Guidelines for candidates in the 2015 Executive Committee elections

The CUPE 3903 red-star logo

The CUPE 3903 red-star logo

Election to the CUPE 3903 Executive: 
Guidelines for candidates

Prepared by the Election Officers

We offer what we hope is a clear set of rules in order to obtain the support of all candidates and members in advance of the election. Rather than try to impose punitive sanctions, we hope to publicize suspected infractions and then depend on the “court of public opinion” to judge and, if necessary, sanction offenders.

  1. The campaign period began on April 6 and, in accordance with Article 14 (II) of our bylaws, the campaign period will continue for 16 days, until the Annual General Membership Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, April 22. Voting will begin at the AGM, followed by one week of voting at polling stations on Keele and Glendon campuses. Wednesday, April 29 will be the last day to vote in the elections.
  2. All campaign literature should be consistent with our CUPE Equality Statement.
  3. Candidates are not allowed to use the union photocopier or union supplies.
  4. According to our bylaws, the campaign phase for the elections ends at the AGM. However, we believe there are a number of serious problems with enforcing a ban on campaigning after the AGM. There is currently no formal enforcement mechanism for the elections officers to uphold such a ban. We cannot control the behaviour of members advocating on behalf of candidates. We cannot control activities on social media. We also see no convincing reason to have our members police each other, since the electoral process should allow for everyone to express their views on what kind of leadership they want for their union. Based on these reasons, we propose a very simple set of regulations to go into effect after the AGM:
    1. No publishing campaign advertisements in any print media (Excalibur, etc.)
    2. No posters, flyers or any campaigning activity within 10 metres of polling stations.
    3. Candidates and their representatives are free to go around the university (including with campaign material) to convince members to vote (“pulling the vote”). This activity cannot take place within 10 metres of any polling station.
    4. Candidates can appoint scutineers to each poll to ensure the impartiality of the process, and ensure that all voters are either on the list or submit a ballot within an envelope. But neither candidates nor their representatives will be able to use the voter’s lists for targeted vote-pulling once the polls have opened.
    5. Candidates are free to continue putting up posters, posting on social media, and engaging in other forms of campaigning, as long as they respect the 10-metre rule.
  5. All polling stations will be equipped with a printed version of the campaign statements from the CUPE 3903 website.
  6. If there is a run-off vote for the Communications Officer position, there will be a brief period of extended campaigning. The run-off vote will take place on Tuesday, May 5.
  7. We ask that all members who witness violations of these rules document them as accurately as possible and send the information to the Election Officers. Scrutineers/poll clerks will be briefed on what constitutes a violation. The Elections Officers will then make a presentation on any violations that occurred during the elections at a General Membership Meeting. After the presentation, if members feel that any of the violations were serious enough to warrant further action, it will be up to the membership to pursue.

For more information, please contact the Election Officers: EOCUPE3903@gmail.com.