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Contact CPCA | www.ClevelandParkIsUs.org © 2003
Election Procedures Cleveland Park Citizens Association To ensure a democratic and transparent election, the Cleveland Park Citizens Association (CPCA) established an Election Committee to define policies and procedures to be used this September. The recommendations of that committee, as reported here, were approved by the CPCA Executive Committee. Eligibility to Participate in Election Note: CPCA always has welcomed membership from all who wished to join, appreciating their interest and support. However, with the prospect – for the first time – of a contested election, it was necessary to carefully review our membership roll in light of the boundary provisions cited above. As specified in Article III of the Constitution, residents of buildings on both sides of the named streets are eligible for membership; the citation of “immediately contiguous” in Article IV confirms this provision, but does not extend it. Regrettably, these boundary requirements disqualify some longtime members and others who joined recently. CPCA will call and write each affected person and offer to refund current dues if desired. The Nominating Committee continues to invite all members interested in any elective office to declare their candidacy (see below). The officers and delegate positions are listed in Article V of the Constitution. The Constitution (Article VII) states that the Nominating Committee recommends a slate of candidates for election, and allows additional nominations from the floor at the election. In view of the interest expressed by many members of the Cleveland Park community to serve in CPCA's leadership, the Nominating Committee believes it appropriate to list and report all declared candidates. The Nominating Committee will retain the administrative functions of collecting the names of declared candidates, preparing a report to the Election Committee and the membership listing the known candidates, and assisting in the organization of the Candidates Forum. In addition, the Nominating Committee will solicit written statements from each candidate to be distributed by mail to all CPCA members. Indications of interest in being a candidate should be made by email to Ana Evans at taaeevans@msn.com or by mail to her at 3428 Ashley Terrace, NW, DC 20008. Candidates Forum Each candidate whose name is listed by the Nominating Committee will be allowed four minutes to make a statement at the Forum; they will be called on in the order of elective position for which they intend to run (as listed in Article V of the Constitution) and then alphabetically by last name. No other persons will be given a time slot at the Forum. Candidates may use less but not more than the allotted four minutes. A candidate may not defer or yield any portion of his/her time to another candidate. Participation in the Forum is not a prerequisite to candidacy, but is recommended so that candidates have an opportunity to directly present their qualifications and views to CPCA members and respond to their questions. All candidates will be encouraged to use their allotted time to speak positively to their own qualifications and vision for the future of Cleveland Park and the CPCA, to refrain from personal commentary on other candidates or on past and present officers of the CPCA, and from revisiting contested versions of CPCA history. This request is made because adequate time will not be available for a back-and-forth debate between/among candidates and participants. The Election All CPCA members will receive an official election notice by mail early in September. Announcement of that mailing will be made on the Cleveland Park listserv, the CPCA listserv, and the CPCA web site. Any person who believes that he or she is a member but who does not receive such notice should contact Barbara L. Goff via email at barbaralgoff@worldnet.att.net or via mail to 3405 34th Place, NW, DC 20016-3135. CPCA members whose names appear on the official list will be registered by name upon entry; this process will be expedited by using separate sections of the alphabetical list. The validity of that list will have been verified by the responsible CPCA officers to assure its consistency with membership requirements as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws. At the election meeting, anyone believing himself or herself to be a member but whose name does not appear on that list will be referred immediately to a Resolution Panel composed of the CPCA counsel and two other neutral parties who will rule on the matter of membership before balloting. An assertion of eligibility would be best supported by documentation of residence and date and evidence of dues payment. The Panel’s decision will be final. Qualified voters will be given a set of two color-coded ballots in case there is a run-off for one or more positions; they also will receive a “voting card” to be used for action on any motions during the subsequent business part of the meeting. The card may also be used to signal that the member wishes to cast his or her ballot before the general collection (see below). Ballots will be color-coded so that the appropriate one, as indicated on it, is used in each round of balloting. A second ballot will be necessary if no candidate for a particular office receives a majority of votes cast, as required by the Constitution (Article VII). If the initial ballot for any particular position(s) results only in a plurality (not a majority), a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the largest number of votes for the office sought will be conducted using the second ballot. The ballot will list all candidates by office sought and then alphabetically by last name, as provided by the Nominating Committee. Additional ballot space under each position will be provided to accommodate, as a write-in, any eligible candidate nominated from the floor before the election. Floor nominations will be posted for all to see. Write-ins for anyone who was not nominated from the floor will not be counted. No candidate may stand in nomination for more than one office. However, a candidate previously nominated for one office may withdraw from candidacy for that position in order to allow his or her name to then be submitted from the floor for nomination to another position. Nominations from the floor will be accepted until a last call, and such nominees must be present to accept the nomination. Before the first ballot is cast, nominated candidates, including those nominated from the floor, will each be given one minute to make a statement, in order of office sought and then alphabetically by last name. As at the Forum, candidates will be encouraged to make forward-looking statements and to avoid commentary on other candidates, officers, or contested history. A candidate may not defer or yield any portion of his/her time to another candidate. Time limits will be enforced by a neutral party. There will not be a question and answer period, that having occurred at the Forum. Ballots will then be cast. Each ballot is to be given by the voter to the designated ballot collector. Proxy voting is not allowed, in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws (Articles VII and Section VI, respectively). Ballots will be collected and counted by neutral parties. Candidates for office (or their designees) may witness the vote-counting. Should a second ballot be necessary (as described above), the two candidates to be voted upon for the office sought will each be allowed another minute to address the membership before the vote. There will be no question and answer period. In order to accommodate members obliged to leave the meeting early, a first ballot may be cast at the election at any time after a member’s registration and even before all floor nominations for write-in candidates and candidates’ statements are complete. If a member who needs to leave the meeting wishes to vote early, he or she should signal the presiding official by raising the voting card, and his or her ballot will be picked up by a designated ballot colector. If a second or subsequent ballot is required for any position(s), or if issues later come before the membership, only those members then present may vote. The blank second ballot and voting card which the member received when checking-in will need to be surrendered at the same time an early ballot is cast. Ballots that are spoiled by a member because of a marking error may be surrendered to the designated official before being cast and replaced by a new ballot. Ballots will be counted expeditiously and their outcome announced as quickly as possible. Successful/winning candidates will assume their offices following the conclusion of the meeting. Candidates for office and those who support them may advocate for themselves or another. However, to allow an orderly election, no electioneering will be allowed inside the church (the election venue). “Electioneering” includes the distribution of campaign materials and any conversation not mutually welcomed. Members will be asked to cooperate with the election supervisor and to minimize distractions and disorder. CPCA is committed to an open and fair election process. These rules have been adopted for that purpose. The Election Committee will enlist neutral parties to oversee the entire process. The Committee remains open to suggested refinements in, or clarifications of, these rules. Any such suggestions should be emailed to mark.rosenman@verizon.net or mailed to him at 3023 Newark Street, NW DC 20008-3342 as soon as possible. Mark Rosenman |
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