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Rule 42 - Quadrennial Elections

(a) Elections for each of the Offices listed in Sub-Rule (b) of this Rule shall be held every four years in accordance with the Rules and the first such Quadrennial Election shall be held in 1995.

(b) Electorates

(i) All members of the Union are eligble to vote in accordance with the Rules shall elect persons to fill the Offices listed below:-

National Secretary
National Deputy Secretary
National Assistant Secretary/s (subject to Rule 30 (b))
National Organiser/s (subject to Rule 30(b))

(ii) In each Branch the members allocated to it and eligible to vote in accordance with the Rules shall elect persons to fill the Offices listed below :-

Branch Secretary
Branch Deputy Secretary (subjeet to Rule 30 (d))
Branch Assistant Secretary/s (subject to Rule 30 (d))
Branch Organiser/s (subject to Rule 30(d))

(c) Taking Office

All persons declared elected shall take Office from July 1in the year ot the Quadrennial Election.
((d) If a date for taking any step in an elechon tails On a Saturday Sunday or public holiday, the date far taking the step shall he the next ensuing working week day.

RULE 43- RETURNING OFFICERS

(a) A National Retuniing Officer and Deputy Nationai Returning Officers shall bc appointed at the second meeting at National Counci] following each Quadrennial Election
Subject to the provisions of the Act the Nanonal Returning Officer and Deputy NalionaI Returning Officers shall have responsibility for the conduct of all ballots in the Union in accordance with the Rules.
Subject to the provisions of the Act the National Returning Officer shall have the final authority over aIl elections.
(d) No holder of any Office in the Union or a Brarch nor any empIoyee of the Union or a Branch shall be appointed as the National Returning Officer or as a Deputy Nationa1 Returning Officer.
(e) In the event of a vacancy occurring in the position of National Returning Officer and/or of a Deputy National Returning Officer National Council shall appoint a replacernent.

RULE 44- NOMINATIONS
(a) Nominations for Offices to be filled at a Quadrennial Election of the Urion shall open on February 20 and close at 5pm on March 20 in the year of the election.
(b) All nomination papers shall be signed by the nominee and two members of the Union who are financial as at the close of nominations.
(c) All nomination papers shall be forwarded by certified mail or delivered addressed to the National Returning Officer at a post office box under the control of the Returning Officer.
(d) A nomination once received bv the National Returning Officer may not be withdrawn.
(e) If the National Returning Officer finds a nomination to be defective, the National Returning Officer shall before rejecting the nomination notify the member concerned of the defect and where practicable give the member not less than 7 days from the day of such notification to remedy the defect.
Eligibility to Nominate
(f) Subject to the Rules nominations for all Offices shall be open to all members of the Union who are financial as at the close of nominations.
(g) A member shall be eligible to nominate if at the close of nominations the member is financial and has remained a member for at least one year irnmediately prior to the close of nominations and has been engagcd or reasonably seeking to be engaged in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule for that year.
Provided that for the purposes of this Sub-Rule a member.
(i) whilst holding an elected Office in the Union, shall be deemed to have been engaged in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule; or
(ii) who after becoming a member of the Union is employed by the Union to assist in the work of the Union shall be deemed to have been engaged in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule.
(b) No member shall be eligible to nominate for more than one Office of Officer of the Union. If a member nominates for more than one such Office each such nomination shall be void.
(i) No Officer of the Union shall be eligible to nominate for a different Office of Officer of the Union at an election (including an election to fill a casual vacancy) unless such Officer has given written notice to the National Secretary of intention to do so
An Officer of the Union who does not intend to nominate for election to any Office of Officer of the Union at an election shall give written notice to the National Secretary accordingly.
Notices under this Sub~Rule shall be irrevocable and shall be given at least 28 days before the opening of nominations. 'be National Secretary %~hall inform the membership of a notice as soon as possible.
(j) No member or Officer of the Union who has reached the age of sixty-five years as at the close of nominations shall be eligible to nominate for any Office
Election Statement
(k) A candidate in an election may forward with the candidate's nomination form a head and shoulder photograph and a 100 word statement for printing in a Union publication to be circulated amongst the membership. The statement shall require the approval of the National Returning Officer and shall meet all requirements of the law. Scandalous or defamatory matter will not be pnblishcd. Words in excess of the 100 word limit will be deleted from the end of the statement.
RULE 45- ROLL OF VOTERS

(a) For all elections of Officers of the Union and for any other ballots a Roll of Voters showing each voters:
(i) name.
(ii) postal address, and
(iii) Union number
shall be prepared by the National Seeretary at least 28 days before the date of the opening of the ballot and a copy of the Roll shall be provided to the National Returning Officer at least 21 days before the date of the opening of the ballot.
(b) (i) Only members who are financial on the day 28 days before the date on which ballot materials are to be posted to voters shall be entitled to have their names included on the Roll of Voters.
(ii) New members and members who have become financial shall he entitled to be added to the Roll of Voters up to 14 days before the date of thc close of the ballot

RULE 46 - ELECTION PROCEDURES

One Candidate Only
 (a) In the event of only one candidate being nominated for an office, the national returing officer shall declare the candidate elected to the office.
(i) In the case of the quadrennial elections the candidate declared elected shall take office on and from July 1st in the year of the election.
(ii) In the case of an election to fill a casual vacancy, the candidate declared elected shall take office on and from the declaration of the election by the national returing officer.

Two or More Candidates
 (b) In the event of two or more candidates being nominated for any Office a ballot shall be conducted and the National Returning Officer shall:
(i)seven days following the closure of nominations arrange for the printing of the ballot papers which shall contain the names of the candidates in alphabetical order; and
(ii) initial each ballot paper before despatching papers to voters. and Materials

Issue and Return of Ballot
 (c) The ballot shall be opened on April 14 by the National Returning Officer posting to each member listed on the Roll of Voters:
(i) voting instructions from the National Returning Officer
(ii) a ballot paper
(iii) an envelope marked "Ballot Paper Envelope"
(iv) an envelope marked "Security Envelope"
(v) a stamped envelope addressed to the National Returning Offlcer

(d) The instructions to each voter shall include instructions to take the following steps:
(i) place a cross or a tick next to the name of the candidate on the ballot paper the voter wishes to vote for
(ii) place the completed ballot paper in the Ballot Paper Envelope and seal it
(iii) place the sealed Ballot Paper Envelope in the Security Envelope and seal it
(iv) sign the voter's name and put the voter's number in the place provided on the Security Envelope
(v) place the sealed Security Envelope inside the envelope addressed to the National Returning Officer and seal it
(vi) post the sealed envelope address to the National Returning Officer

(e) In the case of Quadrennial Elections voters shall also be instructed that the ballot shall close at 5pm on June 14 and that only ballot papers received by the National Returning Officer by that time shall be counted provided that a ballot paper contained in an envelope which is received by the National Returning Officcr by 5pm on June 19 hearing a post mark dated not later than June 14 shall be counted.

Absentee Voting
 (f) A member entitled to vote may apply in writing to the National Returning Officer for an absentee vote in which case ballot materials may be given to the member personally or posted to an address nominated by the member. All such application shall be made before 5pm on June 7 in the year of a Quadrennial Election.
Counting the Ballot
 (g) On June 15 the National Returning Officer and the Deputy National Returning Officers shall attend at a place nominated by and under the control of the National Returning Officer in order to count the ballot.
(h) The National Returning Officer shall notify each candidate by date of the count at least 7 days prior to the count.
(i) The count shall be conducted as follows:
(i) The National Returning Officer shall in the presence of any scrutineers open the envelopes addressed to the National Returning Officer.
(ii) The envelope marked "Security Envelope" shall be checked against the Roll Voters to ensure that no votes are cast except by those entitled to vote and thL no member votes more than once.
(iii) The Security Envelopes shall then be opened and placed in one bundle and the Ballot Papers Envelopes in a separate bundle.
(iv) The National Returning Officer shall then mix the bundles in such a manner that no Ballot Paper Envelope may he identified with its Security Envelope.
(v) Voting Paper Envelopes shall then be opened and counting commenced.

Declaration of Election Result
 (i) On completion of the count the National Returning Officer shall forthwith declare elected the candidate receiving the most votes.
(ii) The National Returning Officer shall declare the result of the election in wnting to the National Secretarv and each Branch Secretary.
(iii) The National Secretary shall publish to the member'. of the Lnion the declaration of the result of the election.
(iv) All persons declared elected shall take Office from July tin the year of the Quadrennial Election.

Scrutineers
 (k) Each candidate shall have the right to appoint not more than two scrutineers being financial members of the Union who shall he entitled to be present at all stages of scrutineers shall be by notice in writing signed by the candidate to the National Returning Officer. The rights and duties of scrutineers shall be to represent the interest of their appointing candidate. They shall be present at all stages of the ballot while the Returning Officer carries out the procedures under the Rules and to direct the attention of the returning officer to any irregularity concerning the carrying out of any step in the ballot. They shall do all things necessary so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be observed. They shall not obstruct the returning officer in the performance of the returning officer's duties nor interfere with the conduct of the ballot.

Absentee Voting
(t) A member entitled to vote may apply in writing to the Natioral Returning Officer for an absentee vote in which case ballot material maybe given to the member personally or posted to an address nominated by the member. All such applications shall be made before 5pm on June 7 in the year of a Quadrennial Election
Counting the Ballot
((g) On June 15 The National Returning Officer and the Deputy National Returning Officers shall attend at a place nominated by and under the control of the National Returning Offlcer in order to count the ballot
(li) The National Returning Officer shall notify each candidate by post of the place and date of the count at least 7 days prior to the court.
(i) The count shall be conducted as follows:
(i) The National Returning Officer shall in the presence of any scrutineers open the envelopes addressed to the National Returning Officer
(ii) The envelope marked "Security Envelope" shall be checked against the Roll of Voters to ensure that no votes are cast except by those entitled to vote and that no member votes more than once.
(iii) The Security Envelopes shall then be opened and placed in one bundle and the Ballot Papers Envelopes in a separate bundle.
(iv) The Naflonal Returning Officer shall then mix the bundles in such a manner that no Ballot Paper Envelope may be identified with its Secnrity Envelope.
(v) Voting Paper Envelopes shall then be opened and counting commenced.
Declaration of E]ection Resut

(j) (i) On completion of the count the National Rcturning Officer shall forthwith declare elected the candidate receiving the most votes.
(ii) The National Retutning Officer shall declare the result of the election in writing to the National Secretary and each Branch Secretary.
(iii) The National Secretary shall publish to the members of the Union the declaration of the result of the election
(iv) All persons declared elected shall take Office from July 1 in the year of the Quadrennial Election.

Scrutineers
(k) Each candidate shall have the right to appoint not more than two scrutineers being financial members of the Union who shall be entitled to be present at all stages of the count. The appointment of scrutineers shall be by notice in writing signed by the candidate to The National Returning Officer. The rights and duties of scrutineers shall be to represent the interest of their appointing candidate. They shall be entitled to be present at all stages of the ballot while the Returning Officer carries out the procedures under the Rules and to direct the attention of the Returning Officer to any irregularity concerning the carrying out of any step in the ballot. They shall do all things necessary so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be observed. They shall not obstruct the Returning Officer in the performance of the Returning Officers duties nor interfere with the conduct of tbe ballot.

Protests
(I) In the event of any protest being lodged against any candidate or against any part of the proceedings, the counting of the ballot shall continue, and the protest shall be made the object of inquiry after the declaration by the National Returning Officer.