Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
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Electing Local Union Officers by Mail
This pamphlet has been developed by the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) to help election officials conduct union officer elections by mail in accordance with the requirements of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended. Many unions conduct officer elections by mail because their members are dispersed over a wide geographic area making travel to polling sites difficult. In addition, some unions that conduct their elections at polling places also allow absentee voting by mail.
If questions arise about mail balloting procedures or other election requirements not covered in this pamphlet (such as nomination procedures, candidate eligibility, and campaign rights and restrictions), election officials should contact the union's parent body or one of the OLMS offices.
If your union conducts its election at a polling site, election officials should read the OLMS pamphlet Checklist for Conducting Local Union Officer Elections which is designed to serve as a reminder of the various tasks which should be completed during the nomination and election process.
The five mail ballot package items illustrated below include recommended formats and dimensions of the three different size envelopes needed. Each member should receive the following:
This small envelope, either blank or printed with the words "Secret Ballot Envelope," will be used by the voter to enclose the marked ballot. Advise members not to place any identifying information on this envelope.
This envelope will be used by the voter to return the Secret Ballot Envelope with the marked ballot sealed inside. It should be pre-addressed to the post office box for returned voted ballots and contain space for the voter to print his or her name and address in the upper left corner. If a voter identification number has been assigned (which corresponds to the voter's number on the voter eligibility list), it should appear in the lower left corner of this envelope.
This large envelope will be used to mail the other four mail ballot items to each member. The return address should be a post office box designated solely for the receipt of ballot packages returned undelivered so that they can be remailed by election officials after obtaining correct addresses.
If election notices were not mailed to members previously, the ballot package may serve as the election notice provided it is mailed at least 15 days prior to the date when ballots must be mailed back in order to be counted and contains voting instructions which are clear and complete such as those in the following example for a fictitious union - Factory Workers Local 999.
Election Notice A secret ballot election for the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and three (3) Executive Board members is being conducted by mail. Ballots for this election are being mailed to members on July 12, 2000. Any eligible member who has not received a ballot in the mail at home by July 17, 2000 or any member who spoils a ballot may request a new ballot by contacting Election Chairperson Dennis Ricci at 555-1234. If you request and return another ballot, only the replacement ballot will be counted. Instructions For Mail Voting Please read the following instructions carefully before marking and mailing your ballot:
IMPORTANT: Mail your ballot in sufficient time for it to be received at P.O. Box 146, Columbia, MO 65203 no later than 3:00 p.m. on August 6, 2000. |
Election officials should insure that each voter is sent a blank ballot. Ballots should be checked (before and after printing) to insure that each candidate's preferred name is used and correctly spelled, each office indicates the correct number of positions to be filled, and each candidate is listed for the proper office in the correct order.
Prior to the tally, election officials should decide what to do if a voter has not used the Secret Ballot Envelope. Election officials have two choices: 1) Election officials may decide to void a ballot if a voter has not used the Secret Ballot Envelope. (If this policy is adopted, include a warning to members in the voting instructions as illustrated on page 3 of this pamphlet, that a ballot will be voided if it is not returned in the Secret Ballot Envelope.) OR 2) Election officials may decide to count these ballots, but they must take necessary steps to preserve secrecy. (In such cases, carefully remove the ballot from the return ballot envelope without allowing anyone to see how it is marked. Immediately place the ballot face down and mix it together with the other ballots after they are removed from the Secret Ballot Envelopes to preserve secrecy.)
Click here for a list of the OLMS offices.
Election officials should insure that each voter is sent a blank ballot. Ballots should be checked (before and after printing) to insure that each candidate's preferred name is used and correctly spelled, each office indicates the correct number of positions to be filled, and each candidate is listed for the proper office in the correct order.
Prior to the tally, election officials should decide what to do if a voter has not used the Secret Ballot Envelope. Election officials have two choices: 1) Election officials may decide to void a ballot if a voter has not used the Secret Ballot Envelope. (If this policy is adopted, include a warning to members in the voting instructions as illustrated on page 3 of this pamphlet, that a ballot will be voided if it is not returned in the Secret Ballot Envelope.) OR 2) Election officials may decide to count these ballots, but they must take necessary steps to preserve secrecy. (In such cases, carefully remove the ballot from the return ballot envelope without allowing anyone to see how it is marked. Immediately place the ballot face down and mix it together with the other ballots after they are removed from the Secret Ballot Envelopes to preserve secrecy.)
Click here for a list of the OLMS offices. |
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