Bylaw 310: Chief Returning Officer and Elections Staff BYLAW 310: CHIEF RETURNING OFFICER AND ELECTIONS STAFF 01. Mandate This bylaw shall govern the duties and hiring process of the Students’ Union Elections Staff. 02. Elections Staff Composition The Elections Staff shall consist of: the C.R.O.; and one (1) or more D.R.O.(s), at the discretion of the C.R.O. and as permitted by budgeted availability of funds. 03. Elections Staff Hiring The C.R.O. shall be ratified by the Students’ Council after a hiring committee issues a recommendation. See Regulation 310.03 - Elections Staff Hiring for the procedure. The D.R.O.(s) shall be hired by a committee chaired by the C.R.O. See Regulation 310.03 - Elections Staff Hiring for the procedure. 04. Elections Staff Terms of Office The C.R.O. shall serve from May 1 to April 30 of the following year. The D.R.O.(s) shall serve from no earlier than May 1 and end on April 30 of the following year. 05. Election Staff Duties The duties of the C.R.O. shall include overseeing the implementation of Bylaws 310, 320, and 330; such duties required of the C.R.O. under other SU Bylaws; and being the highest responsible manager of the Elections Office and Elections Staff, particularly when interpreting, enforcing, and delegating authority afforded by the aforementioned Bylaws. The duties of the D.R.O.(s) shall include: such duties required of the D.R.O.(s) under Bylaws 310, 320, and 330; and such assistance as required by the C.R.O. in discharging their duties as set out in Section 06(1). If the C.R.O. is incapacitated and can not complete the duties of the office, C.A.C. shall assign those duties to another Member of the Elections Staff in the interim. See Regulation 310.06 - Elections Staff Duties for the list of responsibilities for Elections Staff. 06. Elections Staff Reporting and Dismissal The C.R.O. shall report directly to the Students’ Council and shall be dismissed only by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Students’ Council on two consecutive meetings, to be held not less than one (1) week apart. The D.R.O.(s) shall report directly to the C.R.O. and shall be dismissed only by a simple majority vote of the Members of the C.A.C. The C.R.O. shall submit a written report to the Students’ Council before the end of their contract or April 30, whichever comes first. See Regulation 310.07 - Elections Staff Reporting and Dismissal for the procedure. The final installment of remunerations for the C.R.O. shall be made contingent on submitting the written report outlined in Regulation 310.07 - Elections Staff Reporting and Dismissal. 07. Elections Advertisement The Elections Staff shall develop an advertisement and elections strategy to communicate the release of nomination packages, nomination deadlines, and elections which is to be presented by the C.R.O. to the Students’ Council at a minimum of thirty (30) days before the release of Executive Committee nomination packages. See Regulation 310.08 - Elections Advertisement for the procedure. 08. Classroom Talks The C.R.O. shall provide Candidates with a list of staff, departments, and faculties that have requested that Candidates not speak between classes. The C.R.O. is not responsible for the actions of Candidates speaking between classes. The C.R.O. maintains the right to reprimand Candidates who speak during scheduled class time without the instructor’s consent. Regulation 310.03: Elections Staff Hiring 01. Elections Staff Eligibility Requirements The Elections Staff shall not concurrently hold any position on the Students’ Council, its boards and committees, Student Representative Associations, Dedicated Fee Units, the D.I.E. Board, or the Students’ Union’s paid staff. The Elections Staff shall be Members of the Students’ Union throughout their terms. 02. Chief Returning Officer Students’ Council shall ratify the C.R.O. after a recommendation is issued by a hiring committee composed of: the incumbent C.R.O., as chair, voting only in the event of a tie; If the incumbent C.R.O. seeks an additional term: the incumbent C.R.O. shall be subject to the same hiring procedures as other Candidates; and the incumbent Speaker of the Students’ Council shall serve as chair, voting only in the event of a tie. two (2) Members of the D.I.E. Board in the event that less than two (2) Members of the D.I.E. Board are available to serve on the committee on at least seven (7) days' notice, the Council Administration Committee may appoint an individual who is not a Member of the Students’ Council for each D.I.E. Board seat on the committee unable to be filled. the Chair of the Council Administration Committee the Chair of the Council Administration Committee shall forward the selection committee’s recommendation to the Students’ Council; and a staff Member from the Students’ Union’s Governance Department, as a non-voting Member. 03. Deputy Returning Officer(s) The D.R.O.(s) shall be hired by a hiring committee composed of the Chief Returning Officer, as chair; two (2) Members the Council Administration Committee; and a staff Member from the Students’ Union’s Governance Department, as a non-voting Member. Regulation 310.06: Elections Staff Duties 01: Election Staff Duties Duties of the Elections Staff to be found in Bylaw include but are not limited to; overseeing the balloting process; conducting the elections; overseeing the advertisement of elections; submitting to the Speaker, as soon as practically possible, a report containing the results of any election of Members to the Students’ Council; determining the allocation of Councilors before the release of every nomination package and forthwith tabling Students’ Council a report detailing the allocation of Councilors and the statistics used to reach that allocation; determining the dates for all nomination deadlines, elections cycles, and voting days; the validation and posting of all nomination packages, plebiscite and referendum petitions; all relevant consultation and committee engagements; duties as prescribed in Regulation 150, including the running of plebiscites; and with the assistance of a staff Member of the Students’ Union’s Governance Department, the creation and dissemination of Vacancy Petitions; provide transitional material and information to the elections staff. Regulation 310.07: Elections Staff Reporting and Dismissal 01. Chief Returning Officer (C.R.O.) Reporting The Elections Staff shall submit a written report to the Students’ Council before the end of their contract or April 30, whichever comes first. This report shall include the following: activities of Elections Staff over the contracted year; recommendations for following Elections Staff and Students’ Council; recommended changes to elections Bylaws; and Elections Staff budget. Regulation 310.08: Elections Advertisement 01. Elections Advertisement The Elections Staff shall develop an advertisement and elections strategy to communicate the release of nomination packages, nomination deadlines, and elections which is to be presented by the C.R.O. to the Students’ Council at a minimum of thirty (30) days before the release of Executive Committee nomination packages. This strategy shall include, at a minimum: a plan to advertise in a student publication(s), including the availability of nomination packages, nomination deadlines, and dates of elections; a plan to communicate the availability of nomination packages, nomination deadlines, and elections with Faculty Associations and Departmental Associations; a plan to communicate with University of Alberta staff and administration over the impending elections period; a proposed timeline for elections; and an approximate budget of the advertisement strategy. The Elections Staff shall develop a written advertisement strategy to communicate the availability of nomination packages, nomination deadlines, and elections dates for the fall Business Days to be submitted to C.A.C. no later than August 15. This strategy shall include at a minimum: the number of available seats; and a plan to communicate the election timeline to relevant Faculty Associations and Departmental Associations.