Bylaws

Part 1: General

Chapter 4. Codifying and Changing Legislation; Elections Procedures

Bylaw 115 - PDF Version

115.

Elections and Mail Ballots

A)
Subject to the provisions in these Manual, all elections and ballots within the Division are to be conducted by paper or electronic means. The Vice Chair of the Division shall have the discretion to decide whether the election or ballot shall be conducted by mail or electronic voting. Throughout this Manual, the term “mail ballot” shall denote either a paper mail or an electronic ballot. Am 5/22/12
B)
Time of Election
Each election, other than those required to replace someone who has resigned, shall be completed before the meeting of the Academic Council which falls prior to the last spring meeting of the Assembly of the Academic Senate.
C)
Notice of Election
At least thirty calendar days before the date of such election, the Vice Chair of the Division shall distribute a notice of the election to each member of the Division. The notice shall state the positions to be filled in the election for the Officers of the Division (Vice Chair/Chair Designate and Divisional Representatives) and the Committee on Committees [See Bylaw 20 and Bylaw 185]. Am 11/18/25
D)
Nominations
- 1)
  Vice Chair of the Division (Chair Designate)
  Within ten calendar days after the election notice is distributed, it shall be the privilege of any twenty-five ordinary members of the Division, representing faculty from at least three schools, to nominate in writing a candidate. The nomination must be filed with the Vice Chair of the Division no later than ten days from the receipt of the election notice. The nomination must be signed by all twenty-five members, certify that the nominee will accept the nomination, and include a biography from the nominee that describes their relevant qualifications and suitability to represent the San Diego Division. All candidates nominated by petition will be on the election ballot. The Committee on Committees shall nominate at least two candidates and may choose to count any candidate submitted by nominating petition toward this requirement.
  Am 2/27/90, Rt 3/14/90, Am 5/22/12, Am 11/18/25
- 2)
  Divisional Representatives
  
  Within ten calendar days after the election notice is distributed, it shall be the privilege of any five ordinary members of the Division to nominate in writing a candidate, or candidates if there is more than one position to be filled, not exceeding the number of positions to be filled. The nomination must be filed with the Vice Chair of the Division no later than ten calendar days from the receipt of the election notice. The nomination must be signed by all five members, certify that the nominee will accept the nomination, and include a biography from the candidate that describes their relevant qualifications and suitability to represent the San Diego Division. All candidates nominated by petition will be on the election ballot. The Committee on Committees shall nominate at least two candidates for each open position and may choose to count any candidate submitted by nominating petition toward this requirement.
  En 11/18/25
- 3)
  Committee on Committees
  
  Within ten calendar days after the election notice is distributed, it shall be the privilege of any five ordinary members of the Division to nominate in writing a candidate, or candidates if there is more than one position to be filled, not exceeding the number of positions to be filled. The nomination must be filed with the Vice Chair of the Division no later than ten calendar days from the receipt of the election notice. The nomination must be signed by all five members, certify that the nominee will accept the nomination, and include a biography from the candidate that describes their relevant qualifications and suitability to represent the San Diego Division. All candidates nominated by petition will be on the election ballot. Senate Council shall nominate at least two candidates for each open position and may choose to count any candidate submitted by nominating petition toward this requirement. Senate Council’s slate of nominations is submitted to Representative Assembly for approval [see Bylaw 82 and Bylaw 242].
E)
Ballots
No less than ten calendar days before the date of the election, the Vice Chair of the Division shall provide to the members of the Division a ballot containing, in alphabetical order, the names of those persons who have been nominated as prescribed in Bylaw 115(D). Nominees of the Committee on Committees and Senate Council shall be so labeled on the ballot. This ballot shall contain a statement of the date by which it must be returned to the Vice Chair or a deadline for electronic voting, this being the date of the election. Am 5/22/12, Am 11/18/25
- 1)
  In the case of paper mail ballots, there shall accompany the ballot a plain white envelope in which the voter, after marking the ballot, must enclose it, and a further envelope addressed to the Vice Chair in which the said plain envelope shall be returned to the Vice Chair. Upon the envelope addressed to the Vice Chair there shall be a space for the signature of the voter, and no ballot shall be counted unless such signature appears on said envelope.
- 2)
  In the case of electronic voting, each voter will have access to a secure, web-based voting system that will authenticate the voter’s identity and maintain the confidentiality of the voting process. The voting system shall be designed so that once a vote is cast, neither the voter nor anyone with access to the system can change the vote.
- 3)
  If a Senate member prefers a paper ballot, the Senate Office will make one available upon written request. If a voter submits both an electronic and a paper ballot, the electronic ballot will take precedence and the paper ballot will be destroyed prior to the count. Am 2/27/90, Rt 3/14/90
F)
The Office shall proceed to count the ballots, and within ten calendar days certify the results to the Vice Chair of the Division. The Vice Chair shall announce the results of the election at the next meeting of the Representative Assembly or the Division. Am 10/25/77, Am 2/27/90, Rt 3/14/90
G)
Members of the Committee on Committees are elected in the manner described in Bylaw 185(B). Members of the Representative Assembly are elected as described in Bylaw 82(A). Divisional Representatives are elected in the manner described in Bylaw 35(D). A candidate for Vice Chair (Chair Designate) of the Division (for the term starting September 1) is elected if they receive a majority vote on the first ballot. If no Vice Chair candidate receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the Vice Chair shall provide to the members of the Division a second ballot containing, in alphabetical order, the names of the two candidates who received the highest number of votes on the first ballot. If a tie occurs for the second position, the names of all candidates tied for that position shall be included. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes on the second ballot shall be declared elected. Am 11/18/25
- 1)
  If the necessity of a second ballot arises, the Vice Chair of the Division shall distribute said ballot within five calendar days of notification by the Office of the results of the first ballot. This ballot shall contain a statement of the date by which it must be returned to the Vice Chair, this date being ten calendar days after it has been distributed. All other provisions of this section governing ballots shall apply, except for the changes provided in this paragraph with respect to time of deposition of ballots and time of election. Am 10/25/77, Am 2/27/90, Rt 3/14/90, Am 5/22/12
H)
If under these Bylaws a meeting of the Representative Assembly or the Division instructs the Vice Chair to put a measure to mail ballot, within ten calendar days after the meeting the Vice Chair shall prepare and send to each voting member a ballot containing all appropriate texts, and a brief summary of such arguments as have been submitted to them within five calendar days after the meeting. The procedure for distributing and returning ballots shall be that described in (E) above. All ballots received within twenty calendar days after the meeting shall be counted by the Office, which shall report the results to the Vice Chair of the Division within twenty-two calendar days after said meeting. The Vice Chair shall announce the number of votes cast for and against the measure, as well as the number of invalid votes, at the next meeting of the Representative Assembly or the Division, or earlier if so instructed. Am 10/25/77, Am 2/27/90, Rt 3/14/90, Am 10/27/92, Am 5/22/12, Am 11/18/25