Employee Assembly Elections Committee

Candidates and their supporters must follow all election guidelines outlined in this document. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of candidates by the Employee Assembly Internal Operations Committee, hereafter referred to as the committee.

Candidate Information

1. Eligibility

Candidates must meet all of the petition requirements by the petition deadline to be eligible to participate in the election. Candidates and their supporters shall comply with all standing rules and regulations of the University.

1. Employee candidates must
   1. work full-time or part-time in a non-exempt, exempt, or academic non-professorial staff category
   2. work at the Ithaca or Geneva campus
   3. work in an endowed position if seeking an endowed seat, in a statutory position if seeking a statutory seat, on the Geneva campus if seeking the Geneva-at-large seat
   4. plan to remain so for the duration of their two-year term.
2. Candidates shall attend mandatory meetings or send a proxy on their behalf. If they fail to do so, they will be disqualified from the election.

2. Promotional Materials and Events

1. Each candidate may receive 300 single-sided 8.5” X 11” photocopied, black and white impressions at no charge. Submit poster design to the Office of the Assemblies for copying by the petitioning deadline. Candidates may select the color of the paper on which the materials are printed from a standard palette provided by the office. All materials must include the dates and times of the election that are set in the elections calendar.
2. Each candidate must complete the candidate background questions and statement via the web. Candidates who are not able to submit statements online may contact the Office of the Assemblies to make alternate arrangements. Statements will be posted at the Employee Assembly elections website, used on the ballot, and published in campus publications.
3. The Office of the Assemblies, located in 109 Day Hall, will take photographs of candidates prior to the petitioning deadline on the calendar. These photos and other candidate information will appear in campus publications, on the web, and on the ballots. Candidates must use the official photo form.
4. All candidates are encouraged to participate in any public canidates’ forums organized in collaboration with the Employee Assembly.

Election Guidelines

1. Maintaining a Fair Environment

Candidates and their supporters must comply with the election rules stated here. They shall not create an intimidating or uncomfortable environment for other candidates, students, or employees. They shall notify the committee of any potential violations immediately after they occur by emailing the Office of the Assemblies. They shall rectify any violations to the best of their ability upon notification by the committee. They may still submit a challenge for any violation at the conclusion of the campaigning period if desired.

Candidates and their supporters may not exceed a total of $100 for out-of-pocket spending and fair market value of donations of materials, professional services, and/or money. Candidates must submit all receipts and proof of fair market value to the Office of the Assemblies, 109 Day Hall, by 12:00 p.m. on the last day of the election. If no money was spent for the campaign, a personally signed, dated statement of zero ($0) spending is still required to be turned in by the deadline.

All campaign materials, either physical or electronic, published by candidates and/or their supporters are to promote only the Employee Assembly candidate. Any materials that include the names, positions, or any other information regarding other elections are strictly prohibited.

2. Early Campaigning

Candidates and their supporters shall refrain from the following campaign activities until campaigning officially begins:

1. distributing printed or electronic campaign material to the public,
2. advertising candidacy by chalk, poster or other method designed for public viewing,
3. making speeches or statements to employee/student organizations or groups of employees/students.

Current Employee Assembly members seeking re-election are expected to refrain from any form of publicity during the petitioning period.

3. University Postering & Chalking Policy

Candidates and their supporters shall comply with the University Postering & Chalking Policy, included in the election packet.

4. Campus Mail

Use of Campus Mail for campaigning purposes is prohibited.

5. Electronic Communications

University-monitored e-mail traffic is at the discretion of the list owner. When in doubt, the candidate shall obtain permission from the owner of the list.

6. Campus Code of Conduct

All candidates and their supporters shall comply with applicable rules and policies of the University, including the Campus Code of Conduct. Violations of the Code may be referred to the Judicial Administrator for appropriate action.

Violations and Penalties

The committee shall determine whether or not a candidate has committed a campaign violation. Campaign violations may result in appropriate remedial measures determined by the committee up to and including disqualification of a candidate. Should the committee decide that a violation or series of violations have been committed on such a scale as to alter the fairness of the election, it may disqualify a candidate by majority vote. Any concerns or complaints shall be sent to the Office of the Assemblies.

Election Procedures

1.The Elections Calendar

1. The committee shall adopt a spring elections calendar.
2. Consideration shall be given to any religious holidays that may fall during the election period, so that the right to free religious observance is afforded to all potential candidates.

2. The Employee Assembly Elections Committee

1. Committee members are expected to abide by the highest standards of personal conduct and integrity. Members shall recuse themselves from decisions and deliberations in which they have a vested interest as a candidate or as a public supporter of a candidate.
2. The committee shall meet as soon as possible after each challenge deadline.
3. The committee shall verify election results.

3. The Office of the Assemblies

1. The Office of the Assemblies by delegation from the committee shall prepare, distribute, and receive all printed material and distribute election materials.

4. Conduction of Election and Tabulation

1. Online ballots be the preferred means of voting; however, paper ballots will be available on request from the Office of the Assemblies. Completed online or paper ballots are due to the office by the deadline set forth in the elections calendar.
2. The order of names on the ballots shall be randomly selected.
3. The Office of the Assemblies will identify as eligible voters those who:
   1. work full-time or part-time in a non-exempt, exempt, or academic non-professorial staff category
   2. work at the Ithaca or Geneva campus
4. The Office of the Assemblies will tabulate votes using the Hare System, as described in Appendix A.
5. The Office of the Assemblies will secure ballots for one calendar year after the election.

5. Challenges

1. Eligibility to Challenge
   Any member of the Cornell community, except members of the committee, may submit a challenge.
2. Challenge Deadlines
   Petition challenges must be submitted to the Office of the Assemblies, 109 Day Hall, by 4:30 p.m. on the next business day following the petition deadline.
   1. Election challenges must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on the next business day after ballots are due.
   2. No challenges or further supporting documentation will be accepted after these deadlines.
3. Format of Challenges
   Challenges must be in writing and accompanied by the following supporting documentation:
   1. Challenger’s name
   2. Candidate’s name
   3. Date of challenge
   4. Reason for challenge and supporting evidence
4. Notification of Election Challenges
   The Office of the Assemblies will send an email notifying anyone who is named in a challenge.
5. Response to Election Challenges
   A challenged candidate may review challenges in the Office of the Assemblies, 109 Day Hall and address written statements in response to the committee.
6. Challenge Review Meeting
   The committee will schedule a meeting to review challenges in closed session and will decide the merit of each challenge by majority vote.
7. Appeals
   Appeals of committee decisions should be directed to the Senior Director of Campus Relations (the reviewer) within 24 hours of notification by the committee. The reviewer will consider whether the committee ruling was in compliance with the election rules, and may ask for a reconsideration of the ruling.
8. Finality
   The determination of the committee shall be final.
9. Confidentiality
   All challenges are confidential and shall be available only to the members of the committee.