Election Guidelines

Prior to General and Member Nominations

The Constitution and Elections Chair and Nominating Committee Chair will host a prepared educational video. Candidates interested in applying must view the video which will outline the General Nomination process and the Member Nominated process. The video will include a review of all requirements, the candidate packet, and a timeline of the nomination process and will remain available through the close of Member Nominations. The Constitution and Elections Chair will track compliance.
Any individual who allows their name to be considered must be in good standing with the Fraternity at the time of the General and/or Member Nomination process as evidenced by payment of their annual per capita dues, Loyally Anchored enrollment or 50-year membership.

Member Nominations (Post Slate)

Nominations by members must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time at Executive Offices by filing the required forms to the attention of the Executive Director by the fourteenth (14th) day after the Slate is presented. No late nominations shall be considered. The nominator should verify the nominated candidate’s interest before the Member Nomination. By this same deadline, the Member-Nominated candidate must be in good standing with the Fraternity as evidenced by payment of their annual per capita dues, Loyally Anchored enrollment or 50-year membership.
Any Member-Nominated candidate must complete the same application materials that are completed by interested candidates in the General Nomination process. Member-Nominated candidates who previously submitted application materials in the General Nomination process will not be required to complete additional application materials and, instead, the prior application materials will be considered complete. Application materials must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time at Executive Offices to the attention of the Executive Director by the seventh (7th) day following the close of the Member Nominations.
A Slated candidate may not be nominated for another position and remain in their Slated slot. No candidate may move forward in more than one position.
If accepting a nomination for another position, the Slated candidate must resign their Slated slot. The Fraternity Nominating Committee will slate a new nominee for the vacated position on the Slate.
Staff shall not disclose the progress of member nominations or identify those candidates prior to announcement by the Constitution and Elections Chair.
Upon confirmation of receipt of Member-Nominated candidates’ completion of the application materials, the Constitution and Elections Chair will notify both the Slated and Member-Nominated candidates simultaneously as to who the candidates are for the applicable position. Following notification to the Slated and Member-Nominated candidates, the Constitution and Elections Chair will notify the voting delegates of any Member-Nominated candidates. In conjunction with that announcement, the Election Guidelines will be published again.

Candidate Information (Post Slate and Member Nominations)

Along with biographical information, a specified, predetermined introductory paragraph adapted from the candidate’s application packet will be published for each candidate. The Constitution and Elections Chair will allow candidates to review their paragraphs prior to publication in the Convention program. There will be a word limit as outlined in the application materials completed by each candidate.
All candidate information will be posted in a consistent manner as directed by the Constitution and Elections Chair.

Following the Slate Announcement and Member Nominations

All Slated and Member-Nominated candidates will be listed Fraternity publications under position title and in position order. Listings will be alphabetical by last name, with method of nomination noted.
The Constitution and Elections Chair will deliver instructions to all candidates regarding the Election Forum.
The Constitution and Elections Chair and Fraternity Parliamentarian will host a mandatory educational webinar for all candidates. Goals of the webinar include reducing campaigning and leveling of the “playing field”. Content will include what is expected of each candidate and their supporters, rules of the election, and information regarding campaigning and the consequences of substantiated violations.

Campaigning

All members of the Fraternity and staff will be informed that campaigning is prohibited. Campaigning is defined as working in an organized and/or active way to persuade delegates to support a candidate or to discourage delegates from voting in favor of another candidate.
Slated and Member-Nominated candidates will not utilize social media in any manner that may be construed as campaigning.
Election-related verbal and written communications including, without limitation, verbal discussions, letters, phone calls, text messages, social media, and all other forms of electronic communications, etc. sent by the candidate or on a candidate’s behalf will not be permitted. The Panel (consisting of the Constitution and Elections Chair and Parliamentarian) will determine if reported communication is considered election-related content or business/personal content. Failure to comply will result in the Panel discussing the issue with the noted candidate and taking appropriate action (outlined below in Campaign Penalties).
Signs, placards, balloons, additional literature, favors, proposed ballots, and other publicity type items are prohibited prior to and during the Convention. • Delegates to the Convention shall not be instructed or encouraged how to vote.
Members of the Fraternity Nominating Committee will refrain from promoting slated candidates. Questions will be referred to the process used, and biographical information published and distributed.
Nominating Committee members are elected in the Regional Meetings. Campaigning for these positions is also prohibited.
A Panel consisting of the Fraternity Constitution and Elections Chair and the Parliamentarian will address sub-standard election behaviors.
Any violation of campaigning restriction(s) should be reported to the Constitution and Elections Chair either verbally or in writing. The Constitution and Elections Chair will ask the complainant to make a signed complaint which can be done in writing or electronically. The Panel is authorized to investigate both verbal and written complaints. The candidate for whom a violation has been filed will be informed and provided identifying information (collegiate, alumnae, delegate, or non-delegate) as to who filed the complaint.
If, after further inquiry and review, the Panel finds insufficient evidence to substantiate a violation, the candidate will be informed that no violation has occurred. The Panel will then make every effort, within reason, to clear up any misinformation.
If, after further inquiry and review, the Panel determines that a violation has taken place, the candidate for whom the campaigning has occurred will be informed and asked to address the situation. The Panel will then make every effort, within reason, to clear up any misinformation.

Campaigning Penalties

Candidates found to have a substantiated campaign election violation shall be subject to the following process:

Level 1 Warning: In the event of one (1) benign, unknowing campaign election violation, the Constitution and Elections Chair will notify the candidate, inform them of the violation, review the Election Guidelines regarding the violation, and direct the candidate to take appropriate measures to avoid future violations. The Constitution and Elections Chair will remind the candidate that an additional violation could result in either a Level 2 or Level 3 Warning.
Level 2 Warning: In the event there are two (2) benign unknowing campaign election violations or a single knowing campaign elections violation, the Constitution and Elections Chair will notify the candidate, inform them of the violation, and review the Election Guidelines regarding the violation, ask the candidate to take appropriate measures to avoid future violations, and provide suggestions on how to mitigate additional violations from occurring. The Constitution and Elections Chair will remind the candidate that an additional violation will result in a Level 3 Warning.
Level 3 Warning: In the event there are three (3) benign unknowing campaign election violations or two (2) knowing campaign election violations, the Constitution and Elections Chair will notify the candidate, inform them of the violation, and let the candidate know if the violation will be announced to the Convention body by the Constitution and Elections Chair prior to the Election Forum at Convention.
- The announcement of Level 3 benign unknowing campaign violations will be at the discretion of the Constitution and Elections Chair and Parliamentarian. Announcement of Level 3 knowing campaign violations will automatically be announced. The Constitution and Elections Chair will only announce that the candidate was issued a Level 3 Warning as set forth in the Elections Guidelines.
- Level 3 Warning campaign violations at minimum will be posted on the Convention meeting room entrances and Registration Desk, with the goal of communicating with each voting delegate. All information received or collected during the elections process (prior to and at Convention) will be destroyed by the Constitution and Elections Chair following the Election Forum. However, at the discretion of the Constitution and Elections Chair, known purposeful campaign violations may be referred to the Alumnae Review Process.
Level 4 Warning: A substantiated campaign violation elevated to a Level 4 Warning would result in a 15-second reduction of response time for the known question. The reduction in response time may be progressive, reducing allotted time by 15 seconds per each additional substantiated violation.
- The Constitution and Elections Chair will announce and provide a more detailed explanation of each substantiated Level 4 violation at the General Session following the introduction of candidates.

Presentation of Slated and Member-Nominated Candidates at Convention

These terms will be used as per the Constitution.

The Constitution and Elections Chair will announce Slated and Member-Nominated candidate(s), noting position and name only, and refer to the written material distributed to delegates for further information. The candidates will be announced by position in alphabetical order by last name. Each candidate will stand and be seated in turn.
All candidates should be seated as close to the front of the room as possible.

Election Panel/Forum

The Fraternity Parliamentarian will serve as the facilitator of the Forum and the Constitution and Elections Chair will serve as the timer. The Fraternity Parliamentarian will make the introduction speech at the Elections Forum.
A panel consisting of no more than one (1) alumna delegate, one (1) collegiate delegate, and one (1) Cabinet delegate will be appointed by the Fraternity President to develop questions with the Fraternity Parliamentarian and the Constitution and Elections Chair.
When there is only one (1) candidate for an office, the candidate will be introduced to the Convention body by the Fraternity Parliamentarian and be allowed up to two (2) minutes to introduce themselves and their goals or vision for the office. This will be timed by the Constitution and Elections Chair.
When there are two (2) or more candidates for a position, each candidate will speak in alphabetical order according to last names and be allowed up to three (3) minutes for their initial speech.
- Following the introductory speeches, the panel appointed by the Fraternity President will ask a question of each candidate who will have designated time to respond. The Constitution and Elections Chair will serve as the timer and designate the order in which candidates respond.
- The prepared questions will be given to the candidates just prior to the Election Forum.
- Each candidate’s prepared question will be read aloud and posted on screen, if possible, for the candidates and Convention body.
- The Constitution and Elections Chair is responsible for arranging and overseeing the time given for candidates to outline an answer to their given question just prior to the Election Forum.
- Candidates will have one (1) minute and thirty (30) seconds to answer their question.

Adopted by Council for 2024 Convention