The following is the first in a series of notes intended to explain the eQ Alliance constitution and make it easier to understand.

The Election Process

Introduction

The constitution we adopted on March 4 is the binding document for the nomination and election process. The rules can be suspended by a two-third vote if that is deemed necessary.

In the following, I will only use the masculine terms. This is meant to ease the explanations, not to imply any discrimination against the female gender.

President and Vice President

According to Article 13, the President and Vice President are elected as a team (similarly to the President of the United States) called the candidate ticket. That means, for a member to be a valid nomination for the presidency, he must also have a co-member running with him for the vice presidency. The point of that is to ensure that, in case the president can't fulfill his duties, someone the president has worked with and trusts can assume presidential responsibilities.

A candidate ticket wins the election, if it receives the majority of the votes (more than 50%). Votes are private unless there is unanimous consent to hold them publicly.

The member conducting the elections may not be a candidate. He must not vote in the elections either unless there is a tie. In that case, he must case a vote in favor of one candidate ticket. Whichever ticket he votes for will win the elections.

Example: 7 members attend the meeting, 2 candidate tickets. The members vote 3 for ticket A, and 3 for ticket B. The member conducting the elections must vote in this and only in this case for either A or B. If he chooses to give his vote to ticket A, that ticket will win.

Secretary, Treasurer, additional (honorary) Board Members

The Secretary and Treasurer are appointed by the newly elected President. Such appointments must be approved by the eQ members using a relative majority vote (highest vote wins).

This is similar to Cabinet appointments by the US President, which must be confirmed by the Senate. Again, the idea is to create a productive team of board members who are there out of their own will and willing to work together.

That also means, that the candidate for President nominate their own set of Treasurer, Secretary, and additional board members.