Election Timeline 2008 | Organization for Transformative Works

The following is a timeline for OTW elections in 2008. Looking for other election information? Please visit the OTW Elections Website.

Early September

Elections works with Volunteers to identify possible candidates (committee members in good standing with at least a year of service).

Elections sends to all eligible candidates a call for candidacy, which outlines the job description and makes clear all requirements, including the required verification of all candidates’ legal names.
During the week of Sept. 15-22, the Elections Committee and the Board host a chat for all committee members who might be interested in running for the Board, to answer questions about what is entailed.
Elections and Community Relations send an announcement of the upcoming election, the FAQ, and the timeline for that year to all OTW members.

Deadline to declare candidacy and submit initial legal name verification (the chair of Elections will verify with Financial that the candidate has paid with either a check or credit card in her/his legal name). If the candidate served on a committee under his/her pseud, then the chair of Elections will verify with Volunteers that the candidate has been a committee member for at least one year.
Elections determines whether the election will be contested. (To be contested, there must be more declared candidates than there are total open seats, e.g. three or more candidates competing for two open seats.) If not, the deadline for declaring a candidacy is extended, and the Elections Committee actively recruits people to run from those in the pool of eligible candidates.
The campaign period commences. The campaign period extends up to the close of voting.
Community Relations begins to publicize the upcoming election and the membership cut-off date (and its significance) among non-OTW members.

If the deadline was extended in order to facilitate a contested election, this date is the final deadline for the declarations of additional candidates.

Deadline to become a paid member, for the purposes of voting in this election.
Candidates are required to provide their official statements to the Elections Committee, which will distribute these.

Announcement about the election to the membership, containing a direct link to the voting page.

Reminder about the election to the membership, containing a direct link to the voting page.

Reminder about the election to the membership, containing a direct link to the voting page.
Polls open for 48 hours, beginning at noon EST.

At noon EST, polls close. This is the deadline for voting and for voter complaints about technical difficulties in voting.
At midnight EST, if there are still no results, Elections begins posting status reports.

Deadline for candidates to request recounts, revotes, or clarification of results. Elections will give a ruling within a week of receipt of any formal complaints.

Any revotes will take place no more than two weeks following the Election Committee’s determination that they are necessary.