Ballots & Referendum

Section 1. Ballots shall be prepared by the Secretary or, if the office of Secretary is a contested election or the Secretary is the subject of recall, by Executive Board officer(s) not immediately involved in a contested election or recall. The Secretary or, Executive Board officer(s) not immediately involved in a contested election or recall, shall initial and affix the seal to a number of ballots equal to the total number of members. There shall be no unique identifying markings on the ballots.

Section 2. A simple majority of the Executive Board shall authorize the President to enter into an agreement with an attorney or accountant to receive and tally the ballots. The attorney or accountant shall submit in writing a signed document listing the results. Said document and ballots returned shall be retained by the Secretary for not less than one (1) year at which time the ballots shall be destroyed.

Section 3. Ballots shall be forwarded by first class mail to the home addresses on record of all members. Ballots shall be mailed in envelopes listing the return address of the attorney or accountant into which the agreement to receive and tally the ballots was entered. An envelope for the return of completed ballots shall be enclosed. The return envelope shall be addressed to the attorney or accountant into which the agreement to receive and tally the ballots was entered. There shall be no unique identifying markings on the return envelope.

Section 4. Election Ballots:

A. Ballots shall list the candidates, the corresponding offices sought and the date by which the ballots must be returned. The order of appearance on the ballot shall be determined by a lottery conducted at the general membership
Revised & Adopted February 2005
meeting of November of the election year. The Secretary, or other Executive Board officer, shall initial and affix the seal on each of a number of ballots commensurate with the number of members. There shall be no unique identifying markings on the ballots.

B. Ballots shall be postmarked no later than the third Wednesday in November of the election year. Completed ballots must be received by the attorney or accountant into which the agreement to receive and tally the ballots was entered by end of business on the second Wednesday in December of the election year.

C. Ballots shall be tallied on the second Thursday in December of the election year at a location mutually agreeable to the Executive Board and the attorney or accountant into which the agreement to receive and tally the ballots was entered. A minimum of two (2) officers of the Executive Board shall be present for the tally of ballots. Results shall be made public immediately.