6.6. Vacancies - Provincial Council

6.5.2. Provincial Council member(s) shall have a designated alternate(s), to be elected at the same time as the Provincial Council member(s) is elected. Provincial Council alternates will have voice and vote at Provincial Council meetings when replacing the Provincial Council member. Provincial Council alternates will be elected pursuant to Article 6.5.3.

6.5.3. Members in good standing in the Union shall be eligible for nomination. Eligibility for nomination to the Provincial Council shall be at the option of the sectors/locals. The Sectors/Locals shall enact bylaws mandating gender equality for elected positions wherever reasonable. The election of the Provincial Council member(s) shall be conducted by secret ballot; voting to take place during a general or annual/biennial meeting of the sector/local, or by polling stations at the workplace or by mailing a ballot to each member.

6.5.4. Following the election, the successful Provincial Council Members Elect shall take the following Oath, in the presence of the members of their sector:

"In accepting nomination, I .......... do hereby sincerely pledge my word to the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union that I will truly and faithfully perform the duties of my office in accordance with the SGEU Constitution, Code of Ethics, Statement of Equality, the Policies and the Bylaws of the Union. I will safeguard and protect the assets of the Union and return all assets at the close of my term in office."

6.5.5. The Provincial Council member elect shall be an observer at the next Annual Convention. This does not preclude the Provincial Council elect from running as a sector/local delegate to convention.

6.5.6. The Provincial Council Member Elect shall assume office at the close of Convention.

6.6. Vacancies - Provincial Council

6.6.1 The Office of a Provincial Council Member shall become vacant automatically if a member is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without obtaining leave of absence from the President and/or if they move to another sector other than the one in which they were elected.

6.6.2 If such a vacancy occurs prior to Convention in any year, the sector shall be responsible to replace the member for the unexpired term involved. The sector may do so by conducting a special election as provided for in Article 6.3 or by naming an alternate who was previously elected for the purpose of filling a vacancy during the course of the regular annual/biennial elections as conducted under Article 6.3 of this Constitution.