Introduction #
The nomination and election of NSO officers and Region Directors will be conducted in accordance with the NSO Constitution and Bylaws currently in effect, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) of 1959, as amended.
Term of Office #
The officers (President, Vice President for Defense, Vice President for Program, Secretary and Treasurer) and nine (9) Directors of who seven (7) shall be Regional Directors and two (2) shall be Directors At-Large, elected by a majority vote of the delegates to the Representative Assembly and who shall be the trustees of the organization. Officers and Region Directors will take office immediately after the end of the Representative Assembly for which they were elected.
Nomination #
Notice of nominations for NSO offices and the NSO Campaign and Election Rules will be posted to the NSO website and CONTACT beginning in January. “The Election Committee shall accept nominations for office in accordance with Article II, Section 1 of the Bylaws and conduct the election for these positions at the Representative Assembly. To be placed on the ballot, a nominee shall be a member in good standing; consent to be on the ballot; and submit a petition to the Election Committee with the signatures of at least three (3) members.” [Constitution, Article VIII, Section 1]
A valid Petition must be received by NSO Secretary no later than the conclusion of the Election Committee’s report on the first day of the Representative Assembly. A Petition Form can be found on the NSO website and used by any candidate for office. Any written nominations and/or petitions shall not be on an affiliate or employer letterhead.
Request for NSO Mailing List/Campaign Literature #
Candidates may request one set of affiliate presidents’ labels, at no cost, from the NSO Secretary in writing on or before May 15. The only official, NSO-prepared list to be used by candidates is the list provided by the NSO Secretary. This does not prevent the candidate from compiling their own list using various data available to any member of NSO, such as the Research Committee Directory of Contacts or various published NSO Committee Rosters. Delegates and alternates [names and addresses] to the Representative Assembly are not available for distribution for the purpose of campaigns and elections.
Candidates will not be allowed to distribute any campaign literature or address attendees within any NSO meeting (e.g. meetings for Merger/Organizing, CBCs, executive committee, research, and any ad hoc committees). However, a candidate may campaign for a respective office and distribute campaign literature on the RA floor.
A candidate may request a campaign table that will be located outside of any NSO meeting for the purpose of distributing campaign material three (3) weeks prior to the meeting. The cost of such table will be borne solely by the candidate. NSO and/or its affiliate shall not use any funds and/or resources to assist in the campaign of a candidate.
Campaign Restrictions #
Federal law prohibits the use of any employer or local affiliate funds to promote the candidacy of any person in a union office election. This prohibition applies to cash, facilities, equipment, vehicles, office, supplies, etc. of NSO and any other union, and of employees whether or not they employ NSO members. Union officers and employees may not campaign on time paid for by the union and/or employer.
Examples of prohibited activities include (copied from the Department of Labor publication “Conducting Local Union Officer Elections—A Guide for Election Officials”):
- Campaigning on time paid for by the union or employer
- Use of union/employer owned or leased equipment such as telephones; fax machines, and copy machines (including employer-owned e-mail)
- Use of union/employer supplies such as stamps, paper and envelopes
- Use of union employees to prepare campaign literature while on union time
- Use of the union letterhead
- Use of union/employer property or facilities
- Printing articles, which support or criticize an individual’s candidacy in a union newspaper or other publication
- Giving free services or special discounts to a candidate customer such as printing, photocopying, etc.
The prohibition against the use of union and employer funds applies to ANY union and ANY employer, not just to the NSO and its affiliates.
Federal law also provides that candidates must be treated equally regarding the opportunity to campaign and that all members may support the candidate of their choice without being subject to penalty, discipline or reprisal of any kinds.
All commercially produced campaign materials used by a candidate shall be union-made, made-in-the-US materials and that all printed materials be printed by union printers and include the union bug. This does not preclude a candidate from producing their own campaign literature/materials—for example, using personal/home computer, printer and other equipment, paper, etc.
Ballot Position #
Two members of the Elections Committee will draw names for the order in which candidate names will appear on the ballot. The Candidates, or their representatives, may be present to observe the drawing.
Observers #
Candidates are entitled to have observers present at the counting of ballots. The candidate must submit the name of their observer to any member of the Elections Committee no later than the end of day one of the Representative Assembly.
Tally of Ballots #
The counting of the ballots shall be conducted by the Elections Committee after the polls close on the date and time of the election notice.
Election Results #
The election results will be announced at the RA as well as posted to the NSO website. The result will also appear in the next issue of the CONTACT.
Election Records #
The NSO Secretary is responsible for maintaining all nomination and election records for at least one year after the election, as required by federal law.
Candidate Petition #
*** HOLD FOR CURRENT CANDIDATE PETITION
Election Notice #
The above rules are not all inclusive. Additional election rules or clarifications may be issued by the NSO Executive Committee and Elections Committee and Department of Labor as needed during the nomination and election period and be distributed to all NSO affiliates.
- Adopted by the Executive Committee on June 11, 2003, revised March 26, 2004
- To become effective beginning September 1, 2003.
- Revised at the 2004 Representative Assembly, NBI #04-03
- Amended September 29, 2005 by the Executive Committee
- Amended at the June 9, 2007 Representative Assembly through the Constitution and Bylaws changes
- Amended March 28, 2008 by the Executive Committee