Annual Council Elections - 2024

Elections

Council delegates who wish to run for CTF Delegate, Discipline Committee, Professional Committee, or Resolutions Committee should complete a Nomination Form.

This Form is available in PDF format:

• PDF format may be printed off, completed, signed and forwarded to Central Office
• PDF Fillable Form

If you wish your Form to be included with the Council Workbook, it must be received by Central Office no later than March 21.

Completed nomination forms should be returned to:

Nicole Wells
3106 Joseph Howe Drive
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3L 4L7

Fax: 477-3517
email: council@nstu.ca

Click here to download a copy of the Summary of the 2024 Council Elections

Click here to download a copy of the Campaign Guidelines from the NSTU Constitution

Click here to download a copy of Operational Procedures

Campaign Guidelines

For candidates running for Council Committees, such as Discipline, Professional, Resolutions or as CTF Delegate, you have one opportunity to submit your Campaign Information for inclusion in The Teacher. Please forward to phamer@staff.nstu.ca:

• The deadline for inclusion of Campaign Information in the April edition of The Teacher is April 5th. 

Please peruse the Guidelines below for specifics for each opportunity.

From the NSTU Constitution:

Standing Order 8

 8.   CAMPAIGN GUIDELINES

(a)  These guidelines apply to any election campaign within the NSTU.

(b) Active campaigning within Council Chambers is prohibited except for the normal address to Delegates by Presidential and First Vice-Presidential Candidates. Passive campaigning within Council Chambers is permitted.

(c)  Active or passive campaigning for elections or activities not related to the structure or operations of the NSTU are prohibited within Council Chambers.

(d) Active campaigning shall be considered any display or action that involves the presentation of partisan information in a manner that is difficult for a group of Delegates to avoid. Examples of such active campaigning include, but is not limited to, the display of campaign posters, the shouting of campaign slogans, shouting out in support of a candidate other than during the normal address to delegates, distributing materials throughout Council Chambers including the placing of campaign materials anywhere within Council Chambers prior to, during, or following a Council session, and demonstrations in support of a given candidate.

(e)  Passive campaigning shall be considered any display or action that is observable only by people in the immediate vicinity of the campaign material and involves no explicit action to promote or advance those materials at the time at which the material is seen or heard. Examples of such passive campaigning include the use of written materials containing references to a candidate, the wearing of campaign clothing, buttons, or ornaments, and the presence of a single copy of a candidate’s campaign literature at delegates’ seats and table spots.

(f)  A candidate or representative of the candidate is permitted to place up to one (1) item per delegate per session at the tables in Council Chambers prior to the start of the session. This would replace campaign material distribution at other times. A candidate would still be permitted to greet delegates as they enter Council Chambers.

(g)  Paid advertisements in any medium (press, radio, TV, The Teacher) are prohibited.

(h) The use of employer email is prohibited for campaigning purposes.

(i)   The use of the Membership Registry is prohibited for campaigning purposes by individual candidates.

(j)   The number of campaign posters/banners on display in the hotel(s) at Annual Council may be controlled by the hotel(s). If the hotel(s) do limit the number of posters/banners candidates will be informed of such limitations the week prior to the start of Council. A campaign poster shall include any poster, banner or sign posted by or for a Member running for an elected position that makes a reference to the candidate and/or the position being sought.

From Operational Procedures:

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE 9 – ELECTION PROCEDURES

D.    ELECTIONS CONDUCTED AT ANNUAL COUNCIL – FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE, PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEE, RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, AND CTF DELEGATES
I.    Nominations

a.    Elections at Annual Council shall be held for the following positions:

i.    office of First Vice-President,
ii.    NSTU delegates sent to the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation,
iii.    members serving on the Discipline Committee,
iv.    members serving on the Professional Committee, and
v.    members serving on the Resolutions Committee.

b.    Nominations for elections held at Annual Council shall open on the last Friday in February.
c.    Nominations for elections held at Annual Council shall be submitted on the official Nomination Form found on the NSTU website. Individuals may nominate themselves.
d.    A candidate’s Nomination Form must be completed and received by the Executive Director or designate no later than noon on the Friday of Annual Council.
e.    Notwithstanding c and d. above, candidates may be nominated from the floor of Council by any Voting Delegate of Annual Council, without the need to complete a Nomination Form.
f.    Nominations for the office of First Vice-President shall close, with the Independent Chair’s call for further nominations from the floor, during the Friday evening Session of Annual Council.
g.    Nominations for Committee members and CTF Delegate shall close, with the Independent Chair’s call for further nominations from the floor, during the Saturday afternoon Session of Annual Council.

II.    Campaigning

a.    Campaign guidelines are as set out in NSTU Standing Orders and these Operational Procedures.
b.    Active campaigning for elections held at Annual Council may begin no sooner than the open of nominations.
c.    If a Local invites candidates to attend a Local meeting or event, the invitation must be extended to all known candidates contending for that specific office/delegation/committee.
d.    Suspected violations to these campaign guidelines shall be resolved in the following manner:

i.    prior to Annual Council, suspected violations shall be reported to the Executive Director or designate, in a timely manner, for resolution;
ii.    during Annual Council, suspected violations shall be reported to the Chair of the Annual Council Elections Committee;
iii.    the Executive Director and/or Chair of the Annual Council Elections Committee will attempt to resolve the issue informally;
iv.    if an informal resolution can be found no further action is required;
v.    if no informal resolution is possible, the Executive Director or designate will make a ruling, the ruling shall be final, and the ruling may be announced to Annual Council; and,
vi.    rulings may include but are not necessarily limited to:

1.    a written warning,
2.    a notice of censure to other candidates,
3.    a public notice of censure to the membership, or
4.    removal from ballot.

III.    Eligibility to Vote

a.    Only Voting Delegates (including Local Alternate Delegates replacing Local Voting Delegates) are eligible to vote.

IV.    Electronic Ballot

a.    The electronic ballot shall have candidates listed in alphabetical order on the screen at the front of Council Chambers. Unless otherwise instructed by a candidate, the full legal name of the candidate shall be posted on the ballot.
b.    Voting will be conducted by electronic key pad.
c.    Notwithstanding a. and b. above, if the electronic key pad system is not working, paper ballots will be used and scrutineers will count the ballots.

V.    Financial

a.    Campaign spending by or on behalf of each First Vice-Presidential Candidate may not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).
b.    Campaign spending by or on behalf of each committee or CTF delegate candidate may not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).
c.    Candidates are solely responsible for all campaign spending.
d.    All promotional items, including prizes sponsored by the candidate, shall be included in the determination of campaign expenditures and shall be supported by receipt or assessed at fair market value.
e.    All candidates shall submit an official financial statement report form to the Annual Council Elections Committee within sixty (60) days from the conclusion of Annual Council. This report is to include an itemized list of expenditures.
f.    The Annual Council Elections Committee shall forward candidates’ financial statement reports to the Provincial Executive for review.
g.    First Vice-Presidential Candidates’ financial statement reports shall be published in The Teacher.

VI.    Candidates’ Publicity

a.    Each Candidate shall be permitted to have an insert in an issue of The Teacher prior to council. The insert to include:

i.    one (1) head and shoulder photograph;
ii.    a one hundred and fifty (150) word biography of personal, educational, and career achievements; and,
iii.    a platform of objectives, not to exceed six hundred (600) words for First Vice-Presidential Candidates and not to exceed three hundred (300) words for all other Candidates.

b.    The Candidate’s material for the insert must be forwarded to The Teacher at least fifteen (15) business days prior to publication.
c.    Inserts will appear in The Teacher in alphabetical order by office.
d.    First Vice-Presidential Candidates shall have two (2) opportunities to have inserts in The Teacher in subsequent issues.

VII.    Election of First Vice-President

a.    A candidate must obtain a majority of the votes cast to be elected as the First Vice-President of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union.
b.    In the event that a candidate does not obtain a majority of votes on the first ballot, there shall be a second ballot. The second ballot shall contain only the names of the two (2) candidates obtaining the highest number of votes cast on the first ballot.
c.    In the event of an equality of votes, the choosing of candidates for the second ballot or for the election of First Vice-President, the decision shall be by lottery. (i.e. placing the names of the candidates on equal size pieces of paper placed in a box and one (1) name being drawn by the Independent Chair of Council)

VIII.    Attendance at Annual Council and Provincial All Candidates’ Forum

a.    If not otherwise eligible to attend Council, First Vice-Presidential Candidates may attend Annual Council at the expense of the Union.
b.    A Provincial All Candidates’ Forum shall be held during the Opening Session of Annual Council.
c.    The Forum shall consist of seven-minute presentations by each Candidate followed by a question and answer period of up to twenty (20) minutes.
d.    The order of the Candidates’ presentations shall be chosen by lots.
e.    The forum will be moderated by the Independent Chair of Annual Council.  Extension to the question and answer period will be at the discretion of the Independent Chair with consideration being given to the overall agenda of the business meeting.