Trillium Lakelands Occasional Teachers’ Local

2025 is an election year for TLOTL. All positions are up for election. Positions are for two year terms, ending in 2027. Positions include: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, 2 Members-at-large.

If interested in running for a position, please send your name, and the position running for, to tlotl.president@gmail.com. An Elections chair will be selected, if we have enough nominations to hold an election.

Please review the information below prior to submitting your name for nomination. Nominations are due before 4pm April 8, 2025.

___________________________________________________________________________

Relevant Information From the TLOTL Constitution :

ARTICLE IX – ELECTIONS
Section 9.1 – Eligibility
9.1.1 An active ETFO-TLOTL member in good standing may stand for elected office.
9.1.2 A candidate for President must have served at least one full term on the Executive in the preceding four years.
Section 9.2 – Nominations
9.2.1 Members shall be notified in March of the request for candidates no later than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the ETFO-TLOTL Annual General Meeting. The request for nominations shall be announced at the direction of the Executive or the Elections Committee.
9.2.2 A candidate must identify their name as well as the office to which they are seeking election. The deadline for receipt of nominations shall be no later than 4:30 pm, thirty (30) calendar days prior to the ETFO-TLOTL Annual General Meeting. Candidates’ information shall be submitted to the President.
9.2.3 A list of nominated candidates will be published on the Local website no later than 4:30 pm on the first work day after the deadline to receive nominations as per 9.2.2 and to the Membership at the ETFO-TLOTL Annual General Meeting.
9.2.4 Candidates may run from the floor for vacant Executive positions for which no one has declared their candidacy as per 9.2.2.
Section 9.3 – Election Procedures
9.3.1 Every attempt shall be made to hire an election chair/parliamentarian to chair the General Meeting in a year when an Election will occur.
9.3.2 The election of the ETFO-TLOTL Executive shall be by secret ballot held at the Annual General Meeting.
9.3.3 Ballots will be in paper for in-person meetings, and through an on-line voting process for virtual meetings.
9.3.4 Candidates shall be introduced and may speak up to 2 minutes at the ETFO-TLOTL Annual General Meeting.
9.3.5 Each candidate may appoint one (1) scrutineer to observe the counting of the Ballots by the Election Chair for that candidate’s election. In the event of on-line voting, voting results will be shared will all members in attendance at the same time.
9.3.6 The successful candidates for all elected positions shall be announced to the members at the Annual General Meeting and posted on the Local website within five (5) calendar days of the election.
9.3.7 a) All candidates must be present at the ETFO-TLOTL Annual General Meeting in order to be eligible to run for office. In extenuating, specific circumstances an appeal may be made to the Executive and the Election Chair.
b) There shall be no vote by proxy.
9.3.8 The procedure for the election shall be as follows:
a) Candidates may put their name forward for one position during the nomination process.
b) The order of elections shall be as follows: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Executive Members.
c) Not withstanding 9.2.4, an unsuccessful officially nominated candidate may seek another position on the executive for which the member is eligible.
d) If at any point in the election procedure a position or positions are acclaimed, then the next election shall take place.
e) The candidate with the most votes for President, Vice President, Secretary and Executive Members shall be declared the winner.
Section 9.4 – Voting Procedures
9.4.1 Voting shall be carried out by the following procedure:
a) Ballots shall be distributed at the Annual General Meeting and voting will take place by secret ballot.
b) The Election Chair shall count the ballots to confirm the results.
c) Final confirmation shall be shared with the Membership at the Annual General Meeting once all ballots have been confirmed by the Election Chair.
d) For voting taking place on-line, a link to the voting program/method will be shared with all members in attendance virtually. Voting will take place during the General Meeting only.
9.4.2 Failing a clear winner (one candidate with the most votes):
a) if 2 candidates tie, each will be given 1 additional minute to speak and then a revote will take place.
b) For Executive Member positions, if there is a tie for the final seat, a write in revote between those 2 candidates only will take place.
9.4.3 All ballot counts and the Electoral List shall be kept and filed at the TLOTL Office until July 1.
9.4.4 Ballots shall be destroyed by motion of the Annual General Meeting immediately following the elections.

Relevant information from TLOTL Policies and Procedures

1) Elections

A) Policy
i) TLOTL elections for Executive positions will be held every two years. The elections will be held at the May ETFO-TLOTL AGM. If the AGM is in-person, candidates must be physically present. If the AGM is virtual, Candidates must appear virtually, on camera.
ii) Failure to adhere to the above will render a candidate ineligible unless special permission has been granted by the Executive and the Elections Chair for specific extenuating circumstances.
iii) Eligibility is based upon the candidate’s status of being an active ETFO-TLOTL member in good standing.
iv) Nominations sent to the President must identify the name of the Member being nominated as well as the office to which they are seeking election.
v) The chair may accept nominations from the floor of the AGM when a position is left open with no candidate, and if the nominated person is in attendance (physically or virtually) at the AGM.
vi) Candidates are successful when they receive a plurality of the ballots cast.
vii) There shall be no vote by proxy.
viii) The elections shall follow Article IX in the ETFO-TLOTL Constitution.

B) Campaign Procedures
The following procedures are to ensure the right of all candidates to campaign on a fair and equal basis:
i) Election guidelines shall be posted on the Local’s website when the Local is calling for nominations. Once candidacy has been declared, the Elections Chair shall forward a copy of these guidelines to each candidate.
ii) Each candidate may have information posted on the Local’s website regarding their candidacy.
iii) Campaign materials to be posted must be sent to the Elections Chair within five (5) calendar days of nomination deadline.
iv) Information is to be sent in on one 8 ½ x 11 sheet, single sided, in a PDF format.
v) Materials will be posted on the website once all candidates’ materials are received, no later than six (6) calendar days after nomination deadline.
vi) The following campaigning is not sanctioned by the Local: campaigning at schools or at any Local sponsored events; posting and/or handing out campaign materials of any sort.
vii) Other forms of campaigning are not sanctioned by the Local and may be subject to discipline.
viii) All candidates must be aware and agree to these terms as condition of candidacy.

C) Elections Chair Role and Responsibility
i) The Role of the Chair is to guide the candidates through the election process to ensure the TLOTL Constitution and Policies are upheld and to report to the membership.
ii) The Elections Chair:
a) must not be a candidate for election.
b) is required to attend the TLOTL General Meeting.
c) will be responsible for the distribution of the campaign materials.
d) will respond to questions or concerns of candidates about the election process.
e) will act as the elections officer at the Annual General Meeting with defined duties.
f) will investigate concerns about campaigning violations.
g) will decide if discipline is necessary for campaign violations, up to disqualifying candidate if violation is severe enough.
h) will report to the membership at the TLOTL AGM and explain the election process, report any disciplinary action, introduce candidates, distribute ballots, monitor ballot boxes, count ballots and announce winning candidates.