Voting rules and process

The vote: who, when, where and results

1. The UFT Constitution does not provide for co-chapter leaders. If a chapter chooses to have a co-chapter leader, it may only be on an informal basis. Only one name may be submitted as chapter leader of record.
2. Any full-time member may nominate, run for a position and vote in a school’s election if he or she is on the school’s permanent table of organization or assigned to the school on the first Monday in May of an election year and have signed the union card at least 60 days prior to the election. Only teachers are eligible to nominate, run for and vote for school DA delegate. He or she must be on the school’s table of organization or assigned to the school on the first Monday in May of an election year and must have signed the union card at least 60 days prior to the election. Secretaries, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals and other functional chapter members are represented in the Delegate Assembly through their functional chapters and may stand for election as delegate from their functional chapters. District 75 and District 79 members nominate and are nominated for chapter office in their District 75 or 79 school. District 75 or 79 members and others who are permanently housed in the school building may vote in that chapter leader election. Nonmembers may not nominate, run or vote in chapter elections.
3. Every school is entitled to elect a paraprofessional representative and the vote may take place at the same time as the chapter election. Only paraprofessionals may nominate, run and vote for paraprofessional representatives.
4. Voting must take place by secret ballot on the date announced in the Election Calendar.
5. Schools with multiple sites: To facilitate communications and service, schools with multiple sites often have liaisons at these sites. These liaisons are not chapter leaders nor are they DA delegates unless they specifically run for those positions in the school’s election.
6. A supervised ballot box must be provided at a specific location. A membership roster must be available and is to be initialed by the voter at the time the ballot is cast. Each chapter leader will have a membership printout and a chapter certification form. The printouts should be checked immediately by the Election Committee for errors or omissions.
7. An individual whose name is not on the printout but who claims membership and can display evidence of UFT membership, such as a UFT membership card, should be allowed to vote. The ballot, however, is subject to challenge and must be sequestered.
8. Persons on split assignment shall vote in their payroll school. Like others, these members must vote in person; no absentee ballots may be cast. F-status substitutes (those with regularly scheduled part-time assignments) may vote in their school election.
9. Ballots shall be counted at the time and place announced in the Election Calendar. Candidates or their observers may be present at the count. Election shall be determined by the highest number of votes. Challenged ballots should be set aside and, if their number could affect the outcome of the election, the Election Committee should call the borough representative.
10. The Election Committee shall place an announcement of the results on the UFT bulletin board immediately after the election.
11. All ballots and election materials shall be retained by the Election Committee for at least one month to allow for review of results.
12. As soon as results have been certified by the Election Committee, the Committee Chair must complete the Chapter Certification Data Form and send it to the: 
    UFT Membership Department
    52 Broadway
    New York, NY 10004.