By-laws of the Australian Library and Information Association Limited

1. Postal and or electronic (including by Internet) ballots shall be held to elect the Vice-President (President-elect) and the Board of Directors. For these and any other ballots, the following rules shall apply.

Part 1 Nomination

2. The Executive Director or appointed person or organisation shall call for nominations in the appropriate issues of inCite and on the ALIA web site and shall also notify in writing the Secretary of each Division or Group of the Association that nominations are being called for particular positions.

3. Nominations shall be in writing, signed by two financial members of the Association and shall include the consent in writing of the candidate.  Nominations shall reach the Executive Director (or the person or organisation conducting the ballot) by a date and time determined by the Board of Directors, or the person or organisation conducting the ballot. Nominations which are not received by the closure time shall be excluded,  except as allowed in paragraph 11.

4. Withdrawal of nomination in writing will be permitted after the close of nominations.

5. Candidates for office shall be personal financial members of the Association at the time of nomination and shall, together with their written consent to nomination, supply a curriculum vitae and a statement of professional concerns. Each statement shall not be   more than one hundred words. Words in excess of the 100 word limit may be excised by the Executive Director or by the person or organisation conducting the ballot, without consultation. Statements of professional concerns shall not be defamatory, misleading, offensive or deceptive. If the Executive Director or person or organisation conducting the ballot is of the opinion that statement of professional concern information is defamatory, misleading, offensive or deceptive, or is likely to mislead or deceive, and the candidate refuses to alter the text of the statement, the statement may be edited prior to publication and a note included to the effect that the text has been edited in accordance with this By-Law. Curriculum vitae and statements of professional concerns shall be received by the close of Nominations.

6. If the number of Members nominated for election exceeds the number of vacancies, the Executive Director, or person, or organisation conducting the ballot shall conduct a ballot as described in Part 4 of this by-law.

7. If the number of Members nominated for election is equal to the number of vacancies, the Executive Director, or person, or organisation conducting the ballot shall declare those members elected.

Part 2 Nominating Committee

8. If the number of Members nominated for election is fewer than the number of vacancies, the Executive Director, or person, or organisation conducting the ballot shall request the Board of Directors to convene a nominating committee.

9. There shall be a Nominating Committee convened by the Vice-President and consisting of the President, the immediate past president, and two other members of the Association, not being candidates for election for the ensuing period, who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors in each year.

10. The function of the nominating committee shall be the identification of possible candidates for the positions of vice-president or director and ensuring that there is at least one candidate for each vacant position.  Candidates shall not be identified as those of the nominating committee.  Once candidates have been selected by the nominating committee, any two members of the nominating committee may sign the nomination form, which shall include the consent in writing of the candidate.  The candidate shall comply with paragraph 5 hereof.

Part 3  Administration of the Ballot

11. Eligible members of the Association who are financial in the year in which the ballot is being held may vote in an election.

12. The Executive Director shall conduct the ballot. The Executive Director may recommend the appointment of another individual or organisation to conduct the ballot. The Board of Directors may make the relevant appointment of a person or organisation. Such person or organisation shall not be a candidate for any office for the ensuing year.

13. In the Executive Director's absence, the Board of Directors shall appoint a person or organisation to conduct a ballot who shall not be a candidate for any office for the ensuing year.

14. The Postal ballot paper or Internet ballot screen will contain the name of the office to be filled and the names of the candidates, listed in alphabetical order. The curriculum vitae and statements of professional concerns shall also be listed or printed in alphabetical order.

15. Candidates may nominate in writing a scrutineer to oversee the conduct of the ballot following the closure of the poll.

Part 4 Conduct of the ballot

A.  Ballot conducted by Executive Director

16. Ballot papers for postal elections shall be distributed to members of the Association entitled to vote and shall be accompanied by instructions for voting, a curriculum vitae and statement of professional concerns for each candidate, and shall state the date for the closure of the ballot. The ballot papers should reach voters not later than 30 days before the date of the closure of the ballot. The ballot paper itself shall contain only the name of the office to be filled and the names of the candidates.

17. Failure of a ballot paper to reach a member or failure of a completed ballot paper to reach the Executive Director by or on the day fixed for the closure of the poll shall not invalidate the ballot.

18. The Executive Director shall be assisted by Assistant Returning Officers, who shall be members of the Association appointed by the Board of Directors and shall not be candidates for any office for the ensuing year.

19. Where there is one position only to be filled, a standard preferential system is to be used.

20. In this system, a voter is required to indicate a preference for each candidate on the ballot paper by using the numbers 1, 2, 3 etc up to the number of candidates. Ballot papers with markings other than numbers will be rendered invalid and will not be counted.

21. Where more than one position is to be filled, a multiple preferential system is to be used.

22. Under this system, voters are required to mark their preference for all candidates up to the number to be elected. Preferences are to be expressed on the ballot paper by using the numbers 1,2,3 etc. Ballot papers with markings other than numbers will be rendered invalid and will not be counted. If voters express a preference for only some of the remaining candidates, the vote will still be valid.

23. Each voter shall record a vote on the ballot paper by numbering the squares against the names of the candidates in the order of the voter's preference for the office. The ballot paper shall be placed in a blank envelope, which will then be sealed and placed in another envelope addressed to the Executive Director and bearing on its face the words "Ballot Paper". On the back of the envelope shall be entered the voter's name and address. Failure to comply with each of these conditions will render the vote invalid.

24. As soon as possible after the closure of the poll, the names and addresses of the voters entered on the envelopes shall be checked. Envelopes that bear a name and address that does not appear on the record of financial members of the Association and envelopes that do not bear the necessary names and addresses shall be rejected unopened.

25. The Assistant Returning Officers shall open the accepted envelopes only rejecting those ballot papers found to be incorrectly completed and declared to be informal by the Executive Director.

26. The ballot papers shall be sent to the Australian Electoral Commission, or other professional election service or company appointed by the Board of Directors, to be counted, according to the appropriate system as outlined below in Parts 5 – 7.

B. Ballot conducted by another person or organisation

27. Eligible financial members as at the date of close of nominations will vote using only electronic (Internet Voting) or only Postal Voting. A list of members eligible to vote will be compiled on the next business day after the close of nominations.

28. If an eligible member does not have a current email address, as registered with the Association, the eligible member shall be sent materials to enable them to vote by Postal Voting. Members voting by post will be sent Ballot paper(s); instructions for voting including the time and date of closure of the ballot; curriculum vitae and statements of professional concerns ; a special declaration envelope (in which the marked ballot papers are enclosed); and a Reply Paid envelope bearing an address for the person or organisation conducting the ballot. The ballot papers should reach voters not later than 30 days before the date of the closure of the ballot.

29. Members voting by Internet shall be sent by email, instructions for casting an Internet Vote.  The instructions will provide, consistent with this By-law, and such further instructions as may be provided on the Voting Website, the means by which a vote may be completed by Internet Voting; the electronic address at which the ballot may be lodged; an Internet Voting password  and the closing date and time of the ballot.

30. The member shall be able to access the ballot material through the secure Voting Website. Members using Internet Voting must validate their entitlement to vote by entering their membership number and subsequently a random password; following the process prescribed on the secure election website; voting shall be accomplished by "clicking" in the selection boxes beside the preferred candidate(s); members shall be provided the opportunity to review and revise the candidate selections prior to final submission of their vote to the Returning Officer. The random password will be consumed upon the successful casting of a vote.

31. In the case of Internet Voting, to cast a valid vote, a member must follow the instructions included on the ballot screen consistent with the By-Law and ensure that the internet communication is completed before the closing time and date of the ballot.

32. Failure of a ballot paper in the case of a Postal voter or Instruction Sheet or Password Advice in the case of an Internet voter, to reach a member, or failure of a completed ballot paper or electronic ballot to reach the person or organisation conducting the ballot  by or on the day fixed for the closure of the poll shall not invalidate the ballot.

33. Where there is one position only to be filled, a standard preferential system is to be used.

34. Where more than one position is to be filled, a multiple preferential system is to be used.

35. Voters are required to mark their preference at least to the number to be elected.. Preferences are to be expressed on the ballot paper by using the numbers 1,2,3 etc.  The person or organisation conducting the ballot shall determine ballot paper or ballot screen formality or informality.

36. In the case of Postal Voting, each member shall record a vote on the ballot paper by numbering the squares against the names of the candidates in the order of the voter's preference for the office. The marked ballot paper shall be placed in a special declaration envelope, which will be sealed and then placed in a "Reply Paid" envelope, addressed to the person conducting the ballot and bearing on its face the words "Ballot Paper".  Failure to comply with each of these conditions will render the vote invalid

37. Prior to the ballot, candidates may nominate in writing a scrutineer to oversee the conduct of the ballot following the closure of the poll.

38. Returned declaration envelopes shall be processed as soon as possible after the closure of the poll,  Declaration envelopes that bear a name and address that does not appear on the record of financial members of the Association and envelopes that do not bear the necessary names and addresses shall be rejected unopened.

39. In the case of Internet Voting authenticated Internet Votes will be automatically tabulated.

40. In the case of Postal Voting, appropriate steps will be taken to protect voter secrecy and anonymity, prior to opening any accepted declaration envelopes, and the removal, unfolding and counting of ballot papers.

41. The person or organisation conducting the ballot shall open the accepted envelopes  only rejecting those ballot papers found to be incorrectly completed and declared to be informal by the person or organisation conducting the ballot).

42. The tabulations of accepted Postal ballot papers subsequently will be amalgamated with the tabulations from Internet Voting. The tabulations of Postal and Internet votes will be applied to determine the result of the count according to the appropriate system as outlined below.

Part 5 Standard Preferential System

43. Where there is one position to be filled, a standard preferential system is to be used.

44. In this system, a voter is required to indicate a preference for each candidate on the ballot paper or ballot screen by using the numbers 1, 2, 3 etc up to the number of candidates.

45. A candidate must poll an absolute majority (i.e. in excess of 50%) of all formal votes to be elected.

46. If, after all first preference votes have been counted, no candidate has obtained an absolute majority of all formal votes, then the candidate with the fewest number of first preference votes is excluded (First preference votes are the number 1s). That excluded candidate's second preference votes are then distributed to the remaining candidates.

47. If, after that exclusion, no candidate has obtained an absolute majority of formal votes, the next remaining candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and ALL of his or her votes (ie. first preference votes PLUS those votes received from the first excluded candidate) are distributed to the remaining candidates.

48. The above process is continued until one candidate obtains an absolute majority of formal votes and is elected.

49. If at any exclusion, the next available preference is for a previously excluded candidate, then that preference is disregarded and the vote is distributed to the continuing candidate for whom the next available preference is shown.

Part 6 Multiple Preferential System

50. Where more than one position is to be filled, a multiple preferential system is to be used.

51. The multiple preferential systems accomplishes with one ballot, the election of more than one candidate by a majority number of electors who cast formal votes.

52. Voters are required to mark their preference at least to the number to be elected.. Preferences are to be expressed on the ballot paper or ballot screen by using the numbers 1, 2, 3 etc.

53. Votes are classified into two categories:

• Preferences marked on a ballot paper or ballot screen up to the number of candidates to be elected are called primary votes. They have equal value and are credited to the candidate for whom they are cast, whether they are marked 1, 2, 3 etc. up to the number of candidates to be elected. For example, where 2 candidates are to be elected, preferences 1 & 2 are primary votes of equal value.

• All preference votes beyond those primary votes are called secondary votes and rank according to their numerical number.

54. The primary votes for each candidate are counted and the candidate having the fewest number of primary votes is excluded from the count and his/her preferences are distributed among the continuing candidates.

55. Ballots on which an excluded candidate has obtained a primary vote are examined and distributed to continuing candidates according to the first of the available secondary votes expressed on each ballot paper. For example if there are two candidates to be elected, the votes of an excluded candidate will be distributed to the third ranked preference on their ballot.
When the distribution of those secondary votes has been completed and new progressive totals obtained for each remaining candidate, the candidate then having the fewest number of votes is next excluded and his/her next available preferences distributed.

56. All ballots in the possession of a candidate at the time of his/her exclusion are transferred to continuing candidates according to the next available preference. This process of exclusions is continued until only the number to be elected remains in the count.

57. At all times care must be taken to ensure that a ballot  is not transferred to any continuing candidate more than once.

58. The candidate who shall have received the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected and written declaration of the result of the count shall be signed by an officer of the Australian Electoral Commission or other professional election service or company appointed by the Board of Directors, and handed to the Executive Director (or the person or organisation conducting the ballot) who shall inform the President of the Association and all the candidates of the result within seven days thereafter.

Part 7 Other

59. In the case of an equality of votes between candidates, officers of the Australian Electoral Commission or other professional election service or company appointed by the Board of Directors who conduct the count are to randomly select the name of one candidate. The candidate selected shall be excluded as if they had obtained the fewer number of votes. Such random selection may be made using computerised technology.

60. The results of the ballot shall be conveyed to each Division or Group of the Association and be published in inCite and announced on the ALIA web site.

61. Challenges to the process of the election must be lodged with the Executive Director within 72 hours after the declaration of the poll.

62. The admitted, formal ballot papers and declaration envelopes from which ballot papers have been removed should be stored for one year after the close of the ballot.

63. Rejected votes and informal ballot papers should be stored for one year after the close of the ballot.