It’s election time again for the Lennox Teachers Association. This year we will be holding elections for three EBoard positions (President, 1st VP of Contractual Affairs, and 2nd VP of Curricular Affairs) and all Site Rep positions. Anyone with strong opinions about how we’re doing and an interest in getting more involved in your union should consider running. And if you’re interested in running for President next time around, there’s no better way to prepare yourself than serving one of the VPs first.

For your convenience, here are the LTA Standing Rules on elections, which include full job descriptions and the 2016-2017 election timeline dates in red.

 

Election Standing Rules

1. Election Timeline and Procedural Components
   1. The timeline, procedural components, voting by mail procedure and the challenge procedure must be established prior to the election. If the unit has year-round schools, more time is needed because mail balloting may be required.

2. Schools/work sites on alternative calendars shall be considered when setting election timelines.

3. The election begins with the announcement of vacancy(ies) and terms of office and cannot be stopped until the conclusion of the election, including run-offs if necessary

President – 2-year term [member of Executive Board]:

• Stipend = $2,500/yr.
• Attends all Lennox School District Board of Trustees meetings, or appoints proper representation.
• Attends other CTA/NEA meetings as directed by the Representative Council; and
• Attends meetings of the Service Center Council of which the Association is a part;
• Proposes the procedures for grievance processing for ratification by the Executive Board and Representative Council;
• Suggests policies, plans and activities for the Association, and is held responsible for the progress and work of the Association;
• Has to be familiar with the governance documents of the Association, CTA, and NEA;
• Appoints the chairperson and members of the Bargaining Team with majority approval of the Executive Board;
• Appoints all chairpersons and members of committees, with majority approval of the Executive Board;
• Presides at all meetings of the Association, Representative Council, and Executive Board;
• Prepares the agenda for the meetings of the Association, Representative Council, and Executive Board;
• Calls meetings of the Association, Representative Council, and Executive Board;
• Is the official spokesperson for the Association;

Vice President of Contractual Affairs – 2-year term [member of Executive Board]:

• Serves as assistant to the President in all duties of the President;
• Assumes the duties of the President in the absence of the President (i.e., serve as “First” Vice President);
• Serves as co-coordinator of committee activities as directed by the President;
• Serves as Chairperson of the Grievance Committee and keep an accurate record of all grievances; and
• Serves as Chairperson of the Professional Relations Committee, preparing the agenda for meetings, facilitating meetings, and distributing minutes from meetings to the general Membership.
• Stipend = $750/yr.

Vice President of Curricular Affairs – 2-year term [member of the Executive Board]:

• Stipend = $750/yr.
• Serves as Chairperson of the Instruction and Professional Development Committee, preparing the agenda for meetings, facilitating meetings, and distributing minutes from meetings to the general Membership.
• Serves as Chairperson of the Membership Committee and keep an accurate roster of the Membership; and
• Serves as co-coordinator of committee activities as directed by the President;
• Assumes the duties of the President in the absence of the President and the Vice President of Contractual Affairs (i.e., serve as “Second” Vice President);
• Serves as assistant to the President in all duties of the President;

Site Representatives – 1-year terms (based on formula in the LTA Bylaws, currently = 2 per elementary site, 4 at LMS, 1 at SpEd preschool, and 1 for TOSAs, for a total of 16 positions) [members of the Representative Council]:

• Conduct constant and ongoing liaison between the Representative Council and Active members at the school site;
• Serve as the official channel through which written communications and publications can be easily and quickly transmitted between the Association and the Active members;
• Represent the views and the input of the Active membership in votes taken in the Representative Council, conducting frequent and regular polls of such membership for this purpose; and
• Perform such additional duties as prescribed by the Executive Board.
• Stipend = $200/yr.

4. A Timeline for Elections shall include the following:
   1. Announcement of vacancy(ies) and term(s) of office using a method that will ensure each
member is aware of the opportunity to file a declaration of candidacy;

Announcement = Mon, 5/2/16

1. At least fifteen (15) calendar days between the announcement date of the vacancy(ies) and the
date of the election;

Election = Mon, 5/23/16 – Wed, 5/25/16 (21 days after announcement of vacancies)

 

1. Place, time and date of receipt (date received, not date postmarked) for declaration of 
candidacy forms;

Written declarations of candidacy must be received by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary by 4:00 pm on Fri, 5/13/16

 

1. Final date to acknowledge candidates’ declaration of candidacy;

Candidates will be announced on Fri, 5/13/16, no later than 8:00 pm, via the LTA website

 

1. Date for preparation of ballots;

Ballots will be prepared on Fri, 5/13/16

 

1. Date on which ballots will be distributed;

Ballots will be distributed to non-running Site Reps and Professional Relations Reps on the morning of Tues, 5/17/16

 

1. Date by which to request a ballot;

Written requests for mail-in ballots must be received either by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary or delivered to the Association post office box [Lennox Teachers Association, PO Box 2231, Hawthorne, CA 90251] by 4pm on Thurs, 5/12/15. Mail-in ballots will be sent via regular mail on Sat, 5/14/16, to those members on dues paying leave who request them by the above deadline

 

1. Date(s) when voting will take place;

Voting will take place on Mon, 5/23/16 – Wed, 5/25/16

 

1. Deadline date (date received, not date postmarked), time and place for return of ballots;

Completed ballots must be must be received by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary by 4:00 pm on Wed, 5/25/15. Mail-in ballots must be delivered to the Association post office box [Lennox Teachers Association, PO Box 2231, Hawthorne, CA 90251] by 4:00 pm on Wed, 5/25/16

 

1. Date, time and place where ballots will be counted, which should be immediately following the 
deadline for receipt of voted ballots;

Ballots will be counted on Wed, 5/25/16 at 4:30 pm at Jefferson Elementary

 

1. Date that announcement of results shall be made to leadership, candidates, members, and 
posted at each work site, which date shall be not later than five (5) calendar days following the 
counting of ballots;

Results will be posted on the LTA website on Wed, 5/25/15, no later than 8:00 pm, and posted at all school sites on LTA bulletin boards on Thurs, 5/26/16

 

1. Dates and timelines for run-off election, if necessary; and

Run-off election (if necessary) = Tues, 5/31/16 – Thurs, 6/2/15

Run-off ballots received/counted = Thurs, 6/2/16, 4:30 pm

Run-off results announced = Thurs, 6/2/16, no later than 8:00 pm

 

1. Deadline for filing of challenges to initial election and run-off if held (date received, not date
postmarked).

Written challenges must be filed by Thurs, 6/16/16 at 8:00 am with by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary.

 

5. Procedural Components should include the following:
   1. Method by which Declaration of Candidacy(ies) are submitted (mail, hand delivered, fax);

Declarations of candidacy must be received by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary by 4:00 pm on Fri, 5/13/16. Declarations may be submitted via e-mail or hand delivery (10 days after announcement of run-off results)

 

1. Procedure for distributing election guidelines/rules to candidates;

Election guidelines and rules will be posted on the LTA website and at all school sites on LTA bulletin boards

 

1. Campaign statement of candidates (decide on limit of number of words, and what to do if limitation is exceeded);

Candidate statements will be limited to 50 words or less. In case a candidate submits a statement exceeding 50 words, only the first 50 words will be included on the Candidates’ Statement sheet

 

1. Method of distribution of ballots;

Ballots will be distributed to non-running Site Reps and Professional Relations Reps on the morning of Tues, 5/17/16. Non-running Site Reps and Professional Relations Reps will make ballots available to members during non-contract hours before school, at lunch, and after school on Mon, 5/23/16 – Wed, 5/25/16

Mail-in ballots will be sent via regular mail on Sat, 5/14/16, to those members on dues paying leave who request them by 4:00 pm on Thurs, 5/12/16. Written requests for mail-in ballots must be received either by Ann Chaffey at Jefferson Elementary or delivered to the Association post office box [Lennox Teachers Association, PO Box 2231, Hawthorne, CA 90251]

 

1. Whether declarations of candidacy must be accompanied by a campaign statement, or whether the statement will be solicited later. If later, a deadline date must be established;

Declarations of candidacy must be accompanied by a campaign statement of no more than 50 words, and submitted by the Fri, 5/13/16, 4:00 pm, deadline

 

1. Provision for elections committee chairperson or designee to be present to receive declaration of candidacy by filing deadline;

Ann Chaffey will be available to receive declarations of candidacy 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm on Fri, 5/13/16, at Jefferson Elementary. Declarations may be submitted prior to the deadline via e-mail or hand delivery

 

1. Announce that the names are to be listed according to CTA alphabet;

Names will be listed according to CTA alphabet

 

1. If not provided in governance documents, election will be decided by majority vote. If a candidate does not receive a majority vote, a run-off election shall be conducted between the candidates receiving the highest number of votes. The names on the ballot will be one (1) more than the number of vacancies to be filled.

link to full LTA 2016-2017 Elections TImeline