| Introduction | Bailli Elections | National Officer Elections |
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I.     PREAMBLE

In order to achieve the same degree of fairness as presently provided for the election of baillis, the Board of Directors believes that substantially similar rules should be established for the election of National Officers. It will simplify the election process where there is only a single candidate for an office and it will insure fairness where there are contested elections by providing a secret absentee voting procedure. Furthermore, it will provide a more expeditious method for the National Board of Directors to deal with unexpected election problems and make corrective changes in the rules.

To comply with New York law, the absentee ballots must be structured as restricted proxies. Also, to avoid any implication of "strong-arming," only the official forms of proxy/absentee ballots which are duly returned by mail to the National Office (or a location unanimously agreed to by the candidates) will be valid. They may not be returned by other means to the site of the election. Therefore, votes may only be cast by members of the National Council in person at the site of the election or by the special mailed proxy/absentee ballot. No other form of proxy will be permitted.

II.     TIMETABLE

1. In early January of each election year, the National Office shall notify all members of the National Council of the date of the National Election, advising them of the names of the then nominees for office and reminding them that under the By-Laws all nominations must be made not less than 45 days prior to the election.
   
   

2. As soon as practicable after the date for closing nominations has passed:

   1.   If there is only one candidate for an elected office, a letter shall issue from the National Office notifying all the members of the National Council of that fact and advising them that no formal election will take place for that office, the single candidate being deemed elected.
   
   2.  If there are two or more candidates for an office, the National Office will notify all the members of the National Council of the names of the candidates and the fact that a formal election will take place.

III.     ELECTION PROCEDURE

1. Promptly after notification that there will be a formal election, the Bailli Delegue, with the consent of each candidate for Bailli Delegue, if any, will select the time and place of the election. In absence of an agreement, the Bailli Delegue shall make the determination.
   
   

2. Each candidate may appoint one Inspector of Election who will be permitted to attend the election.
   
   

3. As soon as practicable after the date for closing nominations has passed, but not less than 30 days prior to the date of the election, the National Office shall notify all members of the National Council of the date, time and place of the election, enclosing the official forms of proxy/absentee ballot (to comply with NY law) and appropriate special envelopes. Candidates for an office shall be listed alphabetically on the ballot. Only the sealed official forms of proxy/absentee ballot which are duly returned by mail to the National Office (or a location unanimously agreed to by the candidates) will be valid. They may not be returned by other means to the site of the election. 

   1.    It should be pointed out that, under New York law, in a New York Not-For-Profit Corporation, members may vote only in person or by proxy. Therefore, an absentee ballot may not be voted by a member not attending the election in person unless structured as a proxy (here naming the Members of the Elections Committee as proxies). The completed ballot is placed in a special Ballot Envelope and sealed. The sealed Ballot Envelope, together with a separate restricted proxy form signed by the member, is then placed in an outer envelope addressed and mailed to the National Office (or a location unanimously agreed to by the candidates). The restricted proxy requires the proxies to cast the member's vote according to his or her choice as indicated in the sealed Ballot Envelope.
   
   

4. At the formal election, after all persons voting in person have cast their ballots and deposited them in the ballot box, the Members of the Elections Committee shall open the outer envelopes, checking to make sure that the absentee ballot is not from one who has voted in person. The proxy form with the voting member's signature is then set aside to evidence the fact that his or her vote is being cast as instructed by the proxy form. The special Ballot Envelopes, still sealed, are then placed in the ballot box. The Members of the Elections Committee open the ballot box, remove the ballots from their Ballot Envelopes and count the absentee votes together with votes cast in person. When all votes have been tallied, the Chairman of the Elections Committee announces the results of the election.