Counting the votes in a unit rep election

[MinisterofCucumber]

Our unit rep elections have been postponed because of a disagreement about how the votes will be counted.

The incumbent Section rep and Branch Secretary want the votes to be counted by the Branch Secretary and witnessed by two members of the Branch committee, neither of whom work in our unit. The other candidates want either themselves, or one of their representatives, to be present when the votes are counted.

Who is right?

Shouldn't the count be as transparent as possible?

I've heard of secret ballots but I've never heard of secret counts. Is this what CWU democracy is about?

[drb]

ask for a copy of your "Branch Model" from your area rep

[bogstandard]

taken from the Branch Model Constitution.
05ltb503a type that in CWU members area or phone hq and ask for a copy


4.5 Branch Election Procedures

Branches shall establish rules governing the conduct of the elections to ensure equality of treatment for all candidates. These shall be incorporated into the branch constitution/branch rules and shall be published to the membership.

hope this helps

[westlondonpostie]

We have 3 independant CWU members to do the voting and counting, no one from the Branch has anything to do with it.

[infidel]

we do show of hands on shop floor,nothing to hide plain and simple.

[MinisterofCucumber]

Thanks everyone, I have looked at our branch constitution.

We have two options according to the branch rules, a postal ballot or a workplace ballot. A postal ballot allows the branch committee to choose a returning officer who may be a branch committee member and choose two scrutineers who must be from the branch committee. A workplace vote means that the returning officer must not be a branch committee member but the branch committee gets to appoint the returning officer. It is not clear if the two scrutineers have to be branch committee members.

It looks like we are going to get a workplace ballot. Do the scrutineers have to be branch committee members?