Article VIII - Elections and Vacancies

ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES

Section 1.      Eligibility.

A. Candidates and Incumbents. Candidates for and incumbents in any elective or appointive position, including committee appointments, in MAPE must:

  1. except as noted in Exceptions, below be members, as defined in Bylaws Article III, for at least 30 days prior to the closing of nominations;
  2. not hold more than one office, including statewide, Regional and Local office, at the same time, except 1) Interim President as provided for in the MAPE Interim Local Governance Policy and 2) as provided for in Article VIII Section 3D.. Committee positions, including chairs, are not offices. Council positions are offices; 
  3. Regional Directors may not be elected as negotiations representative;
  4. except as noted in Exceptions, below be working in a classification covered by a MAPE agreement at the closing of nominations or between the closing of nominations and occupying the position, except when the out-of-classification is less than 30 days;
  5. not be officers or salaried employees of any other exclusive bargaining representative or an affiliate thereof;
  6. except as noted in Exceptions, below, not be members of the statewide Elections Committee;
  7. not be under sanction as provided in the Bylaws, Article XIII, Section 10, provisions (4), (5) and (6);
  8. not be under sanction as provided in MAPE’s parliamentary authority; and
  9. not have voluntarily crossed a MAPE picket line in six years, or three contract cycles – this can be appealed to the Board of Directors.

B. Position-Specific Eligibility.

  1. Statewide Vice President. Candidates must have a minimum of one-year experience as a Regional Steward Director or has handled two investigations and two grievances, and has taken advanced steward training.
  2. Meet and Confer Chairs. Candidates must be employees of the respective agency.
  3. Candidates for Speaker. Candidates must be an elected meet and confer committee chair.[1]

C. Exceptions.

  1. After a local election, any members who are not trustees may be appointed as Delegate Assembly delegates or alternates.
  2. Statewide Elections Committee members may be appointed as Delegate Assembly delegates or alternates. They may also be appointed to other statewide committees.
  3. Retired individuals who are also associate members and had been MAPE members for the 2 years immediately preceding their retirement may serve as full voting members of the Statewide Elections Committee.

Section 2.      Elections.

A. Election Procedures. Statewide, Regional and Local officer elections shall be governed by the Election Rules.

B. Statewide and Regional Elections. Voting in statewide and regional elections shall be by secret ballot by MAPE members. The term shall be four years and until a successor is elected or appointed as provided in the MAPE Constitution, Bylaws, and Election Rules. Statewide and Regional Officers shall be eligible to serve for no more than two consecutive terms in the same office. Regional Directors in even-numbered Regions shall be elected in even-numbered years; Regional Directors in odd-numbered Regions shall be elected in odd-numbered years. *Term limits apply even if terms of office are extended due to change in election timing. [1][2][3]

C. Local Elections. Officers’ terms shall be two years and until a successor is elected. Terms of Delegate Assembly delegates and alternate delegates shall be one year. Local officers shall be elected biannually in the year their Regional Director is not being elected. Officers of newly formed Locals shall be elected and shall serve until the normal expiration date of other Local officers in their Region.

D. Board of Trustees. Elections shall be conducted as prescribed in the Bylaws, Article XV.
 

Section 3.      Vacancies.

A. Vacancy While Out of Class. Any member holding an elective or appointive position in MAPE who agrees to work out of class in a classification not covered by a MAPE agreement shall notify the statewide President and shall be temporarily suspended from the elective or appointive position for a period not to exceed thirty days. The suspension shall be effective at the beginning of the out of class assignment. On the thirty-first day of the out of class assignment, the elected position shall be deemed vacant and shall be filled pursuant to the appropriate provisions of the governing documents. The acts of temporarily suspending an officer and declaring a vacant office shall be taken by the Executive Committee, which shall also make arrangements during the period of any temporary suspension for the duties of the office to be performed. A suspended officer may appeal the suspension to the Board of Directors, whose decision shall be final.

B. Vacancies in Local Offices. When the office of Local President becomes vacant, the Local Vice President automatically becomes President for the remainder of the term. Vacancies in other Local offices shall be filled by a special election. The Local President may make a temporary appointment to any vacant local office if a request for a special election has been filed with the Elections Committee. When a delegate or alternate position becomes vacant, the Local President may appoint to fill the vacancy.

C. Vacancies in Regional Offices. When the office of Regional Director becomes vacant, and an election for that office is scheduled to be held within the same calendar year, the office shall be filled by a rotation of local presidents in ascending numerical order. Otherwise, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy with a rotation of local presidents, in ascending numerical order, temporarily filling the vacancy.

D. Vacancies in Statewide Offices.

  1. When the office of statewide President becomes vacant, the office shall be filled by automatic succession of the Vice President, and the vacancy is then in the office of Vice President.
  2. When the position of statewide Vice President becomes vacant, and an election for that office is scheduled to be held later in the same calendar year, the office shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Otherwise, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy. 
  3. When the position of statewide Treasurer or statewide Secretary becomes vacant, the office shall be filled by either the Treasurer or Secretary who remain in office. The office then becomes that of an interim combined Secretary/Treasurer. 
  4. If the Speaker becomes vacant, the remaining meet and confer chairs shall fill the position by special election.
     

[1] Proviso – Current meet and confer chairs are deemed to have been elected.

[2] Proviso – Statewide Elections committee will reopen nominations for one week following the 2023 Delegate Assembly. 

[3] Proviso – No terms before 2023 count toward term limits.