VMICC Policies and Procedures for Elections

Approved by VMICC, 3/16/2009

General

1. Voting is to be available to all island residents, 18 years or older, including all seated Board members.
2. Candidates may be any island resident who is 16 years of age or older.
3. Candidate forms will be provided by the Nominating Committee to be filled out and returned by a specific date determined by the committee.
4. Candidates shall run in a nonpartisan capacity.
5. Elections may be held in conjunction with regular general elections.
6. Elections will be by Ranked Choice Voting.
7. Ballots may also contain advisory issues.
8. Ballots shall be mailed to all island postal addresses.
9. Ballots will be available upon request.
10. Voters are honor bound to submit only one official ballot (or exact copy) per eligible voter.
11. Voter name validation is not required.
12. The option of online voting may be made available.

Election Preparation Guidance

1. The Board shall appoint an Ad-Hoc Election Committee.
2. Secure permission to conduct voting at regular polling places, if available on island.
3. Recruit and train poll workers as required.
4. Recruit and train vote tally persons and observers.
5. Prepare ballots if ten or more candidates are nominated.
6. If less than ten candidates are nominated, cancel the election and declare all nominees elected.
7. Select parameters for Ranked Choice Voting (see Resources).
8. Mail one ballot with instructions to every island postal address.
9. Announce availability of ballots.
10. If required, prepare polling place setups (voting 'kiosk', ballots, pencils, information to be posted, emergency number, etc.).
11. Designate place and time for return of voted ballots.

Day of Voting

1. Setup and open at time regular polls open, if required.
2. Close down when regular polls do.
   

Election Wrap-up

1. Return all material (ballots, etc.) to designated location.
2. Tabulate ballots using Ranked Choice Voting (see Resources section for more information).
3. Election Committee announces final results at November general meeting.
4. Hold ballots for at least 90 days before destroying.

Resources
To learn about Ranked Choice Voting go to: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/BeginnningReading/types.htm Click on “Proportional Representation systems”, then “Single Transferable Vote (Choice Voting)”. For information on what is happening with election reform go to: http://www.fairvote.org/ Open Source software for tabulating Ranked Choice Voting elections is available free at: http://stv.sourceforge.net/ Ranked Choice Voting is called OpenSTV (Open Single Transferable Vote).

Previous Elections Policies and Procedures

VMICC Policies and Procedures for Elections
Approved by VMICC, 5/18/98 General
Voting is to be available to all island residents, 18 years or older Candidates may be any interested island resident who files by filling out a form supplied by the nominating committee by the specified date Candidates shall run in a non-partisan capacity Elections shall be held in conjunction with regular general elections Ballots may also contain advisory issues

Election Preparation Guidance
Secure permission to conduct voting at regular polling places Line up poll workers (2 or 3 per polling place) Line up vote tally persons and observers Announce availability of absentee ballots Prepare ballots Prepare polling place setups (voting 'kiosk', sign-in sheets, ballots, pencils, information to be posted, emergency number, etc.)

Day of Voting
Setup and open at time regular polls open Voters must sign-in, with an island address, prior to receiving a ballot Poll workers should be alert for voting irregularities (ballot stuffing) Close down when regular polls do Return all material (ballots, etc.) to designated location

Election Wrap-up
Conduct tally of ballots Update to include late absentee ballots Announce final results at November general meeting Destroy ballots Absentee Voting (similar to absentee voting in regular elections) Mail ballot, information, instructions, and two envelopes (small and standard) to anyone requesting same by specified date Absentee ballots may also be picked up at a designated location anytime prior to election day Voter fills out ballot, puts in small envelope and seals, puts small envelope inside larger one, signs outer envelope and mails to VMICC, postmarked no later than election day.