MCEA Convention 2022 - Updated Information Packet

For a printable PDF version of this information, please click here.

Biennial Convention, 2022
Maryland Classified Employees Association

Preamble

To:                   All MCEA Members

From:              MCEA Board of Directors

Subject:           MCEA 2022 Convention, Saturday, January 29, 2022, 9am—12:30pm

Location:         MCEA Office
                        7127 Rutherford Rd.
                        Windsor Mill, MD 21244

Due to a lack of quorum by the close of the registration period, the Maryland Classified Employees Association (MCEA) Board of Directors cancelled the convention, originally scheduled on December 10, 2021. Then, in an emergency meeting that took place on Tuesday, December 16, 2021, the Board of Directors voted to reschedule the convention on January 29, 2022. This was decided to ensure fuller and greater participation of the whole MCEA membership.

In this packet, you will find all necessary documents, detailing logistics and procedures of the convention, nomination of officers, and officer elections. As the current MCEA bylaws were included in the previous mailing, they are not attached here.

For those who cannot attend the convention in part or in full, there is an alternative way to participate and exercise their full rights as an MCEA member.

A membership roster will be used by staff and volunteers to verify your membership upon presentation of a proper photo ID.

Please note Item #6 in the Table of Contents below. This is included in the case that there any changes in COVID restrictions, state shutdowns, or other measures taken by Governor Hogan that would prevent this convention from taking place in person.

Table of Contents

1. Call to convention
2. Convention agenda & standing rules
3. Convention registration form
4. Nomination and elections procedures
5. Nomination form
6. Contingency plan

Deadlines Quick Reference List

• Nominations: Must be received by close of business January 21, 2022
• Registrations: Must be received by January 26, 2022
• Absentee ballots: Must be received by January 26, 2022

Agenda for Biennial Convention, 2022

AM

9:00 – 10:00               Registration, meet & greet with continental breakfast
10:00                           Call to order
10:00 – 10:05               Opening ceremonies
10:05 – 10:10               Adopt the roster of members presented by the registration committee
10:10 – 10:15               Adopt the convention standing rules presented by the rules committee
10:15 – 10:20               Adopt the convention agenda presented by the convention committee
10:20 – 10:25               Appointment of timekeeper
10:25 – 10:30               Appointment of the tellers
10:30 – 10:40               President’s address
10:40 – 11:00               Consider the biennial budget presented by the budget committee
11:00                           Close the polls
11:00 – 12:00               Lunch

PM

12:00                           Call to order
12:00 – 12:05               Tellers’ report
12:05 – 12:10               Announcement of election results
12:10 – 12:15               Declaration of elected candidates
12:15 – 12:30               Swearing in ceremony
12:30                           Adjourn

Convention Standing Rules

1. To speak, a member shall rise and wait to be recognized by the chair.
2. A member, having been recognized by the chair, shall:
   1. State their name and chapter
   2. Address only the chair
   3. Speak for no longer than two minutes
3. No member shall speak more than twice to the same question.

Convention Registration Form

To register for the MCEA Annual Convention on Saturday, January 29, 2022, please complete the following registration form.

First name _________________________ Last name ___________________________

Email address _________________________________________________________

Home phone _______________________ Cell phone ___________________________

Street address _________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State __________ ZIP __________

Shirt size __________________________  Chapter ____________________________

Please drop off or mail this form and a check made out to MCEA for the $10 registration fee by January 26, 2022 to:

MCEA
Attn: Convention registration
7127 Rutherford Rd.
Windsor Mill, MD 21244

For any questions, please contact Andrew Mayton at amayton@mcea.org or 443-286-0520.

Election Procedures

1. Constitution and Bylaws

The nomination and election of the MCEA Officers will be conducted in accordance with the MCEA Bylaws dated August 29, 2020; and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended.

2. Term of Office

The officer(s) elected will serve until the MCEA Convention in October, 2023; installation of officer(s) will occur on within a month of the announcement of elected officers.

3. Candidate Eligibility Determinations

The Election Committee will review MCEA dues records to determine the eligibility of all nominees. Eligible nominees will be notified of the eligibility, mailed a copy of these rules, and asked how they wish their names to appear on the ballot. Ineligible nominees will be advised of the reason(s)they are not eligible to run for office.

4. Nominating Candidates

Any member in good standing may submit a candidate nomination to the Elections Committee either digitally (elections@mcea.org) or by USPS mail to the MCEA office (7127 Rutherford Rd., Windsor Mill, MD 21244) in a sealed envelope, addressed to the Elections Committee. The nominations period closes January 22, 2022.

5. Informing candidates

The Election Committee will send via electronic and first-class mail to all eligible candidates a packet that contains these election procedures and information about the election procedure.

6. Candidate Biography

Each candidate may submit to the Election Committee no later than January 22, 2022, a one paragraph biography for publication on the MCEA website and posting at the MCEA office in advance of the election. Candidate biographies shall contain information concerning the candidate’s qualifications and vision for MCEA and shall not contain any reference to internal union business.

7. Inspection of Membership list

Each candidate may inspect (not copy) the MCEA membership list once within 14 days prior to the election. No candidate is entitled to receive a copy of the list. The membership list will be available for inspection at the MCEA office during normal business hours.  Any candidate who wishes to inspect the list should contact the Election Committee by contacting Sylvia Hicks, 240.216.1118.

8. Campaign Restrictions

Federal law prohibits the use of any union or employer funds to promote the candidacy of any person in a union officer election. This prohibition applies to cash, facilities, equipment, vehicles, office supplies, etc., of MCEA and any other union, and of employers whether or not they employ MCEA members. Union officers and employees may not campaign on time paid for by the union. Federal law also provides that candidates must be treated equally regarding the opportunity to campaign and that all members may support the candidates of their choice without being subject to penalty, discipline, or reprisal of any kind.

9. Voter Eligibility

Active and retired members in good standing are eligible to participate fully in all activities of MCEA. A member shall be considered a member in good standing so long as payroll deduction for MCEA dues is authorized, or, instead of payroll deduction, a member has paid his or her dues. Pursuant to the MCEA Bylaws, Article IV, Section 3, the votes of retired members shall be weighted at one vote per 5 retired members’ vote.

10. Election Notice

Please consider this information your notice of election. Election notices will also be posted at the MCEA office, as well as on the MCEA website.

11. Voting

The election of the MCEA Officers will be conducted by in-person secret ballot submission. The election will take place during the MCEA 2022 Convention, with the balloting open during the hours of the convention. For those unable to attend the convention in full or in part, absentee ballots may be brought physically to the MCEA office in a sealed envelope during normal business hours until January 26, 2022. Absentee ballot forms will be available on the MCEA website starting January 22, 2022. Absentee ballot forms shall not contain any identifying information of the voter. The voter’s identifying information shall only be on the return address of the sealed envelope, which will be removed prior to submission to the Elections Committee. The ballot tally is immediate upon close of the election, with a manual tally to take place if necessary to confirm the number of votes of retired members. The process may be attended by the candidates and will take place during the MCEA convention.  A certification of the ballot count and election results will be completed at the end of the tally.

12. Elections Results

The Election Committee will promptly publish the election results on the MCEA website after the close of the convention.

13. Election Records

The MCEA Secretary is responsible for maintaining all nominations and election record, including ballots, for at least one year after the election, as required by federal law.

14. Protests

Any member in good standing may protest the conduct of the election within 10 days after election results are posted.

Any disputes regarding elections shall be investigated by the Elections Committee and the results of the investigation reported to the Board.

Issued by: MCEA Elections Committee

Date: December 21, 2021

MEMBERS:               Sylvia Hicks

                                    Tamara Byrd

                                    Andrew Mayton (deputized)

Officer Nomination Form

Instructions: Once completed, this nomination form should be sent via Certified Mail to: “MCEA Headquarters, Attn: Officer nomination, 7127 Rutherford Rd., Windsor Mill, MD 21244.”

Your information:

First name ____________________________ Last name ________________________________

Email address __________________________________________________________________

Home phone ___________________________ Cell phone _______________________________

Street address __________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________________ State __________ ZIP __________

Chapter __________________________________________________________ Active / Retired

Who you are nominating:

First name ____________________________ Last name ________________________________

Email address __________________________________________________________________

Home phone ___________________________ Cell phone _______________________________

Officer position _________________________________________________________________

Nominee’s observer _____________________________________________________________

Affidavit of eligibility:

I hereby affirm, under penalty of perjury, that I am an MCEA member in good standing and eligible to nominate officers and vote in MCEA elections.

Signature: __________________________________________ Date: ______________________

Convention Contingency Plan

Should Governor Hogan announce any new COVID restrictions, state shutdowns, or any such measures that would prevent this Convention from taking place in person, please abide by the following instructions in order to participate.

Please continue to monitor both your emails and the MCEA website (http://mcea.md.aft.org) for updates. Should an in-person convention be prevented, MCEA will publish instructions on how to participate in a Zoom meeting (or other similar platforms), whether via the platform’s application or call-in. Instructions on how to vote will also be published.

The standing rules of a remote Convention will be as follows:

1. Signing in and out. Members shall:
   1. Identify themselves as required to sign onto the meeting platform
   2. Maintain internet audio access throughout the meeting
   3. Sign out upon any departure before adjournment
   4. Keep microphones muted when not speaking
2. Requirements and Malfunctions.
   1. Each member is responsible for their Internet connections
   2. No action shall be invalidated on the grounds that the loss or poor quality of a member’s individual Internet connection prevented their participation in the meeting
   3. The chair may direct the disconnection or muting of a member’s platform connection if it is causing undue interference with the meeting
   4. The chair’s decision is subject to an undebatable appeal
3. Technical Problems. If an attendee has a technical problem participating, they shall:
   1. Call Andrew Mayton at 443-286-0520
   2. Use the chat function to notify the chair or facilitator
4. Quorum. The presence of a quorum shall be determined by:
   1. The members listed on the Internet platform participants list
   2. The members present in the Convention venue
5. Seeking Recognition and Limits of Debate.
   1. Members in person shall raise and wait to be recognized by the chair
   2. Members on the Internet platform shall use either the “Raise hand” function, raise their hand on video, or type “Raise hand” in the chat function
   3. The chair shall alternate recognition between members in person and members on the Internet platform
   4. When recognized, a member shall address only the chair
   5. A member may speak:
      1. No longer than two minutes
      2. No more than twice to the same question
6. Voting at the Convention.
   1. Internet voting shall be conducted by a remote election platform indicated on the MCEA website
   2. In person voting shall be conducted by ballot
   3. The results of the two methods shall be added together and the results announced