AFSA ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
2101 E Street, NW
Washington , DC 20037
Phone: 202-338-4045 Ext. 505
I. MEETING WITH CANDIDATES
The AFSA Elections Committee invites all candidates to meet with it at 12 noon on Monday, February 12, 2007 on the second floor of AFSA Headquarters at 2101 E Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. This meeting will deal with the following:
A. Three drawings of lots: 1) to determine which comes first the slates or individuals in the candidates’ campaign statements; 2) to determine the order in which candidates' campaign statements will appear in the AFSA mailing of campaign statements; 3) to determine the order of candidates' names on the ballot.
B. Review of campaign procedures as described in this document.
C. Campaign meetings for constituencies (see Section VI).
D. Description of ballot format.
E. Such other aspects of, or questions regarding, the election process as the Committee or candidates may wish to raise.
II. CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS AT AFSA EXPENSE
A. All candidates are invited to submit campaign statements (which may include biographical material) to the Elections Committee to be distributed to AFSA members in a mailing with the election ballots. All such material may be turned in at the February 12, 2007 meeting and must be turned in to the AFSA News office at 2101 E Street not later than February 20, 2007 (e-mail text in MS Word format to afsanews@afsa.org.)
The following conditions will apply to the material submitted by candidates:
1. Maximum length for campaign statements of individual candidates:
a. President -- 900 words
b. Constituency Vice President -- 450 words
c. Treasurer -- 450 words
d. Secretary -- 450 words
e. Constituency Representative -- 225 words
2. Word allotment for slates (an alternative to II. A.1.):
To qualify as a slate, a proposed slate must have a minimum of four candidates from at least two constituencies. A slate may present an integrated slate statement in lieu of statements by individual slate members. The length allotment for an integrated slate statement is the sum of the individual allotments up to a maximum of 1800 words. Each slate must have a designated representative to deal with the AFSA News Editor, other AFSA staff, and the Elections Committee.
3. In the event a statement exceeds the allotted number of words, the AFSA News editor will endeavor to reach the candidate or the slate to make the necessary adjustments. If that candidate or slate cannot be reached before the printing deadline, or if time does not permit, the editor will reduce the length by cutting from the bottom.
4. AFSA will post all candidate statements, as edited for the mailing, on the AFSA web site www.afsa.org.
III. CAMPAIGN ADVERTISING IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
Any AFSA member as an individual or as a representative of a committee or group of members may submit advertisements for publication in the Journal in support of any candidate or candidates or slate or concerning any issue in the election, provided that such material is clearly identified as an advertisement and bears the name of the member or members who submit and pay for it. The Journal and the Elections Committee expect any advertisement to be in good taste and to meet professional standards.
Arrangements for the placement of campaign advertising in the Journal are to be made directly with the Advertising Manager, AFSA Headquarters, 2101 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, (202) 944-5507 or 1-800-704-2372, and must conform to the following requirements:
A. Sizes and prices of advertisement must meet specifications on the Foreign Service Journal rate card, with a 50% reduction in rates.
B. All advertising must bear the legend, ADVERTISEMENT, above the copy in eight-point type, all caps.
C. Such advertisement must bear at the bottom of the advertisement, the statement that it is a paid advertisement, and the name of the AFSA member placing the advertisement.
D. Copy for the advertisement is due to the Advertising Manager by noon on February 22, 2007 for the April issue of the Journal. The charge for Journal staff to design and produce camera-ready copy is $100.
E. Proofs will be furnished on request. The Journal will not be responsible for any errors in any advertisement the proof of which has been approved by the advertiser or by his/her agent.
IV. MAILING OF CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS AT CANDIDATES' EXPENSE
A. Any candidate at his/her expense may obtain from the AFSA Member Services Department address labels for individual constituencies. Charges for this service can be obtained by calling this Department at 202-944-5510 or e-mailing AFSA Director of Member Services, Janet Hedrick, hedrick@afsa.org.
B. Any candidate who wishes to mail campaign literature at his/her expense may look to the AFSA Member Services Department for facilitative assistance in identifying qualified and reliable job printers and mailing houses. Note: Campaign material should not be sent through the pouch without postage.
A time period of approximately 10 working days will generally be required for (A) and (B) above (including printing and mailing). Since services are performed by contractors, and not by the AFSA staff itself, no guarantee can be given that this time frame can always be met.
V. USE OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
The Elections Committee reminds all candidates that Federal and agency policy prohibits the use of official time or agency resources, such as photocopying machines, email, or facsimiles, for internal union business. AFSA's election constitutes internal union business. Please remember that all campaigning must take place while you are in a "non-duty status" and cannot be done during duty hours.
VI. CAMPAIGN MEETINGS AND ONLINE FORUMS
The Elections Committee is willing to organize campaign meetings, if sufficient interest is shown, in each constituency (one for active duty employees in each agency, plus one for retirees). Candidates can express their views on this at the February 12, 2007 meeting. Candidates or slates may organize their own meetings.
A section of the AFSA web site will be made available for online discussion forums. Each slate and candidate not affiliated with a slate will be given a forum area to post statements and respond to questions from members. Slates will be asked to assign one member of the slate as the point of contact for management of the forum. Candidates and forum participants will be required to follow the forum guidelines as posted on the AFSA web forum page. AFSA reserves the right to remove any posted material deemed inappropriate.
VII. MEMBERSHIP LIST
Each candidate has the right to inspect a complete computer-produced list in PDF format of the names and last known addresses of all AFSA members at AFSA's Member Services Department at 2101 E Street. To obtained this list contact AFSA Director of Member Services, Janet Hedrick, 202-944-5510, hedrick@afsa.org.
VIII. OBSERVERS
Candidates have the right to have observers present at:
A. The preparation and mailing of ballots (March 2007);
B. The pick-up by the Elections Committee from the Post Office of the sealed envelopes containing the marked ballots (June 1, 2007); and
C. The opening and counting of ballots, AFSA, 2101 E St. NW (June 1, 2007).
Candidates wishing to observe phase (A) and (B) above should so inform the Elections Committee and the necessary arrangements will be made. Phase (C) is open to candidates and observers as described in Section XII below. Should candidates desire to observe any other phases of the election process, they should get in touch with the Elections Committee.
IX. USE OF AFSA RESOURCES
A. During the election period, beginning December 1, 2006 and ending June 1, 2007, AFSA staff and resources, including publications and communications, are not to be used to support or oppose any candidate or slate.
B. To implement this policy, an Elections Committee member will screen the December 2006 – May 2007 issues of the Foreign Service Journal, AFSA News, and the AFSA Letter (for retired members) prior to publication.
C. Any concern regarding use of AFSA publications and communications, or of AFSA staff and resources, should be brought to the attention of the Elections Committee.
X. AFSA REPRESENTATIVES AND STAFF
AFSA representatives at posts abroad, when acting in their capacity as AFSA representatives, must scrupulously avoid actions tending to favor one candidate over another. Specifically, they have been instructed in that capacity to reject any requests to distribute or post campaign literature for candidates and must return such material to the requester. There are no restrictions on activities of AFSA representatives when they are clearly acting in their personal capacities as individual AFSA members.
AFSA staff has been directed to avoid any action that gives advantage to one candidate over another, and to deal with candidates as instructed by the Elections Committee.
XI. E-Mail Communication
In accordance with the guidance in numbers 5 (V.)and 10 (X.) above, government (.gov) and AFSA provided email accounts (afsa.org)should not be used for campaigning purposes. As noted in 6 (VI.) above online forums will be provided for discussion purposes as well as providing candidates the opportunity to send out statements via mail and AFSA's e-mail list serve AFSANET. Non-AFSA and non-government email may be used for campaign purposes.
XII. BALLOTS
The ballots will be distributed on or about March 26, 2007 to each person who is a member as of March 1, 2007.
Ballot format will depend on the size of the final list of candidates. Envelopes containing ballot material mailed to members will bear the return address of AFSA Headquarters. When ballots are returned because of incorrect addresses the Member Services Department will diligently attempt to find new addresses for members involved, and will re-mail ballots to those members. The Elections Committee will inform members by all available means how to request replacement ballots if original ballots are not received on a timely basis. Notices will be published in the February issue Foreign Service Journal and via the AFSA e-mail listserve.
Marked ballots must be returned to the special address on the envelope supplied with the ballot. The ballots will be held at this address (a Post Office box) until they are collected by the Elections Committee at opening of business on June 1, 2007. A "double envelope" system with the ballots sealed in an inner envelope bearing only the marking, "Secret Ballot," will be used for the return of the ballots. Ballots, whether mailed by regular postal facilities or through the diplomatic pouch facilities, must bear the required postage supplied by the voter.
More detailed balloting instructions will accompany the ballots.
XIII. VOTE COUNTING AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
Beginning June 1, 2007, the Elections Committee will count the ballots at AFSA Headquarters and declare elected the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each position. In case of a tie the election will be decided by a coin toss in the presence of the candidates concerned or their representatives. Candidates or their representatives may be present during the tally and may challenge the validity of any vote or the eligibility of any voter. The committee will inform candidates individually of the election results by the swiftest possible means and will publish the names of all elected candidates in the next issue of the Foreign Service Journal and via the AFSA e-mail listserve. The elected candidates will take office on July 15, 2007, as provided in the bylaws.
XIV. QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, COMPLAINTS OR CHALLENGES
Any member may file a written question, suggestion, or complaint concerning the conduct of the 2007 election. Such question, suggestion or complaint should be addressed to "Chair, AFSA Elections Committee" and mailed or delivered to either AFSA, Room 1251, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520 or AFSA, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 by August 30, 2007.
Members may also file a written challenge to the outcome of the election. Such challenge must be received by July 15, 2007 and should be addressed to "Chair, AFSA Elections Committee" and mailed or delivered to either address stated above. The AFSA Elections Committee will respond in writing to the challenge within three months of receipt of the challenge. If the member is not satisfied with the AFSA Elections Committee's response, the member may file a written complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. Such complaint must be received by the Department of Labor within one month of receipt of the Elections Committee's response.
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Robert J. Wozniak, Chair rjwozniak@gmail.com (202) 686-0996
Geoff Cleasby Geoffrey.Cleasby@mail.doc.gov (703) 235-0326
Anita Katial anita.katial@fas.usda.gov (202) 720-8777
Richard Thompson RISATH@aol.com (301) 229-6442
Karen Welch kwelch@usaid.gov (202)-712-1423
Frontis Wiggins WigginsFB@state.gov (703) 302-7381
STAFF
Barbara Berger berger@afsa.org 202-338-4045 ext. 521
Janet Hedrick hedrick@afsa.org 202-338-4045 ext 510
