EC Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

006-Officer Duties

I. Chair & Dataset Manager Duties:

The Chair is in charge of the committee. S/he sets the tone, and takes final responsibility for everything that happens - like "the buck stops here." The Chair sets goals, dates, order of business, and is responsible for seeing that the work of the EC is completed on time and in compliance with the EC Procedures.

The Chair and DM are responsible for all training of EC members.

In all of this, teamwork is imperative, which is why the EC looks for good team players. Both positions depend on the committee members for input and suggestions, and that is why the Chair usually runs things past the committee whenever possible. On issues calling for an EC vote, the Chair only votes in case of tie.

Everyone should be well versed in the EC Procedures, but no one more than the Chair. The EC must always work in strict compliance with the procedures.

A. Calendar:

JANUARY:

  1. Remind the EC members that it is time to request updates from those Project leaders that have not used their Oversight Access or the Update Form to keep their membership lists current.

APRIL:

  1. In April or early May send an email to the National Membership Mailing List and/or the project mail lists to update their membership records and to register to vote if they have not already done so. Remind members who use a Spam Filter to set it to accept: Registrar@usgwelections.org.
    Form Letter: Registration Reminder

MAY:

  1. Send a final reminder letter to all members to check their membership records, update their email addresses and/or register to vote. Remind members who use a spam filter to set it to accept: Registrar@usgwelections.org.
    Form Letter: Registration Reminder
  2. Make sure all member updates in Compare are verified/approved. The Chair and the DM have through June to get this done.
  3. Send a notice to the EC mail list asking if anyone is considering accepting a nomination; this includes the ex-officio members.
    1. If yes, that person must be un-subbed by 31 May.
    2. If all are a no, remember that no EC member may change their mind later once the nomination process has begun.
    Form Letter: EC Member Accepting Nomination
  4. Send a note to the EC list of who in each region will handle nominees and who will handle nominators.
    Form Letter: EC Assignments
  5. Any Voter Registrations received after 31 May are left as unapproved until the conclusion of the election, including any run-offs.
  6. The 3rd week in May, an EC Admin (the Chair or DM) must set up the election in Oversight.
    1. Go to Define Available Positions Specify the nomination period (usually 1 Jun, 12:00AM to 14 Jun, 11:59PM), and the open positions and terms for this year's election.
    2. Go to Update Handler Names to set up the nominator and nominee handlers for this year's election.
    3. Either the Chair or the DM will receive a copy of ALL nominations. Enter his/her email in the "Coordinator Email" box at the bottom of the "Handler Names" page.
  7. Make sure all EC web pages are updated for the National Election. If you have appointed a webmaster, follow up with him/her to be sure all necessary updates are made in a timely manner:
    1. During nomination period, update nominee-ndx.html nightly
    2. Add verified candidates to candidate-ndx.html
    3. Add links to candidate's campaign pages when/if submitted
    4. Change headings on nominee-ndx and candidate-ndx.html to reflect when the nomination and voting periods are OPEN or CLOSED.
  8. Announce Nomination Period and open positions.
    Form Letter: Nominations Open

JUNE:

The third or fourth week in June, after all nominations have been processed,

  1. Set up the ballot with the names of verified candidates.
  2. Check the beginning and ending dates for the voting period. Normally, the dates are those required by the Bylaws: July 1 through July 31.
  3. Load the voting table.
  4. IMPORTANT! Once the voting table has been created, turn off "Setup" (set to NO) so the voting booth will open automatically on (normally) July 1st.
  5. Announce opening of Voting Period.
    Form Letter: Voting Open

JULY:

Work with any member who is having a problem obtaining their voting password.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER:

  1. Send a private email to each candidate notifying them of the results of their race as soon as available.
    Form Letter: Candidate Notice
  2. After notifying individual candidates, send the complete election results to the membership via the Announcement mailing list.
    Form Letter: Election Results
  3. If one or more runoff elections are necessary, set up the runoff election(s) in Oversight, and announce the beginning and ending dates (usually 14 days) via the Announcement mailing list. Announcements can be restricted to an affected region.
    Form Letter: Announce Runoff Election
  4. Post the results of the runoff election to the entire Announcement mailing list.
  5. Send out a call for new volunteers. Per the EC Procedures, the EC is to publish a call for volunteers on the Election Committee's web page, and on the USGenWeb-Discuss, State Coord, USGenWeb-All, Special Projects, and the Regional mailing lists. Also any other lists or avenues appropriate to reach the most volunteers. The National Membership Mailing List as executed by our Oversight software is now sent to all Active USGW Members, is working well with few if any sp*m rejections, and may be the best way to reach the most members.
    Form Letter: Call for EC Volunteers
  6. All prospective members should
    1. Read the Election Committee Procedures. It should be understood that Section III. C. will be enforced. The EC Committee can not adequately perform its duties when members volunteer "in name only."
    2. Access their own Registration record in Oversight. Since all EC Members will now be using Oversight to access and/or update their regional spreadsheet, it is important that new volunteers are at least familiar with basic registration before they are recommended for membership on the EC.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER:

  1. Submit slate of volunteers to the AB.
    Form Letter: EC Slate
  2. Any member's name that was not sent to the AB should receive a thank you letter for having volunteered.
  3. Once a slate is approved, send a welcoming letter to the new EC members. Let them know that they will be subscribed to the EC mail list in Nov or Dec according to the schedule that we are able to work with in that year.
  4. IMPORTANT: AFTER the 2025 Election is concluded, remind our programmer (who may or may not be Larry) that SetVPassword.cfm needs to be updated in Oversight.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER:

  1. Subscribe the new members to the EC mail list. Begin a "getting to know you" chat.
  2. Send new members the link to the EC-Manual so they can become familiar with it and ask questions.
  3. Work with DM on dataset access for new members. The Chair or DM will create passwords (Access Table) so new members can access the membership records for their assigned region and begin to familiarize themselves with the software.
  4. The floor is turned over to the ex-offico members to hold the election for the next year's chair. Only the currently seated EC members whose terms have not expired are eligible to vote.
  5. Once the chair is elected, s/he opens the floor for nominations for the Sec/Pub. position and conducts the election for that position.
  6. Sub the new Chair and Sec/Pub. to the mail list in digest mode. They must have a different email addy than the one they use for mail mode.
  7. 3rd week of December - Any remaining notes and spreadsheet updates are turned over to incoming EC members.
  8. Dec. 31st - Unsub all out-going EC members from the EC Mail List
B. MORE CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES:
  1. Answer questions from EC members.
  2. Answer questions from the membership.
  3. Maintain the EC website.

 

II. Secretary/Publicist Duties:

The Sec/Pub. technically is the individual who communicates with the AB and the project, but in the past has performed as the right arm and back up to the chair. S/he will have full access to the lists, all passwords, etc., and the two may switch/share some responsibilities according to need and ability.

A. Quarterly Reports
Prepare quarterly reports and send to the EC for proofing and corrections.
  1. It helps if you keep a running list throughout the quarter. Then all you have to do is a cleanup and send.
  2. The quarterly reports are sent to the NC for presentation to the Board.
  3. The Sec/Pub. should not post the reports and/or any election results until notified that the announcement has been posted on Board-L.
B. Mail List Subscriptions:
The Sec/Pub. is to be subscribed to these mail lists for the sending of announcements to the membership:
USGenWeb-NE
USGenWeb-NW
USGenWeb-SE
USGenWeb-SW
USGenWeb-Discuss
State-Coord
USGenWeb Archives

III. Important URL's and EMail Addresses

Registration and Oversight: https://usgwelections.org
Nominations Link: https://usgwelections.org/NationalNomination.cfm

IV. Terminology:

Dataset = Oversight: This is the online site for USGW membership records. All updates, whether by the member themselves, or by an EC Member or PC on their behalf, are made here.

Registration: The part of Oversight accessible to USGW members to use for updates to their own records. It is NOT just for registering to vote. Members can update email addresses, remove or add projects, etc.

National Membership Mailing List (aka Announcement List): Formerly referred to as the "listserv," the software and distribution list for sending email to members is now located within Oversight and is available for sending announcements from the Election Committee, and/or from the National Coordinator to the membership at large. All "Active" members are sent these mails.

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The USGenWeb Project, Free Genealogy Online The Election Committee of the USGenWeb Project is a non-partisan standing committee charged with managing national polls and elections for the Project; providing a secure voting system; maintaining an up-to-date and accurate list of all members; and providing Volunteers with information about elections and candidates. It is not affiliated with any other election, voting, or campaign project or committee. Contact , EC Chair, or your regional EC Representative with questions and concerns.