Article VIII. Election Code

Section 1. Eligibility for District Office

• • 1. All District Officers and District Committee Chairs shall meet the requirements of membership as outlined in the International Bylaws.

    2. At the District Convention all candidates running for District Staff positions must show proof of enrollment and academic standing (i.e. transcript) to the District Administrator. 

    3. At the end of each academic semester or quarter, each district board member shall send proof of his/her enrollment and academic standing (i.e. transcript) to the District Administrator.

    4. Each District Officer shall sign, upon election, a form giving the District Administrator permission to request / determine enrollment status at any time during the term of office. 

    5. Nominees for district office must be members of chapters in good standing with the Texas-Oklahoma District and CKI. 

    6. Nominees must submit a completed Declaration of Candidacy, a current official/unofficial transcript, a brief personal bio, and a signed District Officer Service Agreement stating that he/she will carry out the duties and responsibilities of the chosen office.

Section 2. Procedure for Elections of Lt. Governors

• • 1. The current Lt. Governor shall hold a Divisional Spring Rally in the spring semester prior to the District Convention for the election of a Lt. Governor-Elect. One (1) Kiwanian in good standing must be present at each Divisional Spring Rally. 

    2. All chapters in the Division should attend, but a quorum of all chapters in the division is required for the election of the Lieutenant Governor-Elect.

    3. Chapters are allowed two (2) voting delegates at the Divisional Spring Rally, as documented by a Delegate Certification Form. 

    4. The Lt. Governor shall open the floor for nominations that must be seconded and accepted. 

    5. After the floor has been closed, the candidate(s) are allowed three (3) minutes to present their platform. 

    6. Directly after the presentation there shall be a five (5) minute question and answer period in which only CKI members may present questions to the candidate.

    7. After all candidates have caucused, the delegates shall meet their chapters to discuss chapter endorsement. 

    8. All votes shall be made in writing.

    9. The winning candidate must receive a majority of the votes, if not then there shall be a run-off between the two candidates with the highest electoral percentage. 

    10. In the case of a tie, the Lt. Governor’s ballot shall be used to break the tie. 

    11. A Kiwanian must count all votes and these votes must be sent to the District Administrator in a sealed envelope, signed along the seal, to be kept for 90 days. 

    12. The result of the election should be announced upon completion of the voting; however, specific votes shall not be disclosed. 

    13. The current Lt. Governor shall then send all of the appropriate certification materials required by Article IX, Section A of the Policy Code to the District Administrator.

    14. If no Lt. Governor is elected at the Divisional Spring Rally, then the election for that division’s Lt. Governor shall be held at District Convention and follow the procedure set in Article VIII, Section C of the Policy Code.

Section 3. Procedure for elections of Executive Staff (as defined in Article VII, Section 2 of the Texas-Oklahoma Bylaws)

• • 1. General Provisions

       1. Candidates, or their representative, may not formally declare their candidacy or campaign for any district office until the Monday after the completion of Fall Retreat.  No violations of this will be accepted, and could result in disqualification of the candidate. 

       2. No member of the District Board shall officially endorse or campaign for any candidate for District or International Office during any district or divisional event.

       3. Candidates for Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor may seek endorsement from any chapter within the district at a regularly scheduled meeting, and may seek endorsement from any division during the Spring Rallies.

       4. Candidates for Lt. Governor may seek endorsement from their home chapter or any chapter within their division prior to the divisional Spring Rally at one of the chapters’ regularly scheduled meetings.

       5. Current District Board members may not voucher or use any part of their budgets to be reimbursed for any campaign cost; including but not limited to mileage for travel, flyers, handouts, etc.

       6. Candidates cannot campaign, nor can informal caucuses be held, after 1:00 a.m. or before 8:00 a.m. during convention. No violations of this will be accepted, and could result in disqualification of the candidate. 

       7. Any candidate seeking a District Staff position or endorsement for a CKI office by the House of Delegates must submit a declaration of intent to the District Administrator by the time designated in the official Convention Program.

       8. All nominees for must declare candidacy by the time specified in the official Convention program. 

       9. Candidates will only be permitted to caucus and distribute campaign literature for the position specified in accordance with the declaration of candidacy on file with the Laws and Regulations Committee. 

       10. Any candidate not elected to an executive office they seek, may participate in the subsequent elections during the remainder of the House of Delegates. Candidates that choose this drop down option shall still be allotted the one minute speech time in the House of Delegates.

    2. Elections and Credentials Committee

       1. There shall be a special Elections and Credentials Committee composed primarily of the members of the Laws and Regulations Committee that shall see that elections are carried out properly. This committee shall have a chairperson for Elections and a chairperson for Credentials.

       2. Before the opening of polls, the Chairperson of the Credentials committee shall supply the Chairperson of the Elections committee with a list of accredited delegates and delegates-at-large.

       3. The Elections and Credentials Committee Chairs shall report each night to the District Administrator on the status of candidates. 

    3. Caucusing and Debating

       1. One or more caucuses will be held at which time candidates for the office of Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor and, if necessary, Lt. Governor and / or International Office may be introduced, present their platforms, and answer questions. 

       2. Each candidate will have three (3) minutes to present their platform.

       3. Directly after the presentation there shall be a five (5) minute question and answer period in which only CKI members may present questions to the candidate. 

       4. Any time allotted to present a candidate’s platform that is not used may be added as additional time for questioning. 

       5. Only Texas-Oklahoma CKI Members in good standing shall be able to participate in the caucus (e.g. ask questions).

       6. Assignment of divisions to caucuses and the selection of caucus moderators shall made by the Governor. 

       7. A district debate can also be held at each District Convention. The format of each debate will be approved by the current district board. 

       8. Hazing is not tolerated or permitted in either event.

    4. House of Delegates Voting Procedure

       1. During the House of Delegates, the nominations for Governor, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, International endorsement, and, if needed, Lieutenant Governor shall be opened and closed and the election conducted. 

       2. The nominees for Governor will be given one (1) minute to speak before the House and then ballots will be distributed.

       3. When all the ballots for the Governor election have been collected, counted, and announced, election of the Secretary shall commence and all nominees for Secretary will be given one (1) minute to speak before the House. 

       4. When all the ballots for the Secretary election have been collected, counted, and announced, election of the Treasurer shall commence and all nominees for Treasurer will be given one (1) minute to speak before the House. 

       5. When all the ballots for the Treasurer election have been collected, counted, and announced, election of the Editor shall commence and all nominees for Editor will be given one (1) minute to speak before the House. 

       6. When all the ballots for the Editor election have been collected, counted, and announced, nominees for International endorsement, if there are any, will be given one (1) minute to speak before the House and the balloting conducted. 

       7. In the event of a run-off election, it will be held before the election for the subsequent office. 

       8. All winning candidates must receive a majority of the votes cast. In races with three or more candidates, those candidates receiving the largest number of votes, the total of which equals a majority of others cast shall be placed on a run-off ballot. 

       9. There will be as many run-off elections as needed, until one of the candidates is elected with a simple majority of the votes cast.

       10. Elections shall be by a written and/or pre-printed ballot, as deemed appropriate by the Laws and Regulations Committee prior to the House of Delegates.

       11. No person shall be permitted to vote whose name does not appear on the list of voting delegates.

       12. Cumulative voting and voting by proxy will not be allowed. 

       13. No ballot will be counted on which it appears that the delegate has voted for a greater number of nominees for the said offices than there are vacancies to be filled and candidates to fill them. 

       14. Winning candidates shall be announced to the general membership at the Sunday morning session.