contacted about accepting their nomination.  Candidates’ position paragraphs will then be disseminated when the nominees are announced.

Election Period
Election of Officer shall be held during the third to last week of the Spring Semester.

Voting Eligibility
All graduate students enrolled in the Department on Disability and Human Development are eligible to vote.  Each student is entitled to one vote. The individual getting the most votes for a position shall be awarded that position.  Students may vote via email, ballot box, or fax for board member elections.  For measures that are voted on during the academic year, students may vote during meetings or via email to the secretary or program coordinator if not present or simply chooses not to vote in person.

Notice of Elections or Appointments

Elections and/or voting shall last for one week. Notification of the vote will be done via e-mail to the student listserv (in the third to last week of the Spring Semester). Students will be allowed to submit their vote via e-mail or return a ballot to the box and the program coordinator’s office. When the notice for elections is distributed to students, they will be given the option to write-in candidates. The votes will be tallied by the program coordinator and one of the existing officers. The board members and officer shall be notified by the student listserv immediately following the ballot count.

When a position is not filled, the elected officers, as elected representatives of the student body, are entrusted with the responsibility of appointing officers to those positions. Further, when appointing an officer to a position, certain requirements regarding officer eligibility may be waived as deemed appropriate by the acting student council.

If several* positions are not filled, the student council shall proceed to a “rainy day” policy for filling that position. [* “several” has yet to be defined]

Legitimate Transfer of Power
Within 14 days after an election, the old officer and the new corresponding officer shall meet and discuss the position, strategies for fulfilling duties, potential problems and other useful information. Where necessary, this can be done via email.

The elected board will officially start until August 1.