Recommendations
- All Vote-Now procedures apply to the 2023 Conference and Convention.
- ACB will use Vote-Now for the elections, resolutions, and constitution and bylaws.
- ACB plans to adhere to our current voting process as closely as possible.
- May 12th is the deadline for affiliate presidents to submit their delegate, alternate, and representatives for nominating committee to ACB Secretary Denise Colley. They will need to provide their name, phone number, and email address, and indicate if the delegate and alternate will be in Schaumburg or attending via Zoom.
- Anyone registered as a member with the national office by May 19th is eligible to vote; the right to vote is not tied to convention registration.
- The Nominating Committee will meet on Monday, June 19th at 8 p.m. Central time. The Zoom room will open 30 minutes (7:30 p.m. CDT) before the start of meeting. The Zoom room will be closed promptly at 8 p.m. CDT. The slate for president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, secretary, and treasurer positions will be decided.
Timeline
Monday, June 19th at 7:00 PM CDT
7:00 PM CDT: Opening of the convention with the adoption of standing rules and credentials.
8:00 PM CDT: Nominating Committee. The room opens at 7:30 PM CDT.
Tuesday, June 20th at 7:00 PM CDT
7:00 PM CDT: Constitution and bylaws changes are read only (nothing else is done with this).
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (June 20, 21, and 22)
7:00 PM CDT - Resolutions will be debated, and voice votes taken
Friday, June 23rd
7:00 PM CDT
- Proposed changes to the constitution and bylaws are debated. The individual record vote will be July 5th from 2 – 6 p.m. and the affiliate vote will be on July 6th.
- However, if, during debate, an amendment is proposed, that amendment may be handled by a voice vote, subject to the same 25-member request for a record vote used in debating resolutions.
Voice Vote Timeline
- Tuesday, June 20th 7:00 – 10:00 PM CDT: Resolutions
- Wednesday, June 21st 7:00 – 10:00 PM CDT: Resolutions
- Thursday, June 22nd 7:00 – 10:00 PM CDT: Resolutions
- Friday, June 23rd 7:00 – 10:00 PM CDT: Constitution and Bylaws with debate
Individual Voting Timeline (Vote-Now)
- Sunday, July 2 from 2:00 – 6:00 PM CDT
- Monday, July 3 from 2:00 – 6:00 PM CDT
- Tuesday, July 4 from 2:00 – 6:00 PM CDT
- Wednesday, July 5 from 2:00 – 6:00 PM CDT
Affiliate Voting Timeline (live row call vote)
- Monday, July 3 during general session
- Tuesday, July 4 during general session
- Wednesday, July 5 during general session
- Thursday, July 6 during general session
Voting Process
The Nominating Committee slate will be presented Saturday, July 1 at the opening general session of ACB’s Conference and Convention.
The voting process will begin on Saturday, July 1 with the office of president and continue through each successive officer position until a contested election occurs.
If an election is not contested, then the candidate submitted by the Nominating Committee will be elected by acclamation.
If candidates are nominated from the floor for a position, ACB will have a contested election and the following process will be used. If you are nominating someone from the floor, please make sure this member has agreed to be nominated.
At the end of general session, each nominated candidate will be allowed a total of five (5) minutes to have up to two (2) speakers endorse their candidate and explain why their candidate should be elected for the position.
Following these speeches, voting will commence. The vote count is comprised of two (2) parts: the individual vote and the affiliate vote.
This process will continue from Monday, July 3, Tuesday, July 4, and Wednesday, July 5.
A candidate will need to receive a majority of the vote, 50 percent plus 1, to be declared the winner. If this does not happen, the top two (2) candidates will need to have a run-off election.
Voting Methods
You will be able to access Vote-Now using any of the following methods:
- Mac, PC, tablets, iPhone, Android, and landline phone.
- By phone with a with a toll-free number with two voting options:
- Automated system or
- Operator assistance
Each member can choose which method they want to use for each election throughout the week and the voting method used can vary each time.
We are asking all members to please share a valid email address with ACB so Vote-Now can email your unique voter code to you. This unique voter code can only be used once per election contest, but you will use it for all elections throughout the convention.
Member Unique Voter Codes
Those with email addresses in ACBs database will receive their unique voter code by email around June 12, 2023. The email will provide you with the log-in link along with phone instructions for voting by phone; the same unique voter code will be used for both voting methods.
The subject line on this email will be: Ballot-ACB unique voter code.
The from person on this email should be: ACB ballot code.
The Minneapolis office will send out letters in braille and large print to members who don’t have an e-mail address in our database, informing them that if they wish to vote, they need to contact the office in Minneapolis at (612) 332-3242 to request their unique voter code. If you do not request your unique voter code by June 19, 2023, then you will not be able to vote. The letters will be mailed out May 24, 2023.
No digital cartridges will be sent out.
If you misplaced your unique voter code, you can receive help from the Vote-Now operators to obtain your code; the Minneapolis office can also assist you. This code can only be provided to the intended ACB member.
Individual Voting
There will be a voting precinct set up at the hotel in Schaumburg. The precinct will be manned during the voting hours of 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. CDT. There will be a landline phone and an iPad to use. Staff will be available to help, but it will not be manned by any voting task force member, candidates, or their speakers.
If you are calling in to cast your vote, and do not get through or the option you want isn’t available, please try back in 30 minutes. It might be that all operators are busy. Please be patient and give the operators a few minutes when voting starts.
Affiliate Voting
It is the responsibility of each affiliate to determine how a member can communicate with their affiliate delegate/alternate about how they wish their affiliate to vote. The delegate will announce their votes from the convention floor if they are attending in person. If a delegate is attending virtually, they will have a separate Zoom room that will be heard during general session at the convention.
The affiliate vote will take place the following morning during general session. This will give members time to contact their delegate/alternate with their vote.
Resolution or Constitution and Bylaw Voting Process
If a resolution passes or fails by voice vote, that resolution will be finished. However, if at least 25 members of the minority side on the voice vote for the amendment seek a record vote, then the record vote on the amendment will be July 5 from 2 – 6 p.m. and the affiliate vote will be on July 6th (record vote for passage).
If a proposed amendment to a resolution or constitution and bylaw passes or fails by voice vote, then we continue to debate the resolution, either with or without the amendment.
A final ballot will be presented to the membership which contains all resolutions and constitution and bylaws amendments that require a record vote. On Wednesday, July 5, individual members will vote; on Thursday, July 6, there will be the affiliate roll call vote, where each affiliate will announce their vote for each resolution and constitution and bylaws amendment when their affiliate is called. For example, if there are 10 resolutions and 4 bylaws, then Alabama would record their votes for each ballot option. The next affiliate would not be called until Alabama has completed all 14 votes.
Voice Vote Procedures
The voice votes will be taken with the in-person individuals first. Then in Zoom, all hands will be lowered, and we will ask those who want to vote affirmatively to raise their hands. Once that count has been taken, all hands will be lowered; then we will ask those who would like to vote no to raise their hands. Both votes will be tallied together to come up with a final vote.
Constitution and Bylaws Votes
Adopting a constitutional amendment or amendment requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting.
Adopting a bylaw requires a majority vote of those present.
Spanish Language Translation
Spanish language translation will be available in Zoom and on ACB Media during all ACB business meetings including the events on June 19 through June 23 and the convention general sessions from July 1 through July 6.
All ballots will be in English only.