College Election Guidelines for Nominating, Elections and Declaration of Results

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1 College Election Guidelines for Nominating, Elections and Declaration of Results The intent of College election guidelines is to encourage fair and open campaigning by candidates on a level playing field by specifying permitted and prohibited election related activities, fostering opportunities for candidates to inform voters about the issues, candidate experiences and views and to maintain dignified and courteous conduct appropriate to the image of the College. Correspondence and Communication All correspondence and communication regarding College elections, including submitting nominations to stand for election, should be ed to elections@racp.edu.au Nominating RACP Constitution clauses 8.2.4, 8.5(b) and and Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 2 Candidates are allowed to nominate for multiple positions, e.g. RACP President-Elect and Member Director, subject to meeting eligibility criteria. Office holders on other College bodies are eligible to nominate for, and simultaneously hold, positions on the College Board. Candidates must provide a photograph and a candidate statement of not more than 500 words when submitting their nomination. The candidate statement will allow candidates to directly and positively state their own positions on issues and their own plans for the College or their region, Division, Faculty or Chapter. Candidates statements and their photograph will be posted on the College s election website, if an election is required to be held for that position. A link to each candidate s statement will be provided in the notice of election. Nominations for candidates for election as RACP President-Elect, Member Director and Trainee Director must be signed by two Members (a proposer and a seconder). The names of those two Members will be published with the candidate s statement on the College website. The person nominating must also sign a consent to act as a director. A candidate may submit a revised candidate statement for posting on the College s election website up to Monday, 19 March

2 Election Timetable Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 2.4 and 3.3 The College election cycle is run to a strict timetable, governed by College By-laws. The following table shows the major milestones in the process. Withdrawal of Nomination Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 2.5 A candidate may withdraw their nomination by notifying the College in writing at any time up to the opening date of the election. Terms of Office RACP Constitution clause 8.7B.2 The terms of office for all positions will commence at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on Monday, 14 May Terms of office for the RACP President-Elect, the trainee Director and for all Division, Faculty, Chapter and New Zealand positions will conclude at the end of the second AGM held after their election or appointment. For Member Director positions, the following terms will apply: The two Member Directors who receive the highest and second highest number of votes will serve a three year term, concluding at the end of the third AGM held after their election or appointment. All further terms will be for three years. 2

3 The Member Director elected with the third highest number of votes will serve a two year term, concluding at the second AGM held after their election or appointment. All further terms will be for three years. This variation in term lengths is designed to preserve institutional knowledge on the Board by avoiding wholesale changeover of Directors, as has occurred in the past. Election Campaign Assistance Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.4 Consistent with free and fair elections, the Board has resolved that it will not provide election campaign assistance to candidates standing for election. The College will encourage voter participation in the election through its normal communication channels from time to time, as required, during the course of the elections. Individual Members may support and assist candidates standing for election using their own resources. Current Office Holders must not use their position to endorse or support any particular candidate but can participate in any election as a Member of the College. Campaigning Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.5 Candidates must not contact or involve any staff member for the purpose of canvassing for votes. No person may post, exhibit or distribute on any property owned or occupied by the College (including any College-hosted website, noticeboard or similar interactive medium) any other material in support of the candidature of any person at an election. A candidate must not directly or indirectly access or otherwise utilise College resources and assets, such as College-generated databases, address lists or logos, for electioneering or campaigning purposes. Candidates must act honestly and with integrity when campaigning for votes. They must ensure that their campaigns and campaign materials are accurate and not misleading. Candidates are responsible for the actions of their campaign and for their campaign materials, including the use of any self-generated broadcast lists. They must clearly state in any materials used and messages communicated when soliciting members votes that they are acting on their own behalf, using their own resources, independent of the College. If candidates choose to College Members they should use the BCC option in order to respect Members privacy and to minimise the risk of Members addresses being harvested for unwanted re-use by others. Candidates should be aware of relevant privacy laws regarding the unsolicited use of addresses, and should ensure that the frequency and tone of communications do not create a perception of harassment of College Members. Candidates are permitted to use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media as well as content media such as YouTube to increase awareness of their candidacy and to 3

4 campaign for votes. However, candidates should keep in mind that these media can be accessed by a much broader external audience for an internal College election. On all social media platforms, a disclaimer should be clearly published stating: Material published on this site expresses my own views only for the purposes of candidacy in the RACP elections. This material is not endorsed by, and does not represent official positions or statements by, the RACP. Register of Persons Eligible to Vote Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.8 A register of persons eligible to vote in these elections will be produced by extracting Member details from the College s administration database. The Company Secretary will certify as correct a copy of the register of persons eligible to vote in elections to be held and will provide that copy to the Returning Officer. A copy of the register will be available for inspection by Members upon request. Ballot Papers RACP Constitution clauses 8.2.2, and and Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.7(a) The order in which candidates names are entered on the ballot paper shall be determined by the Company Secretary drawing names out of a hat. Returning Officer Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.6 The Board has appointed Computershare ( to be the Returning Officer for these elections. Notice of Election and Voting Process Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.3 Where an address is held on College records, all eligible Members will be ed a notice of election at least 28 days before the closing date for voting containing a link to the secure voting website. Where an address is not held on College records, a notice of election will be sent to the Member by mail at least 28 days before the closing date for voting advising them of the link to the secure voting website. Printed ballot papers will only be provided to Members upon request by the Member directly to the Returning Officer. 4

5 Scrutineers Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.6 For the RACP President-Elect ballot, Member Director ballot and Trainee Director ballot, the Board will appoint the College s external auditor as scrutineer to check and confirm the validity of votes cast at this election. Counting of Votes and Declaration of Results RACP Constitution clause and Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.9 and 3.10 College elections are run on a first-past-the-post basis, where the candidate(s) with the highest number of votes are elected. The Returning Officer is responsible for counting votes and for determining if any paper ballot received is informal and to be excluded from the count. The number of votes received by individual candidates for any elected position will not be provided to the College until each election has closed. In the event of an equal number of votes in respect of any other position for which a ballot is conducted the Chair of the relevant College Body shall have a second or casting vote. If the Chair is conflicted and is precluded from exercising a casting vote (for example, if the vacant position being voted upon is the Chair of the College Body) then the Chair of the Body to which the College Body is accountable shall have a casting vote. In the absence of that individual, the President of the College, or in his or her absence the President-Elect, shall exercise a casting vote. At the AGM the poll for the election of the President-Elect, Member Director and Trainee Director shall be declared. Publication of Results Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.9 (e) The Board has resolved that the number of votes received by candidates will be made available to all Members of the College by providing a link to the College s website as soon as practicable after the closing date for voting. Disputed Elections RACP Constitution clause and Nomination and Election Process for the Board of the College and its College Bodies clause 3.13 If an eligible voter disputes the validity of the conduct of an election, that person shall, within 30 days of the closing date for voting, give notice in writing to the Board stating the grounds of their complaint. The Board may: 5

6 investigate the complaint; or appoint a committee of the Board to investigate the complaint. After hearing the complaint or the report of any committee appointed to investigate the complaint, the Board shall determine the matter. The Board s decision in relation to the complaint shall be final. 6