The Governance Committee recommends amending the Election Code of Conduct to ensure candidates campaign fairly; therefore, be it
Resolved, that ASDA’s Standing Rules of the House of Delegates, Section 7 ‘Elections, B. Election Code of Conduct’ amended to read:
All Executive Committee and speaker of the House of Delegates candidates must agree to the following guidelines before beginning their election campaigns. The intent of these guidelines is to encourage fair campaigning by ASDA members and maintain dignified and courteous conduct.
- Candidates and their supporters shall not use ASDA central office stationery or business cards issued by the central office to promote and support a candidate. However, the use of the official ASDA logo on campaign materials is permitted.
- Candidates and their supporters should focus the campaign on positive attributes rather than on negative characteristics of the opposing candidates. Candidates shall not, and shall not cause or request their supporters to, make negative personal comments against their opponents.
- There shall be no packaged food, other gifts or campaign tokens distributed or used by the candidates as part of the candidates’ campaigns. These items include but are not limited to badges, clothing, pins, and other small campaign tokens with the candidate’s name, signs, banners or printed material.
- Entertaining by the candidates will not be permitted in any suite or meeting room reserved or funded by ASDA.
- A candidate may solicit a delegate or alternate delegate by phone, mail, e-mail, social media or fax. The ASDA central office will not provide any of this information.
- Candidates are only permitted to use their own personal funds for their campaign.
- Third party endorsements (such as corporate sponsors or other professional organizations) are not allowed.
- Candidates must not loiter near ballot boxes during the specified voting time.
- Candidates are ineligible to be members of reference committees or awards committees that convene at Annual Session.
In the event that the Board of Trustees adopts a resolution related to the candidacy of an individual member seeking an Executive Committee or speaker of the House position, trustees must provide the aforementioned resolution to their caucuses during the first caucus following the board decision. The candidate must be informed of the resolution prior to the first caucus meetings following the board decision so that the candidate may choose to address this issue during the candidate’s speech and/or caucus forums. The Executive Committee and Board of Trustees may address the House of Delegates in regards to this issue if they deem it necessary.
The officers of the association shall be charged with the implementation and monitoring of these guidelines and has the power to remove a candidate from the ballot. Upon receipt of a written complaint, or upon initiation of a review of campaign-related material, the officers shall determine if a violation has occurred. If a violation has occurred the president shall send written notification of the violation to the candidate. Any candidate so adjudicated shall have an automatic right of an expedited appeal to the officers via electronic meeting or other timely means. If a violation has occurred, as determined through this process, the candidate shall be deemed to have forfeited his or her status as a candidate and may not be elected to office in the subsequent election. Any officer that is a candidate must declare a conflict of interest.
Each Executive Committee or speaker of the House candidate must be officially nominated by a person of his or her choice at the House of Delegates Business Meeting II scheduled on Thursday morning. An official candidate shall be formally nominated on the floor of the House of Delegates. Candidates that did not meet the established application deadline may be nominated after the nomination of official candidates. All candidates must be nominated by a predoctoral member who is not a current or former national leader. Nomination is not required for eligibility. Nominators will be allowed 1 minute maximum to nominate and introduce their candidate, including a brief explanation of the candidate’s experience and previous ASDA positions held. Should there be fewer than three official candidates for the Executive Committee or fewer than one official candidate for speaker of the House, it is the responsibility of the House to nominate someone from the floor. Each Executive Committee and speaker of the House candidate must also designate an escort who will serve as a neutral party and escort each candidate through the caucuses. The escort will be responsible for monitoring the door and time.
Each candidate receives a copy of these guidelines and a statement to sign, certifying that he/she has read the guidelines; promises to abide by them; will immediately report any deviations of which he/she becomes aware to the officers of the association; and will notify and try to correct any supporter upon learning of an actual or potential deviation.