The Legal Committee of IAMCR was requested by the International Council and the President to draft the changes in the statutes and the by-laws needed to enact Electronic Voting for the IAMCR Executive Board and the elected members of the International Council in the future. The President of IAMCR, Annabelle Sreberny, will bring these changes to the General Assembly in Durban.
Since the internet and electronic voting systems are constantly changing and improving, the Legal Committee is proposing the simplest text possible to that effect, without any precise reference to the technical side of the voting. It would be senseless to include in the statutes or by-laws any precise system which might superseded by a more efficient and easier system during the four years before the next election.
Hence the suggested changes enact the principle of electronic voting and leave it to each Election Committee elected by the International Council a year before the election and to the Executive Board to agree on the precise electronic voting system which will be used, in order to allow IAMCR to get the best possible system for each coming election.
Any queries should be addressed to Philippe Maarek who heads that committee at maarek[at]univ-paris12.fr.
Philippe J. Maarek
Chair of the Legal Committee
1 /Changes proposed in the Statutes
New Articles
(About the GA)
S5.5 It shall decide on the voting procedures for the election of the President, the Executive Board and the International Council and all such committees as it may establish, all elections using a first past the post electoral system;
(About the IC)
S6.9 It shall comprise the Executive Board plus:
a) the Section Heads;
b) an equal number of members elected by electronic voting, according to the technicalities decided by IAMCR by-laws voted by the General Assembly and able to provide, as far as possible, an equitable representation of age, gender and geographical distribution;
c) the former Presidents of the Association as non-voting members.
(About the EB, except the President)
S7.5 The Vice Presidents, Secretary General and Treasurer shall be elected by electronic voting, according to the technicalities decided by IAMCR by-laws voted by the General Assembly, for one four-year term and shall be eligible for re-election only once immediately. No member of the Executive Board may also hold office as a Section Head.
(About the President)
S8.2 The President shall be elected by electronic voting, according to the technicalities decided by IAMCR by-laws voted by the General Assembly, shall take office immediately for one four year term and shall be eligible for re-election once only immediately.
S8.3 Should the President die, resign or, in the view of a two-thirds majority of the International Council, be unable to fulfil the duties of office, the Council shall have the power to appoint an Acting President who will hold office until the next General Assembly
Old Articles
S5.5 It shall elect the President, the Executive Board, the International Council, the Section Heads and all such committees as it may establish, using a first past the post electoral system;
S6.9 It shall comprise the Executive Board plus:
a) the Section Heads;
b) an equal number of members elected by the General Assembly to provide, as far as possible, an equitable representation of age, gender and geographical distribution;
c) the former Presidents of the Association as non-voting members.
S7.5 The Vice Presidents, Secretary General and Treasurer shall be elected by the General Assembly for one four-year term and shall be eligible for re-election only once. No member of the Executive Board may also hold office as a Section Head.
S8.2 The President shall be elected by the General Assembly, shall take office immediately for one four year term and shall be eligible for re-election once only immediately.
S8.3 Should the President die, resign or, in the view of a two-thirds majority of the International Council, be unable to fulfil the duties of office, the Council shall have the power to appoint an Acting President who shall immediately call an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly at which a by-election shall be held to resolve the situation for the residue of the President’s term.
2 /Changes proposed in the By-laws
New Article 8
8 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
8.1. Subject to Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Statutes, an Election Committee of three members shall be appointed by the International Council held during the year preceding the vote to manage the whole election process
8.2. The Election Committee shall call for candidates at least 150 days before the required General Assembly of the Association.
8.3. Executive Board
8.3.1. Each candidate to the Executive Board must be a paid-up member of the Association and be sponsored by a minimum of five (5) paid-up members from at least two (2) different countries.
8.3.2. Each candidate shall send a confirmation of their candidacy and a curriculum vitae and/or statement of no more than 200 words, either electronically or by registered mail, to the Chair of the Election Committee at least 120 days before the relevant session of the General Assembly.
8.3.3. Candidates may nominate for one or more positions on the Executive Board and, if they wish, for membership of the International Council.
8.3.4. Candidates for election to both the Executive Board and the International Council shall, if successful in the former, be automatically removed from the latter.
8.3.5. The Election Committee will validate the list of candidates, and it will be published on IAMCR Website with their statements
8.3.6. An electronic voting procedure proposed by the incumbent Executive Board and approved by the Election Committee no later than 150 days before the relevant General Assembly will be enforced for the coming election and disseminated to the paid up members of IAMCR. The same procedure will be applied for each election, with or without changes to the electronic voting procedure.
8.4. International Council
8.4.1. Candidates for election to the Election to the International Council must be paid-up members of the Association and may be nominated by either one paid-up members of the Association or by themselves. They may include members also nominated for the Executive Board. If nominated, candidates have to notify the Election Committee that they accept their nomination
8.4.2. The rest of the election procedure described afore in the same article for the Executive Board will apply.
8.4.3. Any candidates for both the Executive Board and the International Council who succeed in the first election shall automatically be removed from the ballot for the International Council and their preferences re-distributed.
8.5. The Election Committee shall convey the results of the elections to the President who shall announce them immediately in the way he seems fit, then formally to the next meeting of the General Assembly.
Old Article 8
8 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
8.1. Subject to Articles 5, 7 and 8 of the Statutes, the Executive Board shall be elected as follows:
8.1.1. An Election Committee of three members shall be appointed by the International Council held during the year preceding the vote to manage the whole election process.
8.1.2. The Election Committee shall call for candidates at least 150 days before the required General Assembly of the Association.
8.1.3. Each candidate must be a paid-up member of the Association and be sponsored by a minimum of five (5) paid-up members from at least two (2) different countries.
8.1.4. Each candidate shall send a confirmation of their candidacy and a curriculum vitae and/or statement of no more than 200 words, either electronically or by registered mail, to the Chair of the Election Committee at least 120 days before the relevant session of the General Assembly.
8.1.5. Candidates may nominate for one or more positions on the Executive Board and, if they wish, under Section 8.2 of these Standing Orders for membership of the International Council.
8.1.6. Candidates for election to both the Executive Board and the International Council shall, if successful in the former, be automatically removed from the latter.
8.1.7. Voting procedure for the Executive Board:
8.1.7.1. All paid-up members of the Association shall receive by post, no less than 90 days prior to the relevant meeting of the General Assembly,
8.1.7.1.1. A ballot paper containing the names of all candidates for membership of the Executive Board;
8.1.7.1.2. A curriculum vitae and/or statement not exceeding 200 words for each candidate;
8.1.7.1.3. A voting envelope for the returned ballot paper
8.1.7.1.4. A pre-printed return envelope.
Members must sign across the backflap of the return envelope and return it to the Chair of the Election Committee, who must receive it not less than twenty one (21) days before the date of the General Assembly.
8.1.8. Processing the Ballot
8.1.8.1. The Election Committee shall, prior to the Ceremonial Opening of the
Association’s relevant Conference, appoint by lot a Tellers Committee of seven (7), drawn from those members of the Association already present and registered for the Conference, none of whom shall be candidates for election nor members of the Election Committee
8.1.8.2. The Tellers Committee shall count the ballot on the day of its appointment and announce the result immediately.
8.1.8.3. Any candidates for both the Executive Board and the International Council who succeed in this first election shall automatically be removed from the ballot for the International Council and their preferences re- distributed.
8.2. Subject to Articles 5 and 6 of the Statutes, the International Council shall be elected as follows:
8.2.1. The Election Committee referred to in Section 8.1.1 of these Standing Orders (By- Laws) shall manage the election process and shall call for nominations for the International Council at the same time as it does for the Executive Board.
8.2.2. Candidates for election must be paid-up members of the Association and may be nominated by either one paid-up members of the Association or by themselves. They may include members also nominated for the Executive Board. If nominated, candidates have to notify the Election Committee that they accept their nomination.
8.2.3. Each candidate shall also send a short statement and/or vitae of no more than 200 words, either electronically or by registered mail, to the Chair of the Election Committee at least 120 days before the relevant session of the General Assembly.
8.2.4. Voting procedure for the International Council:
8.2.4.1 All paid-up members of the Association shall receive by post, no less than 120 days prior to the relevant meeting of the General Assembly,
8.2.4.1.1. A ballot paper containing the names of all candidates for membership of the International Council;
8.2.4.1. A curriculum vitae and/or statement not exceeding 200 words for each candidate;
8.2.4.1.3. A voting envelope for the returned ballot paper;
8.2.4.1.4. A pre-printed return envelope.
8.2.4.2. Processing the Ballot: the procedure described in 8.1.8 will apply. Any candidates for both the Executive Board and theInternational Council who succeed in the first election shall automatically be removed from the ballot for the International Council and their preferences re-distributed.
8.3. The Election Committee shall convey the results of the elections to the President who shall announce them immediately in the way he seems fit, then formally to the next meeting of the General Assembly.