IEEE Tellers Cmmittee Operatins Manual IEEE 445 Hes Lane Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA Apprved by the IEEE Bard f Directrs Updated in June 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I - RESPONSIBILITIES... 3 FUNCTIONS OF THE TELLERS COMMITTEE... 3 CONFLICT OF INTEREST... 4 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION... 4 GOVERNANCE... 5 SECTION II - ELECTION SUPPLIER... 5 ELECTION SUPPLIER... 5 VISITORS... 5 OBSERVERS... 6 SECTION III COMMITTEE MEETING... 6 QUORUM... 7 EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT... 7 SECTION IV - PETITION CANDIDATES... 7 SECTION V - BALLOT COUNT PROCESSING AND VALIDATION... 8 COUNTING VOTES... 8 QUESTIONABLE BALLOTS... 9 RECOUNT OF VOTES... 9 DESTRUCTION OF PREVIOUS ELECTION MATERIALS... 10 SECTION VI ELECTION RESULTS... 10 TALLY OF VOTES AND RESULTS CERTIFICATION... 10 CANDIDATES NOTIFICATION... 10 SECTION VII KEY ELECTION DATES... 11 APPENDIX: TELLERS MEMBER RESOURCES... 12 2
SECTION I - RESPONSIBILITIES IEEE Bylaw I-305.16 defines the functin and membership f the Tellers Cmmittee. The Tellers Cmmittee Operatins Manual guides members, staff, and suppliers in an effrt t define the peratins f and the activities f the Tellers Cmmittee and the IEEE Annual Electin. FUNCTIONS OF THE TELLERS COMMITTEE 1. Selects an independent electin rganizatin and infrms the IEEE Bard f Directrs 2. Apprves the ballt frmat 3. Apprves the instructins t vters 4. Apprves the annual timeline fr the electin 5. Supervises the tally f the petitin signatures r delegates the task t IEEE staff 6. Determines the candidate sequence fr each psitin n the ballt prir t receipt f candidate slates. All dcumentatin will fllw the same sequence per ffice 7. The Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee r his/her designee shall verify the prcess fr petitin candidates and infrm the Tellers Cmmittee and the IEEE Bard f Directrs accrdingly. The Tellers Cmmittee shall annunce the tally f the petitin signatures, nt later than 15 wrking days fllwing the deadline fr receipt f petitins, in a reprt t the IEEE Bard f Directrs signed by the Tellers Cmmittee Chair 8. Acts as Inspectrs f Electin, as appinted by the IEEE Bard f Directrs 9. The Tellers Cmmittee shall use the guidelines utlined in the Tellers Cmmittee Operatins Manual t determine at its discretin, the need fr a recunt. Recunts shall be witnessed by tw electin inspectrs designated by the Tellers Cmmittee Chair, wh are nt serving as first year members f the Tellers Cmmittee 10. Annunces the tally f the vtes nt later than the tenth wrking day fllwing the final electin ballt receipt date (first wrking day fllwing 30 September) 11. Annunces the final recall electin ballt receipt date r the final referendum ballt receipt date, as the case may be, in a reprt t the Bard f Directrs signed by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee 3
12. Prvides the IEEE Bard f Directrs with a final reprt setting frth the tally f vtes. The reprt will include a letter signed by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee. In the event f a recunt(s), the reprt shall include details f the recunt 13. Wrks with the electin vendr t assure cmpliance with all applicable IEEE Bylaws, IEEE Plicies and related prcedures 14. Specifies candidate phtgraph requirements used in the annual electin. The candidate phtgraph requirement used in the electin typically fllws thse used in IEEE Spectrum and The Institute. Staff will reprt requirement changes t the cmmittee fr instructins. 15. Reviews the validatin prcess t determine the need t d a recunt f vtes in a particular electin. The Tellers Cmmittee jb descriptin is available at www.ieee.rg/dcuments/nacpsitin-tellers.pdf. The Vice Chair, appinted by the Bard f Directrs, assists the wrk f the Chair and acts n behalf f the Chair in the event f his/her incapacity. CONFLICT OF INTEREST IEEE Plicy 9.8 - Cnflict f Interest is applicable t all Cmmittee members. It is the respnsibility f all IEEE Tellers Cmmittee members t cnsider each item f business where they have a vte r decisin-making authrity t determine if a real r perceived cnflict f interest may exist. Any such recgnized cnflict shall be disclsed immediately t the Tellers Cmmittee Chair. During service n the Tellers Cmmittee, members shall nt engage in electineering fr r against candidates r ther initiatives in any IEEE electin. INSPECTORS OF ELECTION In cnnectin with the ballting fr the electin f fficers and directrs, and t cmply with Sectin 610 f the New Yrk Nt-Fr-Prfit Crpratin Law, the members f the IEEE Tellers Cmmittee need t be appinted as Inspectrs f Electin and each take and sign an ath t faithfully execute his/her duties as Inspectr. 4
GOVERNANCE The plicies, prcedures and regulatins by which the IEEE and the IEEE Tellers Cmmittee are gverned are embdied in the fllwing dcuments: New Yrk State Nt-fr-Prfit Crpratin Laws the law that gverns nt-fr-prfit rganizatins incrprated within the state f New Yrk. United States Internal Revenue Cde IEEE is a 501(c)(3) Organizatin. IRS Cde, Sectin 501(c)(3) Organizatins prvides guidelines fr rganizatins that may qualify fr exemptin frm federal incme tax. IEEE Certificate f Incrpratin legally establishes the IEEE under the New Yrk State Nt-fr-Prfit Crpratin Law. IEEE Cnstitutin cntains IEEE s fundamental bjectives and rganizatin and can be apprved and amended nly by the vting members f the IEEE. IEEE Bylaws gvern implementatin f Cnstitutinal prvisins in specific rganizatin structures and are apprved and amended by the IEEE Bard f Directrs. IEEE Plicies prvide mre detailed statements f specific plicies, bjectives and prcedures and are apprved and amended by the IEEE Bard f Directrs. IEEE Tellers Cmmittee Operatins Manual prvides mre detailed prcedures fr the cmmittee t fllw. SECTION II - ELECTION SUPPLIER ELECTION SUPPLIER IEEE cntracts with an independent cntractr t perfrm annual electin services. The services include the creatin f ballt packages and the prcessing and tallying f electin results. Thrugh a cmpetitive bidding prcess, the Tellers Cmmittee selects a supplier and infrms the IEEE Bard f Directrs. VISITORS The electin supplier will receive in advance frm Crprate Activities, a list f the Tellers Cmmittee members, a list f all candidates whse names appear n the electin ballt, and names f bservers All visitrs must identify themselves t the electin supplier, prvide prper identificatin and fllw the security prcedures established by the electin supplier 5
Any visitr refusing t fllw specified prcedures will be denied access t the supplier s facility OBSERVERS A candidate whse name appears n the electin ballt r an initiatr f a petitin may be admitted t bserve the prcessing f the ballts, prvided they are accmpanied by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee, his/her designee, r an fficer frm the electin supplier s staff. Candidates/bservers are invited t visit the supplier s premises during the ballting perid in August and September. A candidate fr electin r an initiatr f a petitin may designate smene t bserve the ballt prcess n his/her behalf prviding prper identificatin is presented t the electin supplier. Candidates r bservers are nt permitted t handle any f the ballts r related materials r interfere in any way in the prcessing f the electin. Any questins by a candidate r an bserver will be directed nly t the manager f the respective unit invlved at the electin supplier ffice. Electin supplier shall permit any candidate r the authrized agent f any candidate t review the envelpes and ballts during regular business hurs upn reasnable ntice. Tellers Cmmittee members are allwed free access t review and examine all ballts and ballt packages being prcessed. SECTION III COMMITTEE MEETING The Tellers Cmmittee shall nrmally meet in persn twice a year, the first quarter f the year and in Octber, at the lcatin f the electin prcessing supplier, t supervise the prcessing f electin ballts received, and the tallying f the vtes n Cnstitutinal amendments, if applicable. Meetings shall be held t allw cmpliance with IEEE Bylaw I-307.14. Ballts shall be validated and vtes shall be tallied under the actual r delegated supervisin f the Tellers Cmmittee nt later than the tenth wrking day fllwing the final electin ballt receipt date. As prvided in Bylaw I-305.16, the Tellers Cmmittee shall annunce the result f the tally f the vtes nt later than the tenth wrking day fllwing the final electin ballt receipt date in a reprt t the Bard f Directrs signed by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee. When necessary, the cmmittee may meet and act upn the vte f its members by any means f telecmmunicatin, prvided a qurum is present. The nrmal vting requirements shall apply when actin is taken by means f telecmmunicatins equipment allwing all persns participating in the meeting t hear each ther at the same time. 6
Rbert s Rules f Order (latest revisin) shall be used t cnduct business at meetings f the Tellers Cmmittee unless ther rules f prcedure are specified in the Nt-Fr-Prfit Crpratin Law f the State f New Yrk, the IEEE Certificate f Incrpratin, the IEEE Cnstitutin, the IEEE Bylaws, the IEEE Plicies r reslutins f the IEEE Bard f Directrs prvided that the dcuments are nt in cnflict with any f the freging. QUORUM A majrity f the vting members f the Tellers Cmmittee shall cnstitute a qurum. EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT Ordinary and necessary IEEE travel expenses fr Tellers Cmmittee members are reimbursed in accrdance with IEEE plicies. Such plicies are available in the IEEE Finance Operatins Manual and the IEEE Travel Guidelines and Reimbursement dcument. IEEE Tellers Cmmittee members shall be prvided the IEEE Business Expense Reimbursement Plicies and the Expense Frm. Expense reprts shuld be submitted t the IEEE Tellers Cmmittee staff within fifteen days f the meeting. SECTION IV - PETITION CANDIDATES As defined in Bylaw I-307.9, individual vting members may prpse, by petitin, names t be added t the IEEE annual electin ballt fr psitins t be elected by the vting members, r grups f vting members, fr the cming term. Qualificatins f petitin candidates and prcedures fr annuncement, distributin, and apprval f petitins shall be specified in IEEE Plicy 13.7.3. All individuals seeking nminatin by petitin shall fllw the same electineering guidelines as nminated candidates frm the time they begin their petitin thrughut the electin prcess. Access t thse wh signed petitins will be limited t the staff respnsible fr validating the signatures r thse wh are respnsible fr the electin prcess. Verificatin that a petitin has fulfilled the cnditins f Bylaw I-307.9, and Plicy 13.7.3., and that the petitin candidate meets the qualificatins f the ffice fr which he r she is being nminated, shall be cnfirmed by IEEE electin staff. The IEEE Bard f Directrs will be infrmed n the status f petitin candidates via a 7
reprt signed by the Tellers Cmmittee Chair. The Chair can delegate the ntificatin task t staff. SECTION V - BALLOT COUNT PROCESSING AND VALIDATION Ballts shall be tallied in accrdance with established prcedures. COUNTING VOTES The fllwing guidelines shall be used t cunt the vtes received: Paper ballt returns Unsigned (blank) paper ballts d nt cunt as valid vtes Ballts nt signed in the signature bx prvided d nt cunt as valid vtes The upper prtin f the ballt frm will be detached after validatin and prir t tabulatin f the vte by the electin supplier. Detached ballt frms will be cnsidered invalid and nt cunted. Electrnic ballt access Members can access and return their ballt electrnically via the annual electin ballt site If bth a paper ballt and electrnic ballt were received, the first ballt received will be cunted Late ballts Ballts received after the ballting perid will nt be cunted Late ballts will be pened fr white mail (mail that is frwarded t IEEE fr further prcessing, i.e., death ntices, renewal payments) Successful candidate The nminee fr each ffice that receives the greatest number f qualified vtes will be declared elected In the event f a tie vte, the Bard f Directrs will chse between the nminees invlved 8
QUESTIONABLE BALLOTS Ballts are cnsidered questinable when the electin supplier cannt determine the vter s intent. These ballts will be made available fr review by the Tellers Cmmittee Chair r a subcmmittee appinted by the Chair prir t the Tellers Cmmittee meeting, when determinatin n their validity will be made. Ballts determined t be valid shall be included in the final cunt reprted at the Tellers Cmmittee meeting. RECOUNT OF VOTES The fllwing guidelines shall be used t determine if a recunt is required: If the difference in the number f ttal vtes (bth paper and electrnic) between the first and secnd place candidates in a specific electin categry is less than r equal t the ptential number f errrs frm the valid paper ballts received fr that electin categry, a recunt shall be cnducted. The ptential number f errrs frm the valid paper ballts shall be determined by multiplying the ttal number f valid paper ballts received fr that electin categry by the published errr rate at the cnfidence interval prvided annually by the electin vendr, runded t the nearest integer. Examples f when an electin recunt is necessary and unnecessary: Example 1 Candidate 1 receives 3,500 vtes (cmbined paper and Web) Candidate 2 receives 3,495 vtes (cmbined paper and Web) There are 4,000 paper ballts received fr this ffice, s the margin f victry = vte difference divided by the number f paper ballts fr the race r 5/4000 = 0.00125 (5/4,000). Determinatin: Assuming an errr rate f 0.0005, as prvided by the vendr, and with a margin f victry (0.00125) larger than the vendr s errr threshld (0.0005), n recunt is necessary. In additin, if the margin f victry is equal t the vendr s errr threshld, n recunt wuld be necessary. Example 2 Candidate 1 receives 3,500 vtes (cmbined paper and Web) Candidate 2 receives 3,499 vtes (cmbined paper and Web) There are 4,000 paper ballts received fr this ffice, s the margin f victry = 0.00025 (1/4,000). Determinatin: Assuming an errr rate f 0.0005, as prvided by the vendr, and with a margin f victry (0.00025) smaller than the vendr s errr threshld (0.0005), a recunt is necessary. 9
A final reprt setting frth the tally f the vtes will be prepared by the Tellers Cmmittee. The reprt, and a letter t be signed by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee, shall be prvided t the IEEE Bard f Directrs. If applicable, and a recunt f vtes in any electin categry is necessary, such infrmatin will be prvided, with specific details, as part f the Tellers Cmmittee reprt t the IEEE Bard f Directrs. DESTRUCTION OF PREVIOUS ELECTION MATERIALS The electin supplier is respnsible fr destrying previus year s electin materials. The destructin date shall be thirty days fllwing the later f (1) IEEE Bard f Directrs acceptance f the electin results submitted by the IEEE Tellers Cmmittee r (2) the final determinatin f a challenge t the electin in accrdance with IEEE Bylaw I-307.18. Electin staff will instruct the electin supplier when materials can be destryed. SECTION VI ELECTION RESULTS TALLY OF VOTES AND RESULTS CERTIFICATION A final reprt setting frth the tally f the vtes will be prepared by the Tellers Cmmittee. The reprt, and a letter t be signed by the Chair f the Tellers Cmmittee, shall be prvided t the IEEE Bard f Directrs. If applicable, and a recunt f vtes in any electin categry is necessary, such infrmatin will be prvided, with specific details, as part f the Tellers Cmmittee reprt t the IEEE Bard f Directrs. Unfficial electin results shall be kept cnfidential until it becmes public infrmatin. CANDIDATES NOTIFICATION Fllwing the certificatin f the annual electin results, bth successful and unsuccessful candidates will be ntified f the results fr their electin categry via email. 10
SECTION VII KEY ELECTION DATES Deadline Tasks 15 March All nminated candidate slates due 15 April Individual vting members wh wish t circulate a petitin shall submit a petitin draft t the Bard f Directrs n earlier than 15 May f the year preceding the electin and n later than 15 April f the year f the electin. Send petitin intentin t crpelectin@ieee.rg First wrking day fllwing 15 April All nminated candidate materials are due within the specified number f wrds 1 May IEEE Bard f Directrs annunces the candidate slates 12:00 nn EDT n Friday preceding 15 June 12:00 nn EDT n Friday preceding 15 June All candidate materials apprved and ready fr publicatin. Unapprved materials will nt be included in the ballt package. All petitin signatures are due 30 June Electin ballts created fr all eligible vting members n recrd 15 August r the fllwing first wrking day September 12:00 nn CDT n First Wrking Day Fllwing 30 September Octber, by 10th Wrking Day Fllwing the Final Electin Ballt Receipt Date Nvember Electin ballts are mailed and electrnic ballt access prvided fr eligible vting members The annual electin supplier sends tw email reminders t thse members wh have nt yet vted in the electin and t thse wh have started t vte but did nt cmplete their ballt. Ballting perid ends Tellers Cmmittee t tally and certify the electin results. Electin results are prvided t the IEEE Bard f Directrs in a letter signed by the Tellers Cmmittee Chair. Electin candidates are ntified. The IEEE Bard f Directrs acts t accept the annual electin results. Electin results will becme fficial. 11
Additinal dates related t the IEEE Annual Electin may be fund at http://www.ieee.rg/abut/cmmittees/tellers/activity_schedule.html. APPENDIX: TELLERS MEMBER RESOURCES COMMUNICATIONS EMAILS crp-20xxtellers@ieee.rg, IEEE Tellers Cmmittee email alias is used t reach all cmmittee members and key staff. electin@ieee.rg, electins@ieee.rg, and crp-electin@ieee.rg E-mail alias fr IEEE members t cntact the IEEE annual electin. This address pints t staff supprt fr the annual electin. IEEE TELLERS COMMITTEE WEBSITE www.ieee.rg/abut/cmmittees/tellers/index.html The Tellers Cmmittee hme page prvides links t the Tellers Cmmittee meetings, peratins manual and cmmittee rster. CALENDAR AND GUIDES IEEE ANNUAL ELECTIONS ACTIVITY SCHEDULE www.ieee.rg/abut/cmmittees/tellers/activity_schedule.html Prvides high level verview f cmmittee peratins and deadlines. REFERENCE TELLERS COMMITTEE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS www.ieee.rg/dcuments/nac-psitin-tellers.pdf Descriptins f each psitin, including their respnsibilities, eligibility requirements, qualificatins and time cmmitment. IEEE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS www.ieee.rg/abut/crprate/gvernance/index.html IEEE Cnstitutin, Bylaws, Plicies, Majr Bard Operatins Manuals, Standing Cmmittee Operatins Manuals VOLUNTEER DIRECTORY IEEE ORGANIZATIONAL ROSTERS http://rsters.ieee.rg/hme.html All IEEE Tellers Cmmittee members have access t the IEEE nline rsters which prvide the current cntact infrmatin fr the Tellers Cmmittee and ther IEEE fficers and vlunteers. 12
FINANCES IEEE VOLUNTEER RESOURCES www.ieee.rg/web/vlunteers/hme/index.html Infrmatin n IEEE travel plicies, expense reprting, vlunteer news, cmmnly used frms and ther resurces t aid vlunteers in their activities. FINANCE OPERATIONS MANUAL www.ieee.rg/dcuments/financial_ps_manual.pdf REIMBURSEMENT www.ieee.rg/abut/vlunteers/cmmittee/finance/finance_expense_reprt.htm l 13