President & PEC Election Regulations

2024 – 2026

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President & Principal Executive Council Election Regulations 2024 – 2026

Regulations

The Principal Executive Council (PEC) makes these regulations under rule 14(b) and (c) of the Rules of Accord to govern the election of the President and members of the Principal Executive Council (PEC) who will take office from the close of the union’s Biennial Delegate Conference 2024 until the close of the Biennial Delegate Conference in 2026.
The PEC has determined that the number of members to be elected under rule 14(c) shall be 17.

Independent Scrutineer

In accordance with The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, the PEC has appointed Mi-Voice, Democracy Technology Ltd, First Floor The Arch Building, Gaters Mill, Mansbridge Road, West End, Southampton, SO18 3HW as the independent Scrutineer for the elections. In addition to performing duties in accordance with the Act, the Scrutineer shall make whatever enquiries or investigations they consider appropriate to ensure that, as far as possible, the ballot has been carried out in accordance with these Regulations.
The decision of the Scrutineer on any matter in these Regulations shall be final.

Timetable

The PEC has determined the timetable for the nomination process as set out in the Schedule to these regulations. The General Secretary may vary the timetable in the event of any unforeseen circumstance.

Nominations

Nominations are sought for President and the PEC. Any member of the union is entitled to stand (subject to the specific provisions set out below).
There will be one President and 17 other PEC members.
Once the new PEC takes up office at the close of Conference 2024, it will hold elections from within the PEC for two Vice Presidents and for one member to be responsible for Equality and Diversity.

Notice of Election

After the PEC has determined the timetable, the General Secretary will:
1. Ensure that notice of the PEC and President election is published to members in the Union’s journal and on its website stating the name and address of the Scrutineer.
2. Invite nominations for candidates for the period to 19th January 2024 following publication of the notices under (a) above (and as specified in the timetable).

Nominations process – Principal Executive Council

Any fully paid-up member who wishes to seek election to the PEC should self-nominate before 5pm on 15th December 2023 a website that the Scrutineer will make available for this purpose.
Self-nominated candidates will be asked to submit an election address of no more than 200 words, supplemented by a CV (on a form prescribed by the union) and a colour photograph (together called the “election statement”). The election statement must be submitted through the independent Scrutineer’s nomination platform (www.mi-nomination.com/accord) by 19th January 2024.
Each self-nominated candidate will be required to be nominated by at least 10 individual members before 19th January 2024 for the candidature to be valid.
Each member may only make one nomination for a candidate for a seat on the PEC. The nomination must be made on a website that the Scrutineer will make available for this purpose between 5th January 2024 and 19th January 2024.

Nominations process - President

Any fully paid-up member who wishes to seek election as President should self-nominate before 5pm on 15th December 2023 on a website that the Scrutineer will make available for this purpose.
Self-nominated candidates will be asked to submit an election address of no more than 250 words, supplemented by a CV (on a form prescribed by the Union) and a colour photograph (together called the “election statement”). The election statement must be submitted through the independent Scrutineer’s nomination platform (www.mi-nomination.com/accord) by 19th January 2024.
Each self-nominated candidate will be required to be nominated by at least 50 individual members for the nomination to be valid before 19th January 2024.
Each member may only make one nomination for a candidate for the office of President. The nomination must be made on a website that the Scrutineer will make available for this purpose between 5th January 2024 and 19th January 2024.
A member may be nominated simultaneously for the office of President and a seat on the PEC.

Uncontested Election

If there is an uncontested election, the Scrutineer will be required to provide a report in accordance with the 1992 Act.

Contested Election

If there is a contested election, the ballot for the PEC and/or the President (as appropriate) will then be conducted in accordance with paragraphs 21 to 25. If there is a contested election for both the PEC and President, the ballots for both shall be conducted simultaneously. A timetable for the election(s) shall be determined by the PEC after consultation with the independent Scrutineer so that such election shall be completed no later than 29th March 2024.
The General Secretary shall provide the names of validly nominated candidates in the ballot in question together with the election statements to the Scrutineer who shall distribute voting papers and the election statement to members entitled to vote in accordance with the timetable.
The ballot shall be conducted in accordance with current legislation. Voting will be by a postal ballot of all individual fully paid-up members (excluding honorary, associate and retired members) who are in membership of the union as at a date 14 days prior to the date of despatch of voting papers set out in the timetable.
Each member entitled to vote shall be allowed to do so without interference, constraint or undue pressure, in secret and, as far as is reasonably practicable, without incurring any direct cost.
Members will be entitled to vote for one candidate as President and up to 17 candidates for the PEC. Subject to paragraph 27 below, the candidate/candidates with the highest votes shall be declared elected.
The Scrutineer’s report as required under the 1992 Act shall be provided to the General Secretary within 40 days after the date of dispatch of the voting papers.

The result

Following receipt of the Scrutineer’s report under paragraph 19 or 25 above, the General Secretary shall announce the result of the ballot to the membership as soon as reasonably practicable. Accord will not publish the result of the election until it has received the Scrutineer's report.
In the event that the member elected President was also a candidate for a seat on the PEC, and was amongst the 17 candidates in the PEC election with the highest number of votes, the candidate receiving the 18th highest number of votes shall be elected to a seat on the PEC (and the candidate elected President shall not, in addition to being elected President, also be elected as one of the 17 other PEC members).
A full copy of the Scrutineer’s report received under, as appropriate, paragraph 19 or 25 above shall be published to the members as soon as practicable together with an announcement that a copy of that report may be provided to any member of the union on request.

Complaints

Any complaint regarding the Ballot must be made by a member or candidate in writing to the Scrutineer prior to the announcement of the results. The Scrutineer may delay the announcement of the results pending investigation of the complaint.
The Scrutineer shall investigate the complaint and if, as a result, the complaint is upheld, may declare the elections void or the election of any person void, or any candidate disqualified.
In addition, the Scrutineer may invalidate any vote, or any number of votes previously counted or include any vote, or any number of votes not previously counted, and thereby re-determine the results of the elections.

General

No union funds or other resources may be used to support any candidate, nor may the union’s corporate identify or logo (or anything which in the opinion of the Scrutineer may be identified as such) be used in any material supporting any candidate(s). Accord’s own social media platforms may not be used for election campaigning.
The Union’s membership database is not to be accessed or otherwise used for the purpose of identifying email addresses of members for the purposes of campaigning.
Candidates must ensure that members should be given a clear option to unsubscribe or decline to receive any further such communications if they are written to, telephoned, e-mailed, texted or otherwise communicated with at their home or on private communications appliances.
Prospective candidates may, subject to compliance with the IT use policy applicable within the relevant employer, seek nominations by emailing members known to them at their workplace email address but should not use a member’s work email address to campaign as a nominated candidate, unless in compliance with the IT policy applicable to the employer of that member and with that member’s consent.
No Accord employee (other than a nominated candidate) should campaign and no Accord employee may provide administration support using union facilities for any candidate.
All candidates and their campaign supporters should familiarise themselves with the provisions of the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
If the Scrutineer determines that a candidate or his/her campaign is in breach of any of the provisions of paragraphs 32 to 36 above, they may be disqualified from standing in the election. There will be no appeal.

Any queries in respect of these regulations should be referred to either:

Accord’s General Secretary [email protected] or
The Independent Scrutineer Mi-Voice, Democracy Technology Ltd, First Floor, The Arch Building, Gaters Mill, Mansbridge Road, West End, Southampton, SO18 3HW : [email protected]

Schedule

Despatch of Notice of Election

20/11/2023

Self-nomination Period

20/11/2023 to 15/12/2023

Last date for Receipt of self-nomination

15/12/2023

Support candidates nomination & candidate CV and statement submissions

04/1/2024 to 15/01/2024

If uncontested election, General Secretary receives report of Independent Scrutineer and result declared

19/1/2024