Election and Voting Procedure

vote
  1. Where a rule is referenced, this shall relate to the “Riverside Players – Rules” set out in the Constitution.
  2. Elections to Committee will take place at the Riverside Players Annual General Meeting.
  3. To stand for Committee, the candidate must be a member of the society under rule 3.1) to 3.6) and be aged 16 or over on the date of the election.
  4. Candidates must submit a signed nomination form proposed and seconded by members of the society. This must be lodged with the Secretary at least seven days prior to the election.
  5. The person conducting the vote and the count will be known as the Returning Officer.
  6. The Returning Officer should be the chairman of the meeting.
  7. The Returning Officer will be assisted by least one Committee member who is not standing for re-election.
  8. If the chairman of the meeting is standing for re-election, another suitable representative from the Committee, who is not standing for re-election, must be appointed as the Returning Officer.
  9. Where the number of candidates is less than or equal to the number of committee vacancies, the election is considered uncontested and all candidates will be elected without a vote.
  10. Where there are more candidates than vacancies, a contested election will take place. A contested election will be decided by a process of voting.
  11. Only members eligible under rule 3 and attending the meeting may vote. Proxy votes are not permitted.
  12. Ballot papers listing all candidates will be issued to eligible members at the meeting. Eligibility to vote must be verified.
  13. Members will be instructed to vote for up to the total number of committee vacancies.
  14. All completed ballot papers must be collected in a single ballot box. Before the collection of ballot papers begins, the ballot box must be certified as empty by the Returning Officer.
  15. Vote counting must take place in private but at the same meeting.
  16. Any member who is standing for election may witness the count process and must be notified at the meeting of this right.
  17. There must be at least one non-committee member present to witness the count. Where necessary, the Returning Officer will select a volunteer member from the meeting.
  18. In a contested election where two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes, the Returning Officer will have the casting vote.
  19. Once a result has been agreed by all parties present at the count, the Returning Officer will announce those elected at the meeting. There is no requirement to announce the number of votes for each candidate.
  20. This procedure does not alter the process of co-option as set out in rule 9.