RULES FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS
MARCH 2023

The following rules have been adopted by the Election Committee to govern the March 2023 election of officers for the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge No. 7:

1. Questions as to printing, processing and tallying of computer ballot cards and attendant voting materials shall be addressed to the Election Committee. Questions should be made in writing to: 2023electioncommittee@chicagofop.org.
   
   
2. The list of members in good standing shall be prepared, certified by the Treasurer of Chicago Lodge No. 7, and submitted to the Election Committee. The official list will be available during the month of February, 2023 for inspection (one-time) by each Candidate.
   
   
3. The vote shall be by mail ballot. Ballots will be mailed to each member’s most recent home address on file with Chicago Lodge No. 7.
   
   
4. The Election Committee shall arrange for a Post Office box to which all ballots shall be returned, and only the Committee Chairman and those working under the Committee’s supervision shall be authorized to take the ballots from the Post Office box. Ballots must be returned to the Post Office either by return mail or hand delivered to the Post Office at 433 W. Harrison, Chicago, IL. Hand delivered Ballots will not be accepted at Lodge 7 or the Election Committee.
   
   
5. The Election Committee shall prepare an Election Nomination Form to be signed by each member seeking office, certifying that he or she is a member in good standing of Chicago Lodge No. 7 and is an eligible candidate.
   
   
6. The Election Committee shall arrange for the preparation of and be responsible for all necessary materials for mail balloting, including double envelopes and instructions for voting by mail. Those persons responsible for printing and processing the ballots will sign a certification to the Election Judge and shall be responsible for the proper security over the ballots at all times. The ballots shall be mailed on or about February 9, 2023. The Election Committee shall specify in the instructions that the ballot must be enclosed in an envelope marked “For Ballot Only” and that this envelope shall contain no mark of any kind to identify the voter. Markings on Ballots or Secret Ballot envelopes which identify the voter will disqualify the entire ballot. The envelope containing the ballot shall be placed in a larger envelope addressed to the Post Office box held by the Election Committee.
   
   
7. Each ballot shall list the nominees by the office they are seeking. Each nominee shall be listed in alphabetical order on the ballot within each office.
   
   
8. Ballots in order to be counted must be received at the Post Office Box prior to pick up by the Election Committee on March 3, 2023. Ballots will be taken from the Post Office on the morning of March 3, 2023 and taken to the Lodge Hall where they will be tabulated.
   
   
9. The counting of the Ballots will be conducted under the supervision of the Election Committee with the assistance of others as selected by the Committee. The outer envelopes shall be opened and the inner unmarked “For Ballot Only” envelope shall be removed. Only members of the Election Committee or their designee may extract ballots. Mail ballots with improper certification shall be declared void, shall be set aside and not counted. Ballots will be counted and will be recorded on tally sheets. The tally will record the number of valid votes received for each candidate.
   
   
10. The Election Committee shall appoint an Election Judge who shall have full authority to decide all challenges, disputes, and objections to the conduct of the election, including determinations of voter eligibility, election procedures, counting of ballots and issuance of certification of election results. The Election Judge will have full access to the Counsel for the Lodge to assist with decisions. Arbitrator Thomas Sonneborn has been selected as the Election Judge and Attorney Brian Hlavin has been selected as the Counsel for the Election Committee for the March 2023 election.
    
    
11. In the event an eligible voter does not receive a Ballot, or fails to mail the Ballot with sufficient time to be delivered, the voter may cast a Ballot in person during the period from 9:00 am to 12 Noon on March 3, 2023 at the Lodge Hall. Such a vote will be cast subject to challenge to ensure no “returned by mail” ballot exists. In the event a “returned by mail” Ballot exists, the “returned by mail” Ballot will be voided and only the in-person vote will be counted. Challenges shall be investigated by the Election Committee and decided by the Election Judge whose decision shall be final.
    
    
12. In counting the Ballots, the clear intent of the voter shall govern. If a voter votes for more than one candidate for any office other than Trustee or Sergeant-At-Arms, the ballot will be considered void with respect to those offices where the limit is exceeded. Any identifying marks on the ballot will void the entire Ballot. Challenges shall be investigated by the Election Committee and decided by the Election Judge whose decision shall be final.
    
    
13. The candidate receiving at least 50% plus one (1) of the votes cast for the Office of President shall be declared elected to that office. The candidate receiving the most votes for each respective office other than President, Trustee, and Sergeant-At-Arms shall be declared elected to that office. The seventeen (17) candidates for Trustee and three (3) candidates for Sergeant-At-Arms receiving the most votes for those offices respectively shall be declared elected to the office.
    
    
14. Each candidate shall be entitled to one (1) watcher who shall be entitled to observe the mailing and/or pick-up of the Ballots and the counting of the ballots by the Election Committee. The Chairman of the Election Committee shall give out credentials for watchers. NO candidate for office will be permitted to serve as a watcher. No candidate for office or watcher shall touch any Ballot or participate in the process of counting the Ballots.
    
    
15. A list of those members who were sent Ballots shall be available at the Lodge’s office for inspection by the candidates during the month of February.2023 subsequent to the mailing of the ballots. Please email the Election Committee to schedule an appointment to inspect the list.
    
    
16. Upon completion of the counting, each member of the Election Committee and the Election Judge will be requested to sign a certification of the conduct of the election and the results of the tabulation.
    
    
17. During the course of the vote, or the counting, any person having a complaint or dispute regarding any aspect of the conduct of the vote or the election shall, prior to the announcement of the results by the Election Judge on March 3, 2023, register said complaint or dispute in writing with the Election Judge. Such complaints or disputes shall be resolved by the Election Judge whose decision shall be final.
    
    
18. Any decision called for by these rules to be made by the Election Committee must be unanimous, other than those to be made by the Election Judge. Individuals impacted by a unanimous decision by the Election Committee may request to appeal the unanimous decision to the Election Judge. If one member of the Election Committee approves such request, the matter will be referred to the Election Judge. If the Election Committee members are not unanimous, then the matter will be presented to the Election Judge for a decision.
    
    
19. Write-in votes shall not be permitted and will disqualify the entire ballot.
    
    
20. If no candidate for the Office of President receives at least 50% plus one of the votes cast, the Election Committee will conduct a run-off election between the top two vote getters by mail ballot following the same rules as set forth herein. The run-off election will be held within thirty (30) days of the date of the original election results.

The foregoing rules are agreed upon, approved and adopted by the Election Committee.

Shawn Hallinan, Chairman for the Lodge 7 Election Committee

Timothy Fitzpatrick
Coralyn Hudik

Download PDF