General Rules and Regulations concerning the conduct of Annual Election 2013 Rule One 1. Only Full Members of the Union shall vote, nominate, and be nominated in Union Elections. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Two Nominations for the next Union Session shall be opened on the first day of the First Semester, and the nominations shall be closed at 12 noon on any day which is at least four weeks before but not longer than six weeks before the Election Day. (according to the Union Constitution) *IMPORTANT*: The current Union Election Regulations are contradictory to the Union Constitution on the arrangement of the nomination periods. The Union Constitution shall prevail and the closure of the nomination periods shall be at least four weeks but not longer than six weeks before the Election Days. Rule Three Nominations for election shall only be made on forms provided for the purpose. Each form shall contain the name of one candidate, together with signatures of a proposer and a seconder and the signature of the candidate signifying his/her consent. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Four The Election Commission shall scrutinize every nomination paper and announce the name of the candidate within forty-eight hours after receiving the nomination, thereafter the candidate may start his/her election campaign. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Five Any candidate may withdraw his consent to nomination, if he so wishes, by a signed letter addressed to the Committee within 48 hours after the closing of nomination. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Six In the event that no nomination is received after the expiration of nomination period, the Committee shall declare the reopening of nomination within 24 hours. The
duration of the period shall be decided by the Committee. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Seven Any publicity of the candidate is allowed after 48 hours of the closing of nomination.(according to the Union Election Regulation) This regulation in particular focuses on the arrangement on publicity. Rule Eight All resources that will be used by candidate shall be booked through the Committee. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Nine The Candidate shall conduct the publicity in accordance with the Union Internal Regulation (內務守則). (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Ten The time for Central Campaign shall be 6 hours, subject to further extension; as decided by the majority of the body involved, with a maximum of 12 hours only.(according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Eleven An Election Commission shall be set up by the Committee and appointed by the Council. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twelve Functions of the Election Commission are to: 1. Receive nomination from Union Staff; 2. Scrutinize nomination paper; 3. Organize and publicize the election; 4. Determine the results of the election; 5. Announce the results of the election; 6. Present a report to the Council after the election Rule Thirteen The Commission shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Union Elections Committee. Its membership shall comprise the following:
a. Members of the Union Elections Committee b. Council Chairperson c. Election Officers (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Council Chairperson shall act as an Official Observer for the proceeding of the election. (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Election Officers shall be members of the Council or Full Union Members appointed by the Council, and shall be in charge of the running of polling stations. (according to the Union Election Regulation)
Rule Fourteen The Election Day for the Annual Election shall be held within the first four weeks of the Second Semester. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Fifteen The notice of the Election Day for the Annual Election and By-election shall be served five clear days beforehand. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Sixteen Election shall be by polling conducted on the Election Day. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Seventeen Voting shall be by secret ballot. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Eighteen When the number of candidate is less than or equal to the number of vacancy of the post under this Section, electors shall vote for or against the candidate, or abstain. The candidate shall be declared elected provided:i) the candidate has secured a number of votes for him/her greater than the number of votes against him/her ii) the candidate has secured a number of votes for him/her no less than 10% of the total Full Membership of the Union. (according to the Union Constitution)
Rule Nineteen For the Election of Union Executives, members of Undergrad Editorial Board and Campus TV executive committee under this Section, when the number of candidate is more than the number of vacancy of the post, electors shall indicate on their ballot papers their order of preference for the candidates. Papers shall be arranged and counted according to the first preference, the candidate at the bottom of the poll on this first count shall be declared to have lost and his votes shall be distributed among the remaining candidate or candidate according to the second preference or preferences indicated on those ballot papers. This process shall be continued until the number of candidate left is equal to the number of the vacancy of the post and the candidate(s) shall be declared elected provided he/she has secured at the end of the process a number of votes no less than 10% of the total Full Membership of the Union. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Twenty For the Election of Popularly Elected Union Councillors under this Section, when the number of candidate is more than ten, electors may at most cast ten votes on any ten candidates on the ballot paper and shall not cast more than one vote on any single candidate. Failure to comply with the above procedures shall automatically nullify the whole ballot paper. The candidates shall be arranged in descending order of the number of votes they have secured in the election. Any of first ten candidates shall be declared elected provided that he/she has secured a number of votes no less than 10% of the total Full Membership of the Union. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Twenty One In the event of a tie occurring at the end of the election proceedings for a post of Union Executive, members of Undergrad Editorial Board or Campus TV executive committee, the Election Commission shall order a re-election for that particular post within seven days. Notwithstanding, in the event of a tie occurring at the last place in the Election of Popularly Elected Union Councillors, a second voting shall be held between the candidates who have tied for the last place. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Twenty Two The Election Commission with the approval of the Union Council shall have power to order a re-election for all or part of the posts in the event of any contravention of the election procedure, and this election must take place within the seven days
immediately following the Election Day on any complaint raised within twenty-four hours after the declaration of the result of the election. Any such complaint shall be signed by the complainant. (according to the Union Constitution) Rule Twenty Three A locked ballot box with the certificate signed by the Committee shall be prepared for each station. The keys shall be kept by the Council Chairperson.(according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Four The method of regional polling shall be adopted. Electors can vote in any polling stations set up. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Five Any other methods of polling may be adopted by the Council with the consent of two-third of those present voting. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Six The period of the polling shall not be less than 8 hours. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Seven Election Officer shall be present at the station at any time during the whole period of the polling. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Eight The station shall be opened by Election Officer to allow for the casting of vote. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Twenty Nine Nobody shall be allowed to enter the station except for the purpose of voting. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Thirty One Voting procedures: a. each elector shall prove his/her identity and eligibility by showing his certificate of registration to the Election Officer. This certificate shall be checked by the Election Officer with a networked computer database.
b. Election Officer shall give each eligible elector a ballot paper, prepared by the Committee, for this purpose setting out the nominations to which consent still stands; c. each elector shall be entitled to one ballot paper only on which his/her identity; d. the ballot paper shall not be taken outside the station; e. the elector shall place his ballot paper into the ballot box. Rule Thirty Two The followings shall be defined as a spoiled ballot paper: a. a paper without the certificate of the Committee; b. a paper torn or damaged; c. a paper recording a vote in any manner other than that mentioned on the ballot paper. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Thirty Three COUNTING OF VOTE The ballot box shall be sealed and removed from the station and delivered to the Council Chairperson at the closing time of the polling. (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Council Chairperson shall open the ballot boxes and votes shall be counted within 6 hours after the closing time of the polling. Only Members of the Committee, Election Officers and Union Councilors who are not being one of the candidates can count the votes. (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Members of the Committee shall, and the candidates may, if they wish, observe the counting of the vote, and any one of them may call for one recount only at the conclusion of the counting. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Rule Thirty Four DETERMINATION OF RESULTS The Committee shall determine the results of each election in accordance with the conditions stated in the Union Constitution and convey such results to the Council Chairperson. (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Chairperson of the Commission and the Council Chairperson shall sign jointly on a formal paper, with the results of the election, signifying their consent to the results of the particular election.
Rule Thirty Five ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS Official announcement of the results shall be made 24 hours after the closing of the count, if no complaint is received. (according to the Union Election Regulation) The Commission shall be the only body to announce the results of each election which shall include: a. the number of votes cast in each election; b. the number of valid and invalid ballot papers in each election; c. the number of votes cast for, against and abstain to each candidate; d. the list of elected candidates. (according to the Union Election Regulation) Any complaint concerning the conduct of the ballot or the count shall be lodged with the Committee within 24 hours of the closing of the count. If a complaint is so lodged the Committee shall investigate and shall report its findings to the Council. (according to the Union Election Regulation) If there is any complaint being raised, no official announcement of the results shall be made until all complaints have been solved. (according to the Union Election Regulation)