REGIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Last updated: 1 November 2023
The Regional Council Election process
The Regional Council must adhere to the election principles set out in the Bylaws of Rotary International, the Code of Policies of Rotary International (RI), and the Constitution (when in place) of the Regional Council. Pending the establishment of the Regional Council as a legal entity, this interim director election process aims to provide a clear and systematic framework for conducting elections for the Directors of the Regional Council.
The process outlined is applicable to elected positions on the Zone 8 Regional Council. As there are different voting eligibility criteria for the Rotaract Nominee, the Rotary Communities Nominee, and the remainder of the Regional Council, and as there are different timelines for the positions to be in place, the elections can be run separately, though by the same process
Voting for Regional Councils will be preferential. See this guide for an explanation on preferential voting.
Below are the key steps.
Eligibility
Position Descriptions and criteria for eligibility and selection have been developed for each elected Director position on the Board of the Regional Council, namely the:
Chair
Chair-Elect
Six Portfolio Leads
Rotaract Nominee (voting open to Rotaract Clubs only), and the
Rotary Communities Nominee (voting open to Rotary Community Leaders only).
Position Descriptions and criteria may be amended to meet any other standard or benchmark determined by the Steering Group (until the Regional Council is established) in consultation with RI.
The Rotary Communities Nominee election will be conducted in 2024, after Rotary Community Leaders have been selected.
Expressions of Interest for a role on the Regional Council:
A notice calling for expressions of interest (EOI) will be published (by email and on the Creating Rotary Tomorrow website) for all members of Rotary and Rotaract Clubs (hereafter “Clubs”) in Zone 8 at least eight weeks before the election date (that date on which voting closes) and will close six weeks before the election date.
The notice shall include the eligibility criteria, application process and candidate obligations in respect of the election process and the appointment sought.
Rotarians and Rotaractors wishing to submit an EOI must do so using the online form and enter the email address of the President or another Officer of their Club who ensures the person is a Rotary member in good standing and endorses the EOI electronically. Clubs may endorse multiple EOIs.
Becoming a candidate
Club-endorsed eligible candidates will then be sent a link to an online application package to complete which demonstrates their qualification for the appointment, as well as agreeing to abide by the Constitution and resolutions lawfully adopted by the Regional Council during the proposed term of office.
Candidates will be required to provide a short (maximum 2 pages) CV, and a 200 word statement setting out how they will pursue the vision of the Zone 8 Pilot and the objectives of Rotary more broadly.
The application package must be completed and submitted online; hard copy applications cannot be accepted.
Voting for positions
Voting will begin at least three weeks before the election date. Each Club (or in the case of the Rotary Communities Nominee, each Community Leader) has only one ballot sheet for all eligible positions. The ballot will list all candidates for each position on the Regional Council for which the Club is eligible to vote. Voting will be preferential. Click here for an easy to understand guide to voting.
Clubs will be eligible to vote for positions except the Rotary Communities Nominee.
Only Rotaract Clubs will be eligible to vote for the Rotaract Nominee.
Only Community Leaders are eligible for the Rotary Communities Nominee and have one vote for the one position.
Clubs will have one primary vote to cast for each position for which they are eligible to vote on. Clubs are encouraged to allocate preference in numerical order for the remaining candidates in each position.
In this way clubs choose their preferred candidates from those listed against against specific Regional Council positions up to a maximum of the 8 Regional Council positions listed for election (9 for Rotaract only).
The RI electronic voting system automatically scrutineers the votes cast and the candidate who gets more votes than any of the other candidate(s) will be declared the winning candidate subject to RI endorsement and the outcome of any objections to the result from Clubs.
Campaigning, Canvassing and Electioneering
It is a fundamental principle in Rotary that the best qualified candidate should be selected for service in Rotary’s elective offices. Therefore, any effort to influence the selection process in a positive or negative manner by campaigning, canvassing, electioneering or otherwise is prohibited under the RI Bylaws and the Constitution of the Regional Council. In accordance with the RI Code of Policy and the Constitution of the Regional Council (once in place), election candidates shall:
Learn and follow both the spirit and the letter of RI’s election guidelines
Consult with knowledgeable Rotarians about current or new Rotary assignments that may give an appearance of campaigning
Not undertake personal initiatives to gain visibility, personal recognition, or favour
Not respond in kind to another candidate’s improper activities
Not communicate with or visit clubs involved in the applicable election except to fulfill necessary functions
This rule does not apply to prevent the candidate providing a statement on how they will pursue the vision of the Zone 8 Pilot to the Application Review Panel for the Panel to attach to the election web page and in the List of Candidates sent to each Club (in the case of the Rotary Communities Nominee, each Community Leader). The Application Review Panel has the right to summarise any such statement without recourse.
Application Review Panel
Applications will be reviewed by RI staff and the members of an application review panel for compliance and to validate the candidature of the applicant. Only candidates who are eligible and who successfully address the selection criteria will be validated. Candidates will then be listed for election.
Successful Candidates
Successful candidates will be required to apply for and be granted an Australian Director ID from the Australian Business Registry Services before they can accept the role of Director. They will also be required to sign a formal Consent to Act as a Director, which is a director obligation undertaking that covers such matters as legal obligations to the Regional Council, performance of powers and functions, and professional learning and development requirements. Non- Australian candidates are equally eligible to hold all Council positions.
Future Elections
This process for the election of directors is for the initial Directors of the Regional Council. The Regional Council will confirm, or amend as necessary, these procedures for future elections.