2015 BCAFN Election Guidelines - Office of the Regional Chief

BRITISH COLUMBIA ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS ELECTION GUIDELINES OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL CHIEF The following election guidelines apply to the election to select the Office of the Regional Chief at the BC Assembly of First Nations Annual General Meeting on June 25, 2015 (“Election Day”) to be held in Vancouver, BC. All documents can be found online at www.bcafn.ca ELECTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Nominees and Candidates are required to review BC Assembly of First Nation’s Election Policies and Procedures. Candidates are encouraged to review the BC Assembly of First Nations’ Responsibilities of the Regional Chief and the Constitution and Bylaws. NOMINATION PROCEDURE AND DEADLINE A candidate for the Office of the Regional Chief shall be nominated by five members of the BC Assembly of First Nations (including the First Nation the candidate represents) and must complete the appropriate Nomination Form attached to these guidelines and return to the Electoral Officer at least 30 days before the Election Day. CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY Candidates must: 1. Be of First Nations ancestry from British Columbia; and 2. Be 19 years of age or greater. CANDIDATE PACKAGE Candidates or their Nominees must provide the Electoral Officer with the following material: 1. Nomination Form; 2. Acceptance of Nomination Form; and 3. A one-­‐page profile of the Nominee. 1 VOTER ELIGIBILITY Each member of the BC Assembly of First Nations shall have one vote which may only be exercised by their representative as set out on the Membership List or duly registered proxy pursuant to the BCAFN’s Election Policy and Procedure. VOTING PROCEDURE The voting process will be conducted in accordance with the Elections Policy and Procedures for the Office of the Regional Chief. Voting shall commence at 9:30 a.m. on Election Day and the first round of voting will close at 11:00 a.m. Voting shall be done in person by Chief or designated proxy on Election Day. Once votes have been cast for a particular Band/Nation, there will be no additional or alternate votes accepted from that Band/Nation. ELECTING THE REGIONAL CHIEF: FIFTY PERCENT PLUS ONE The winning candidate in an election for Regional Chief must have at least fifty percent plus one of the votes validly cast in the election. If there is only one candidate for Regional Chief, he or she will win by acclamation. If there are more than two candidates and none of the candidates attains fifty percent plus one of the votes validly cast on the first ballot, further ballots shall be held until one of the candidates attains the necessary number of votes. On each successive ballot, the name of the candidate with fewest votes will be removed. In the event of a tie between the last two candidates after the ballot, another ballot shall be held. In the unlikely event there is still a tie between the last two candidates after the tie-­‐
breaking ballot is counted, the Electoral Officer shall cast the deciding vote by flipping a coin. Any candidate for Regional Chief may withdraw from the election at any time by advising the Electoral Officer of his or her withdrawal in writing. 2 BC REGIONAL CHIEF – ELECTION NOMINATION FORM We, members of the BC Assembly of First Nations, nominate ____________________________ to run in the June 25, 2015 election for position of BC Regional Chief of the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations and to represent the BCAFN at the Assembly of First Nations. 1. (Please Print Name in Full) X (Signature) First Nation / Band: 2. (Please Print Name in Full) (Please Print Name in Full) First Nation / Band 3. (Please Print Name in Full) (Please Print Name in Full) First Nation / Band: 4. (Please Print Name in Full) (Please Print Name in Full) First Nation / Band 5. (Please Print Name in Full) (Please Print Name in Full) (Please Print Name in Full) First Nation / Band: X (Signature) X (Signature) X (Signature) X (Signature) Please return the completed form to Marcus Hadley, BCAFN Electoral Officer by email: electoralofficer.bcafn@gmail.com or mail to: 255 Linden Ave, Victoria, BC V8V 4E6 before 12:01am on May 26, 2015. Office Use Only -­‐ Received in complete form by the Electoral Officer: ______________, 2015 at _______ o’clock Signed: _________________________________ 3 BC REGIONAL CHIEF – ELECTION ACCEPTANCE OF NOMINATION FORM I, _____________________________________, accept my nomination to run for the position of BC Regional Chief in the June 25, 2015 election of the BC Assembly of First Nations (“BCAFN”). I appoint ______________________________________ to act as my Scrutineer at the election. Scrutineer’s address: ____________________________________ [street or post box address] ____________________________________ [city or town] _____________ [postal code] (_______)__________________ [fax number, if available] __________________________ [e-­‐mail address, if available] I attach a one-­‐page profile to support my candidacy and authorize the BCAFN to distribute my profile to all eligible voters. Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________ Please return the completed form to Marcus Hadley, BCAFN Electoral Officer by email: electoralofficer.bcafn@gmail.com or mail to: 255 Linden Ave, Victoria, BC V8V 4E6 before 12:01am on May 26, 2015. Office Use Only -­‐ Received in complete form by the Electoral Officer: ______________, 2015 at _______ o’clock Signed: _________________________________ 4