Campaining Policy
Zonta needs the most qualified leaders for district office. Candidates for Zonta District 17 positions need to demonstrate high ethical standards. The Nominating Committee wishes to ensure the most qualified candidates are elected and will ensure that all candidates have the opportunity to inform the membership in a fair, equitable and appropriate way. The following campaigning policy outlines the behaviors expected.
Introduction and definition of terms
Campaigning is defined as encouraging voters to vote for or discouraging voters from voting for a specific candidate. A candidate is an individual who intends to run for a district board office or district nominating committee membership.
This campaigning policy applies both to candidates on the slate and candidates who are nominated from the floor and applies from the date of the deadline for submission of the nomination form.
Candidates for office who already hold a leadership position, must fulfill that role for the entire biennium and, in doing so, fulfilling their role is not to be interpreted as campaigning.
Rules of Procedure of Zonta International, 5, Circularization (2)
Zontians shall not use membership contact details or act in any other way to contact other Zontians for the purposes of lobbying for or against candidates who are running for office at any level of Zonta.
Fundamentals
Prior to the issuance of the official slate, it is not permitted for a prospective candidate to disclose that they are a nominee for office.
After the slate has been issued, a candidate on the slate may be introduced at functions as a candidate for the office for which they are nominated.
Candidates, whether on the slate or from the floor, who run for district office may give a presentation promoting their candidacy only at the meeting in which voting for the office takes place specifically the district conference and only at the time specified in the program.
For international and district elections, prior to the election meeting the nominating committee may distribute materials prepared by the candidates about their background, qualifications and goals. These materials would usually be included in the convention, conference or area meeting program. Approved biographies of candidates from the floor are only available after the end of the business session at which the candidates make their candidate speeches, and are distributed through the conference secretariat or committee. No other distribution is allowed for candidates from the floor.
At international conventions or district conferences, candidates on the slate may wear official identification indicating that they are candidates. After being nominated, candidates from the floor are also entitled to wear such identification. Candidates from the floor, after being nominated, are also entitled to wear such identification. All candidates must remove this identification prior to entering the area where voting takes place.
Zontians attending an international convention, district conference or area meeting at which elections are held may confer with other members to discuss the candidates, but they may not instruct delegates or other voters how to vote.
If asked, Zontians may orally provide factual information to other Zontians about candidates, but may not, by any means, solicit votes for any candidate.
Examples of activities that are not permissible
A candidate may not attend club meetings, area meetings, district conferences, or other events with no other purpose than to promote her own or another person’s candidacy. This provision is not intended to prohibit or discourage members of club, district, or international boards or committees from attending and participating in meetings consistent with their leadership roles.
A candidate may not use culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation or geography to influence votes.
A candidate must not distribute at any time any gift, trinket, button, or other promotional material by or on behalf of a candidate.
A candidate must not make use of social media nor make oral or written communications for the purpose of advocating or discouraging support for a candidate.
A candidate must not encourage third parties to campaign for the purpose of soliciting votes in favor or against a candidate.
A Zonta leader, club or an individual Zontian must not instruct a voting member/s how to vote. This includes so called block voting or directions to vote for a particular candidate/s.
Enforcement of the policy
Alleged violations of this policy are to be reported in writing to a member of the board at the level of the office the candidate is seeking, i.e., club board for candidates for club office, district board for candidates for district office, or International Board for candidates for international office.
The board may consider alleged violations at a regular or special meeting or, if necessary, by email or other electronic communication. The candidate will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations. If the candidate is a member of the board, the candidate may be present at the consideration of the alleged violations if they are considered at a regular or special meeting but may not participate in the deliberations or vote. If the board considers the alleged violations at a regular or special meeting, including meetings conducted by telephone and video conferencing systems, it may, by a two-thirds vote of the entire board:
- Reprimand the candidate confidentially, or
- Remove the candidate from the slate.
If the board considers the alleged violations by mail ballot, email or other asynchronous means, the vote to impose discipline must be unanimous, except that if the candidate who is alleged to have engaged in misconduct is a member of the board, the candidate will not be entitled to vote on this matter.
If the alleged violation comes to the board’s attention after the candidate being elected, the respective board shall follow the disciplinary procedures with respect to removal from office as set forth in the Bylaws of Zonta International.
► Bylaws of Zonta International, Article VIII, International Board, Section 11, Article XII, International Nominating Committee, Section 7, Article XIV-Districts, Section 10(e) and Article XV- Clubs, Section 6(e)
Nomination from the floor
At the District Conference where the election is to be held, nominations from the floor may be made after the chairperson of the District Nominating Committee (DNC) shall have made her/his report. The nominator must have previously obtained the nominee’s consent to the nomination. The nomination from the floor shall be limited to a statement of the name of the nominee and her/his club affiliation.
The Rules of Procedure of District 17 provides that a candidate to be nominated from the floor shall submit, for receipt by the Chairperson of DNC at least ten (10) days prior to the start of the first business session of the District Conference, a completed Nomination Form, including a photograph and the candidate’s written consent to serve in the office, if elected. For the 2023 District Conference, deadline for the submission of nomination forms for candidates to be nominated from the floor is on 20 September 2023. The completed nomination form should reach the Chairperson of the DNC electronically and copied to the other two members of the Committee before the deadline. The hard copy should be handed to the Chairperson no later than the first day of the District Conference, i.e. 29 September 2023.
If the DNC has determined that the completed Nomination Form is in order and that the candidate is qualified the Chairperson of the DNC shall inform the District Governor of the expected nomination from the floor.