Election Policy

Only members of the OULS may propose, or be proposed as, candidates for election to the OULS Committee.

The OULS Committee shall consist of the Officers, representatives of any sub committees and representatives of any sub groups of the OULS.  

The quorum for Committee meetings shall be 4 (four) of which at least one must be an officer.

No member shall be eligible to be nominated for the same officer post for more than 5 (five) consecutive years. 

No member shall be eligible to be nominated for membership of the committee (either as an officer or a Respresentative of a sub group) for a total of 8 (eight) years whether consecutive or separate.  

The provisions of this clause may be waived in whole or part for periods of up to one year at a time at the discretion of the AGM if insufficient eligible members are nominated for officer posts or committee membership.  

Members of the OULS Committee shall serve for one year, but shall be eligible for re-election subject to the other provisions of this policy document. 

Honorary membership of the OULS does not carry voting rights in any election, nor does it entitle the holder of that membership to be nominated for election.

Election of Committee Members 

The method of voting shall be one member one vote. Here, 'member' refers to any category of OULS membership which carries voting rights.

Those eligible to vote for an OULS Committee Member shall be members of the society as registered with the OULS Secretary on the day before the ballot papers are to be despatched or the online voting system is to be established. 

Any candidate for a post on the OULS Committee who is unopposed shall be elected by a simple majority of votes cast for and against the election of that candidate to the post.

The OULS Secretary shall, by the close of nominations, announce the name of the Returning Officer whose decision in all matters relating to the elections shall be final; save that an appeal may be made to the next Ordinary Meeting of the OULS Committee or the next OULS AGM, whichever is sooner.

Officers

The Officers of the OULS shall be elected as follows: 

The elections shall take place for the results to coincide with the Annual General Meeting of the OULS and in accordance with the approved timetable for elections, appended.

Nominations must be received by the OULS Secretary no later than a day and at a time determined and published by the Secretary and in accordance with the approved timetable for elections, below.

Each candidate must return to the OULS Secretary a nomination form signed (which may be signed electronically) by that candidate and two members of the OULS (who shall not be current OULS Officers), a personal biography of not more than 200 (two hundred) words and an election address of not more than 600 (six hundred) words.  

The OULS Secretary shall publish a list of those persons duly nominated for OULS Committee positions in accordance with the published timeframe, together with the personal biography and election address supplied by each candidate in accordance with Standing Orders.

Other Committee Members 

If nominating a candidate for the post of sub group Representative, at least one of the nominating persons should also be a member of the sub group for which the candidate is seeking election.

Those eligible to vote for an OULS Committee Member shall be members of the society as registered with the OULS Secretary on the day before the ballot papers are to be despatched or the online voting system is to be established. 

No voter shall be entitled to complete and return more than one ballot paper or online vote for any one election. 

Casual Vacancies of The OULS Committee

In the case of the Chair becoming vacant the Vice Chair shall assume the office and an election shall then take place for a new Vice Chair.

In the event of a role considered necessary to the continuing functioning of the society remaining vacant following an election the vacancy may be filled by co-opting from the OULS membership.

In the case of a casual vacancy for an OULS Officer occurring more than 26 weeks after the AGM, the OULS Committee shall appoint a replacement from amongst the Committee.

In all other cases nominations will be sought from the OULS membership and an election will be conducted in accordance with the prescribed procedures. 

Those eligible to nominate a candidate for a casual vacancy on the OULS Committee shall be:

·         In the case of an Officer, two members of OULS

·         In the case of an OULS Committee Member for a sub group, two members of OULS, at least one of whom should also be a member of the sub group for which the candidate is seeking election

·         In the case of an OULS Committee Member for a represented academic course, two members of OULS. 

 A call for nominations shall be sent to all those eligible to vote. 

Those eligible to vote in the election to fill a casual vacancy on the OULS Committee shall be:

In the case of an OULS officer, members of the OULS Committee and all other members who were entitled to be present at the previous OULS AGM.

·         In the case of an OULS sub group Representative, the outgoing sub group Representative, and those  members of the OULS who are also members of that sub group.

·         In the case of an OULS Academic Course Representative, the outgoing Representative for that represented academic course and members of the OULS who the OULS believe to be undertaking the academic course concerned at that time.

The OULS Secretary shall despatch to each potential voter, in a timely fashion and in accordance with the election timetable, a list of all persons duly nominated together with election addresses and personal biography supplied by them and either a paper ballot paper or instructions on the use of online voting. 

Completed paper ballot papers must be received by the OULS Secretary by a date specified by the OULS Secretary and in accordance with the election timetable. All online voting must be completed by a date to be specified by the OULS Secretary in accordance with the election timetable.

Each candidate shall be sent the result of the ballot not later than seven days after the closing date for the receipt of ballot papers/the close of online voting.

OULS Officers’ Handover

Retiring OULS Officers shall hand over their responsibilities to their successors within 14 days of the close of the Annual General Meeting of the OULS if required by the new Officers, or 28 days if all relevant paries are working in agreeable cooperation. 

Election Timetable

Nominations

Nominations will open no more than 21 days (3 weeks) before the opening of voting.

All nominations  will be checked for validity upon recipt and that those nominating may expect to be notified that their nomination is either received and accepted or received and denied.  

The time limit will not be extended due to incorrect nominations.

Nominations submitted by email will be deemed received by five (5)pm on the day the email is sent.

Nominations submitted by first class post will be deemed received 48 hours after posting. Proof of posting may be required in the event of a dispute.

Nominations submitted  through a dedicated and official OULS website form will be deemed received at 5pm on the day the form is submitted.

Voting

Details of how and when to vote will be publicised as widely as possible, including on the OULS website and any relevant OUSA discussion forums (where permission is granted).  Current members with voting rights will be notified directly by email, or by post if this has been previously agreed.

Voting will be open for a period of up to 21 days.

All members of the sub groups other than honorary members have the right to vote in elections for the sub group.

Each member has one vote per election in which they are entitled to vote which must be submitted in the prescribed format.

Any postal votes must be submitted on the official ballot paper.

All OULS ballots will have a “none of the above” option

In order to be valid, all votes must state the member’s email (for electronic voting)or postcode  (for postal voting) and membership number.

Counting of Votes

Votes in OULS elections will be counted by at least two (2) independent tellers who are not members of the current OULS Committee or Sub-Group Committee in the case of any sub-group election.

Only valid votes will be counted.

Votes received after the publicised deadline will not be counted.

A returning officer will be appointed and any decisions of the returning officer are final notwithstanding other provisions of this policy document.

Should there be a problem in with the voting media the returning officer has the right if necessary to extend voting  or to re-call the election.

Publishing of results

The Returning Officer will publish all election results with in 48 hours of voting coming to an end. As a minimum those results should be published to the current OULS website.

Any complaints regarding voting irregularities which are received by the Returning Officer  should initially be investigated by the returning officer. In the event that the Returning Officer is unable to appropriately resolve a complaint, an adjudication panel ,of at least 3 members of the OULS Committee, should be established  within 7 days to examine the issue.

Adjudication panel

The returning officer will submit an explanatory report to the adjudication panel as soon as is practicable to do so.

The adjudication panel will have the ability to hear representations from the complainant or any other person in order for them to reach an informed decision.

The adjudication panel will decide on what action needs to be taken which could include (but is not limited to) the re-running of the ballot or the recommendation that disciplinary action be taken.

Decisions of the adjudication panel are final and binding. 

(updated Aug 17 2010, a numerical error was made with time periods and a minor change was required to make the system workable. This has not changed the effect of this policy other than to allow for voting to take place over a period of up to 21 days.)

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Disclaimer

Notice

The site at www.ouls.org was recognised as the principle domain of the OULS in mid April 2010. The domain has a history of usage for the OULS which can be verified via the public record at http://web.archive.org 

No information from the OULS is to be viewed as legal counsel or representation. 

Members of the OULS may not be legally qualified to give counsel or representation. 

The content of email transmission are the strict views of the sender and not of the OULS. 

The OULS committee shall strictly adhere to the Data Protection Act 1998, and follow the Direct Marketing Authority Code of Practice in any communications or advertising.

The OULS wishes to distance itself from any  activities historically run in the name of the society pre 17 April 2010, and from any other websites which may wrongfully claim to represent the society.