Election Pitfalls

Nominating Procedures:

• Not informing your members of the nomination process
• Not having nomination forms available
• Just asking or picking someone to go to the convention instead of running an election

Election Procedures:

• Having voice votes at association meetings
• Changing procedures or timelines during the course of an election
• Involving yourself in conducting an election in which you are a candidate
• Not using pre-printed signature rosters
• Not allowing the people in your local the opportunity to vote
• Not running the election on the posted date
• Using dues money to finance an election campaign
• Giving advantage/disadvantage to any candidate

Ballot Information/Storage:

• Not including space for write-in candidates
• Having IEA staff deliver or return ballots
• Including on the ballot the name of an individual you know is running a write-in campaign
• Leaving ballots unattended at the polling place
• Leaving all counted ballots, pre-printed signature rosters and tally sheets unsecured
• Leaving blank ballots unsecured
• Not including the pre-printed signature rosters with the voted and tallied ballots

Tally Procedures:

• Delivering ballots to the place of tally after the ballot return date

Miscellaneous:

• Sending alternates when none are elected