Columbia College

Academic Senate

Election Policies and Procedures

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I.    Definitions

 

·        The Elections Officer shall be the Past President of the Academic Senate.

·        The electorate shall be all tenured and tenure-track faculty and the Adjunct Faculty Representative.

 

 

II.  Calendar for Elections

 

·        last week in February January:        call for nominations

·        third week in March February:        announce eligible candidates

·        first week in April March:                distribute ballot materials

 

 

III.    Duties of Elections Officer

        

It is the responsibility of the Elections Officer to:

 

A.           issue a written call for nominations for Vice President-President Elect and College Council Representative-at-large to the electorate by the last week in February January.  A person may be nominated to only one office.  The nomination form should include:

·        descriptions of each office

·        spaces to indicate:

-         the name of the nominee,

-         the office for which they are being nominated and

-         the signature of the nominee indicating their willingness to serve. 

 

B.           request nominee(s) for Curriculum Committee Chair from the current chair.

 

C.           ensure that the electorate receives a list of all eligible candidates the third week in March February.

 

D.           ensure that each member of the electorate receives a large envelope containing a smaller envelope with a distinctive marking and a ballot.  Ballots shall be distributed in faculty mailboxes during the first week in April March.

 

E.            provide clear instructions to the voters on the ballot.  Instructions should explain how to mark the ballot, place it inside the smaller envelope, seal and deliver it to a secured ballot box. Ballots must be returned within 5 working days following distribution. 

 

F.      oversee the counting of the votes by the Secretary of the Senate.

 

G.     publish the results, within 24 hours of the closing of the election, including:

·        the number of eligible voters

·        the number of votes cast for each candidate

·        the number of disqualified votes

·        announcement of pending run-off elections, if necessary

 

 

IV.    Run-off Elections

 

If no candidate receives the majority of votes cast for an office, a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.  Ballots shall be distributed within two days following the announcement of election results.  Distribution and submission of ballots shall otherwise follow the same procedures as regular elections. (sections II D-G above)

 

 

V.     Special Elections

        

A special election may be called at any time by the President to fill a vacated office.  Such an election should allow at least two weeks for nominations and one week to return ballots.  Distribution and submission of ballots shall otherwise follow the same procedures as regular elections.  (sections II D-G above)