Member-run democracy

Elections Committee

Member-run elections are the foundation of a member-run union. The Elections Committee administers fair, transparent, and accessible votes so every eligible member has a meaningful opportunity to participate.

About the committee

Building our union’s democratic power

The Elections Committee is a democratically elected group of UAW 2750 members responsible for administering Local elections, contract ratification votes, and arbitration votes.

Its job is not to choose outcomes. Its job is to make sure members can understand the process, candidates are treated equally, ballots remain secret and secure, votes are counted accurately, and results are reported to the membership.

What the committee does

From notice through final results

Publish clear notice

Share nomination deadlines, election dates, voting instructions, and other information members need to participate.

Verify eligibility

Confirm that candidates and voters meet the applicable requirements in the UAW Constitution and Local bylaws.

Administer accessible voting

Organize secret-ballot voting that gives eligible members a reasonable and meaningful opportunity to cast a ballot.

Count and report

Supervise the count, issue a written canvass of results, and receive timely protests under the procedures in the bylaws.

How the committee is chosen

Elected annually by the membership

Any member in good standing may volunteer. Under the bylaws, members are automatically nominated and volunteer by accepting nomination at the general membership meeting called for that purpose.
01

Members receive at least seven days’ notice of the meeting where the committee election will take place.

02

Nominations are accepted at the meeting, and the election is held immediately after nominations close.

03

The membership elects three committee members and one alternate by plurality for one-year terms.

04

The elected committee chooses its chair and may recruit neutral member volunteers to help administer particular votes.

Neutrality matters: committee members, alternates, and election volunteers may not be candidates in an election they administer or campaign for or against a candidate while performing election duties. A committee member who wants to seek elected office must resign from the committee before accepting nomination.

How Local elections work

A transparent process, step by step

  1. 1

    Members receive notice

    The notice identifies the positions being elected, nomination deadline, voting dates and locations or methods, and any possible runoff schedule.

  2. 2

    Eligible members accept nomination

    Candidates follow the committee’s instructions, state how their name should appear on the ballot, and may submit a candidate statement of up to 500 words.

  3. 3

    Candidate information is shared equally

    Eligible candidate statements and a sample ballot are distributed together. Union resources provided for the election must be made available equally.

  4. 4

    Members vote by secret ballot

    Balloting is organized to give eligible members a reasonable opportunity to vote. Each member personally casts their own ballot.

  5. 5

    Ballots are counted

    The Elections Committee supervises and conducts the count. Candidates may designate a member to observe the count as a challenger.

  6. 6

    Results are published

    The committee issues a written canvass and releases the results electronically. Any protest must follow the process and deadline in the bylaws.

Vacancies and special elections

When an elected position opens mid-term

Vacancies can arise suddenly when a Fellow leaves NIH, changes appointments, begins a degree program, or otherwise becomes unable to continue serving. The Elections Committee begins the process promptly after learning of a vacancy and communicates the applicable nomination and voting schedule as soon as it is set.

The date and procedure for a special election must follow the UAW Constitution and Local bylaws. Under the currently posted Local bylaws, vacancies in offices other than President are generally grouped into April or October special elections depending on when the vacancy occurs. A vacancy in the presidency follows the succession provisions in the governing documents.

Governing rules

Read the source documents

This page is a plain-language overview. The UAW Constitution and UAW 2750 bylaws control if any summary here differs from the governing text.

Read the Local bylaws Read the UAW Constitution

Take part

Help protect member democracy

Run for the Elections Committee at the annual membership meeting, volunteer to assist with an election, or contact the committee with a question.

Email elections@uaw2750.org