C171CredentialIinstructions

INSTRUCTIONS TO COUNCIL 171 DELEGATES

Pursuant to the National AFGE Council of Defense Finance and Accounting Service Locals (C-171) Constitution, the Council will conduct its regularly scheduled business meeting to adopt a budget, and vote on amendments to the Council Constitution. There are three steps to be seated as a delegate.

I - Local Eligibility

If your local is to participate in the meeting, it must be in good standing, pursuant to Article VI, Section 2 of the Council Constitution. Representation in the Council 171 meeting shall be one vote for each delegate. The number of delegates shall be based on the average number of paid members for the 12-month period [60 days prior to date of meeting - Article VIII, Section 3]. "Member" is defined to be one for whom an initiation fee or per capita tax shall have been paid to the Federation. No local shall be entitled to representation in Council 171 unless all initiation fees, per capita tax, and all other accounts due to the Federation and Council from such local as of February 2003, are paid in full before any delegate is seated in the Council meeting.

II - Delegate Eligibility

If your local is to participate in the Council 171 meeting, each delegate must complete a Credential form, with documented proof of election as delegate, and should deliver the completed credential to the credential committee during the registration process either March 31, 2003 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. or April 1, 2003 from 7:00 am-9:00 am. Where a local properly elected its full complement of delegates (or held an election meeting at which it authorized its existing delegates to vote all the local’s votes), and the term has not expired, completion of a credential form and submission of the existing supporting documentation, according to the Credential Instructions, may be all that is necessary. If a local has increased its membership and is therefore entitled to an additional delegate(s), or if its delegates were elected to attend other events not including the Council meeting, it must hold a delegate nomination/election meeting.

III - Delegate Nomination/Election Meeting

If your local has not already elected its full complement of delegates, it must hold a nomination/election meeting, with proper 15 days notice to each member at the last known home address, to determine:

(1) Whether the local will participate in the Council 171 meeting;

(2) Whether the local will be represented by delegate(s), alternate delegate(s), OR a proxy delegate (all of whom must be elected by name by a secret manual or mail ballot and by plurality vote);

(3) If the local has validly elected delegates but is entitled to more delegates, the local will issue a notice of nominations and election and then:

(a) vote to authorize only its existing delegate(s) to cast all of its votes at the Council 171 meeting; OR

(b) elect delegates up to its full complement, in addition to the existing delegates.

Additionally, the membership should vote whether to fund expenses of the delegate(s) and/or alternate delegate(s) participating in the Council 171 meeting. Unfunded delegates and alternate delegates have the right to participate at their own expense.

If your local wishes to be represented at the Council 171 meeting, but is unable to send a delegate from its own membership, you may elect a properly elected delegate of another local to represent your local. This proxy delegate must be elected by your local in a secret ballot election, by name. In other words, you cannot elect to send "a delegate from Local ____." The delegate must be named on the ballot, and the delegate’s home local number listed.

In preparing to participate in the Council 171 meeting, please note the following important rules regarding voting strength:

(1) Each delegate is entitled to one vote.

(a) If a local is entitled to one delegate, the delegate will cast one vote.

(b) If a local is entitled to more than one delegate, each delegate may cast one vote.

(i) If a local is entitled to more than one delegate, and the local’s constitution provides the local with a delegate by virtue of election to office, the local may conduct a delegate election to fill all remaining delegate positions. If the local fills all delegate positions, each delegate will cast one vote.

(ii) If a local is entitled to more than one delegate, at a meeting (for which a 15 days notice of a nomination/election meeting has been mailed to the members at their last known address) the local may vote not to conduct a delegate election and then to authorize its existing delegate(s) to cast the local’s full vote at the Council 171 meeting. The existing delegates will then be allowed to cast the full vote of the local, provided copies of the meeting notice and minutes of said meeting accompany the delegate's credential.

(iii) If the local has not elected its full complement of delegates and does not take any action at a properly noticed nomination and/or election meeting to authorize the existing delegates to cast the local’s full vote, the participating delegates can cast only one vote each.

(2) A delegate by virtue of office must provide a copy of the OFFICER election notice and meeting minutes with his/her credential to prove he/she was properly elected as a local OFFICER in an office, election to which makes him or her a delegate ex officio.

(3) All properly elected delegates of a local have the right to participate in the Council 171 meeting. The local may vote to fund none, one, some, or all of its elected delegates. A properly elected delegate has the right to participate at the Council 171 meeting, even if the local does not fund the expense. Such delegate may attend the Council 171 meeting at his/her own expense.

The attached Credential Instructions (one page), the sample Notice to Local Members (one page), and the Credential Checklist (one page) may be helpful.

CREDENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Credential forms are in quadruplicate. Please type the information if possible. If you cannot have the credentials typed, please press hard enough when writing for the print to be legible on all copies. No carbon paper will be necessary, as credentials are printed on NCR paper. [Available from the NST.]

Fill in the delegate’s name, local number, and address in the appropriate spaces. Check the appropriate box indicating whether the delegate is serving as a delegate, an alternate delegate, or a proxy delegate. For proxy delegate, fill in the proxy delegate’s local number.

The Local President and Secretary or Secretary-Treasurer must sign just above the solid line of the credential form in the spaces provided. Please be sure the signatures are legible on all copies. Add the telephone number of your local.

To pre-register, you should mail the original white credential to , AFGE Council 171, PO Box , , with supporting documentation, as soon as possible, to be received no later than , 2003. You will need to attach a "certified true copy" of your 15-day notice of officer or delegate nomination/election meeting, mailed to each member at the last known home address, and a copy of the minutes of that meeting, tally, or certification of election results. "Certified true copy" means a simple statement by the responsible local officer, indicating the copy being provided is a true copy of the original and attesting to the accuracy of the date(s) used. See attached form.

Include a copy of the checklist with the documents, making sure that you have enclosed each item.

Give the blue copy to the delegate to take to the Council 171 meeting. This document is very important, as it will be required to register and to vote. [Mail the yellow copy to the National Secretary-Treasurer.] Do not write below the heavy black line at the bottom of the credential form. This space is for the Credential Committee.

If your local membership voted not to be represented at the Council 171 meeting, your local’s responsible officer should check the appropriate box and sign the certification. This form should be returned in lieu of credentials to PO Box .

Delegates who did not pre-register and arrive at the Council 171 meeting with credentials must have supporting documentation as listed below.

SAMPLE NOMINATION AND ELECTION NOTICE

FOR DELEGATES TO COUNCIL 171

Local ___ Date ________2003

In accordance with the AFGE National Constitution, unless it already has done so, every local must hold a meeting with 15 days advance notice to every member at his/her last known home address to vote on the following matters:

(1) Whether the local will participate in the Council 171 meeting on , 2003, where the delegates will conduct the business of the Council, etc.

(2) Whether the local will be represented by delegate(s), alternate delegate(s), OR a proxy delegate (all of whom must be elected by name by a secret manual or mail ballot election and by plurality vote);

(3) Whether the local will: (a) authorize only its existing delegate(s) to cast the local’s full votes at the Council 171 meeting; OR (b) elect delegates up to its full complement, in addition to the existing delegates.

At this meeting, the members also will vote on whether to fund expenses of the delegate(s) and/or alternate delegate(s) participating in the Council 171 meeting.

[USE ONE OF THE THREE BELOW]

1. FOR NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS AT THE SAME MEETING: A combined meeting for nominations and election will take place on __.(date, time, location) for the office of delegate(s) and alternate delegate(s) to the Council 171 meeting in 2003. Qualifications: be a member in good standing; be a member for one year of an AFGE local, immediately preceding the closing of the nomination process; and must not be a member in any labor organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Each candidate may have a reasonable number of observers, who are members, present throughout the election process. Members who unavoidably are absent from the nomination/election meeting may make and accept nominations by way of a letter to the Election Committee at PO Box __. We urge all members to participate. Elections are governed by the AFGE Rules of Conduct for an Election, Appendix A of the AFGE National Constitution.

2. FOR NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS AT SEPARATE MEETINGS: Nominations will take place on __(date, time, location), with the election held on __(date, time, location) for the office of delegate(s) and alternate delegate(s) to the Council 171 meeting in 2003. Qualifications: be a member in good standing; be a member for one year of an AFGE local, immediately preceding the closing of the nomination process; and must not be a member in any labor organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Each candidate may have a reasonable number of observers, who are members, present throughout the election process. Members who unavoidably are absent from the nomination meeting may make and accept nominations by way of a letter, and also may request absentee ballots, to the Election Committee at PO Box __. We urge all members to participate. Elections are governed by the AFGE Rules of Conduct for an Election, Appendix A of the AFGE National Constitution.

3. FOR NOMINATIONS AT A MEETING WITH SUBSEQUENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION: Nominations will take place on __(date, time, location), with a mail ballot election for the office of delegate(s) and alternate delegate(s) to the Council 171 meeting in 2003. Qualifications: be a member in good standing; be a member for one year of an AFGE local, immediately preceding the closing of the nomination process; and must not be a member in any labor organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Each candidate may have a reasonable number of observers, who are members, present throughout the election process. Members who unavoidably are absent from the nomination meeting may make and accept nominations by way of a letter to the Election Committee at PO Box __. We urge all members to participate. Elections are governed by the AFGE Rules of Conduct for an Election, Appendix A of the AFGE National Constitution.

_________________________

(signature)

CREDENTIAL CHECKLIST

Council 171 credentials will not be accepted without the required attachments. If your local is sending more than one delegate, only one set of attachments is required with the entire submission of credentials by the local. Be sure to include:

_ The completed credential(s) for each delegate of your local.

For officers who are delegates by virtue of election to the office:

_ A copy of your local’s Constitution and By-Laws (with NEC-approved stamp on first page), or Bylaws if the standard local constitution governs your local.

_ A copy of the dated notice of nominations and election for your election as an officer.

_ A copy of the election results or meeting minutes establishing your election.

If your local is entitled to other delegates in addition to the delegate(s) by virtue:

_ A copy of the dated notice to the membership that a delegate election meeting will occur, and

_ A copy of the minutes of the meeting, showing that the membership voted to:

_ Elect additional delegates, or

_ Authorize the existing delegate(s) of your local to cast the voting strength of the local, or

_ Elect a proxy delegate.

Please include this page and check off the items as you attach the required documents.

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To:

AFGE Council 171

PO Box ,

FAX ()

_ For locals participating in the Council 171 meeting: I certify that I have inspected the documentation supporting my local’s credentials, and said documents are true and correct copies.

_ For locals not participating in the Council 171 meeting: I certify that the decision not to be represented was made by the membership with proper notice at a meeting held on ___, 2003.

______________________________

Name (print)

______________________________ _____ __________

Name (sign) Local Date