--------------------The United Federation of Teachers in District 11 -------------------------------------Alice Cooper-Jackson, District Representative---------------------

Roles of Chapter Leaders and Election Commitees

Chapter Leader Responsibilities

As the chapter leader, it’s up to you to get the ball rolling for the next UFT chapter election, at which members will vote for chapter leader, delegate(s), paraprofessional representative and any other chapter positions. This booklet will guide you and the Election Committee toward a smooth election. Click here for Booklet.

Here’s what you have to do:

  1. You either may appoint an Election Committee with the chapter’s approval or you must hold a chapter election for an Election Committee.
  2. If you appoint the Election Committee, you have to conduct a union meeting or written ballot and ask the chapter to accept this committee.
  3. If your chapter conducts an election, you must give clear notice of the process via a posted memo or discussion at a union meeting.
  4. A member may not serve on the Election Committee if he or she is a candidate.
  5. Safeguard the election materials that the union has sent you and turn them over to the Election Committee once it is chosen. The materials are listed below.

The Election Committee’s 7 responsibilities

  1. Assuring your election or appointment was done according to the rules established by the UFT for chapter elections.
  2. Preparing a Notice of Election (including details of the nomination process), placing it in every mailbox and posting it on UFT bulletin boards - including those in all school sites and annexes - at least three (3) days prior to the date of nominations.
  3. Preparing the ballots and the ballot box and determining eligible voters on the basis of established rules.
  4. Conducting the actual election.
  5. Counting the ballots.
  6. Certifying the election to the UFT Membership Department on the appropriate form.
  7. Keeping the ballots and the ballot box in a safe place for at least one month, until such time as a challenge is no longer possible.

In order to properly fulfill your responsibilities, you will need the election materials that the UFT sent to your chapter leader.

These include:

  • The Chapter Election poster (listing the rules and regulations, which are to be posted prominently and read carefully).
    • A sample Notice of Election. A UFT printout of school members based on the March payroll.
    • An official election certification form.
    • Chapter Leader certificate for posting the election.

Finally, you will need the telephone number of your UFT borough office so that you can call the borough representative if you have any questions about the procedures outlined in this manual or any other problems that might arise.

Detailed Chapter Leader Responsibilities 

1. RESPONSIBILITY: Make sure that you and your committee were selected in accordance with UFT rules.

Please make sure the following rules were adhered to in your selection. If not, go back to the chapter leader and insist that the rules be followed so that your selection cannot be challenged.

"The Election Committee may be designated by the chapter leader, with the approval of the chapter, or may be elected by the chapter."

If your chapter leader appointed you to the Election Committee, a union meeting or written ballot should have been conducted and the chapter should have been asked to accept this committee.

  1. If your chapter conducted an election, there should have been clear notice of the process posted or discussed at a union meeting.
  2. Candidates may not serve on the Election Committee.

If your committee was appropriately elected or selected, your first role will be to choose a chair. Then, go on to the next step.

The written notice of election shall contain:

2. RESPONSIBILITY: Prepare and distribute the Notice of Election.

  • A list of the positions being filled.
  • Procedures for nominations.
  • An election calendar.
  • The procedure for appeal.

A sample Notice of Election is included in the materials which you can use or adapt for your needs.

Positions to be filled: In addition to the chapter leader, state how many delegates are to be elected: 1 per 60 teacher members or major fraction thereof. You may include other chapter positions.

Procedures for nominations: Some schools require written nominations to the Election Committee chair, others take oral nominations at a well-publicized chapter meeting.

The election calendar must include the date for nominations which must be at least three (3) school days after the distribution of the Notice of Election, and the date of election, which must be at least five (5) school days following the distribution of the Notice of Election. Obviously, the minimum number of school days in which a UFT election can be held is six (five days after the notice of election).

Please review the chapter election procedures on the official Election Poster so that you can establish the appropriate time and place for voting.

Don't forget to list the appeals procedure (spelled out on the poster) on the actual Notice of Election. You should copy the appeals procedure in its entirety.

Finally, make sure that the Notice of Election is placed in every member's mailbox , including those at annexes and all school sites, and post it on the UFT bulletin board at each annex and site at least three (3) school days prior to the final date of nominations.

The chair of the Election Committee must verify that all nominees are willing to run. The ballot box must be secure and monitored at all times by the Election Committee.

3. RESPONSIBILITY: Ballots, the ballot box and eligibility.

Here's who may nominate, run and vote in chapter elections:

  1. Any member of the chapter may nominate or be nominated as a candidate for chapter leader. District 75 members nominate and are nominated for a chapter office in their District 75 school election. NOTE: The UFT constitution does not provide for co-chapter leaders. If your chapter chooses to have a co-chapter leader, it can be only on an informal basis. Only one name may be submitted as the chapter leader of record. Agency fee payers may not nominate, run or vote for any union office.
  2. Only teachers are eligible to run and vote for school delegate. Secretaries, paraprofessionals, guidance counselors and other functional chapter members are represented in the Delegate Assembly through their functional chapters. These members need a ballot without the candidates for delegate or with the delegate portion of the ballot crossed out. The chapter is entitled to one delegate for every 60 teacher members or major fraction thereof.
  3. Only paraprofessionals may nominate, run and vote for the school paraprofessional representative.
  4. People assigned to your school on split assignment shall vote in the school where they work for three or more days or in their payroll school if they are not assigned to one school for at least three days. Similarly, F-status substitutes (those with regularly scheduled part-time assignments) may vote in their school election.
  5. District 75 (citywide special ed) staff who are permanently housed in your building may vote in your school's chapter elections only for chapter leader, not for delegate.
  6. The names of District 75 members in your building will not appear on the printout of UFT members in your school. Unfortunately, the Board of Education cannot list staff in citywide education programs by site. So if your building houses a substantial number of District 75 staff, you may want to ask the borough office in advance for a printout listing staff at their school. That will speed verification of eligibility to vote in your building chapter leader election.
  7. The Election Committee should set aside the ballots of anyone whose name does not appear on the school printout - including those of any District 75 site members if it has not been possible to secure a printout of that school in advance - until you can verify membership and eligibility. (See responsibility 4-8.)
  8. If only one nomination is received for a position, the Election Committee shall declare that nominee elected.