చీటి(ing)కి మాటికి మారుతున్న అధికారిక పద్ధతులు మరియు నిబంధనలు

Process and Rules for TAMA 2010 Elections

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information/rules provided in this document are not intended to be compressive (Remember, we are all working as volunteers!!!) . This is only partial list and the decisions of the Nominating Committee/Parliamentarian would be final for all the unlisted rules and regulations.

Information and Rules for Voters

1. GBM Start Time: 3:00 PM
2. The Elections Start Time : 4:30 PM (approximately) (after the completion of GBM)
3. Elections End Time: 8:30 PM
4. The End time of the elections is strictly observed by the Nominating Committee. All the voters that reach inside the voting area on or before 8:30PM, will be allowed to vote. No voters will be allowed to enter the voting area after 8:30PM.
5. Definition of “Valid ID/Valid Photo ID”: A Government issued ID with a photo on it. Examples are passport, drivers license, United States military papers with photo id etc.
6. A member needs to present a Valid Photo ID.
7. If the spouse name of a family member is not listed in the member list document, he/she will be allowed to vote only if the following conditions (a and b) are satisfied.
a. He/She has a Valid Photo ID.
b. The last name or the home address in his/her valid Photo ID matches that of the member; Or his/her name is listed in a utility bill which has an address same as that of the member; Or any other documentation that supports that he/she is the spouse of the member (The decision of the Nominating Committee/Parliamentarian would be final)
If the spouse name of a member is not listed in the member list document and doesn’t satisfy the above requirements (a and b), he or she will not be allowed to vote.
8. If the spouse name of a family member is wrongly listed in the member list document, the rules mentioned in (7) above will apply.
9. Absentee ballots are not allowed.
10. Proxy voting is not allowed.


Rules for contestants

1. No campaigning of any sort is allowed inside the venue of voting.
2. Each panel will be allowed eight agents to observe the election process.
3. A contestant cannot serve as an agent.
4. Agents are the representatives of the contestants and their decision will represent the contestants’ decision for any minor corrections if any during the elections.
5. Votes will be counted once and recorded in an electronic document as well as a physical document by the Nominating Committee.
6. If the difference in votes for a candidate for a position is less than or equal to 5 from the nearest contestant, the votes will be counted a second time for that position only.
7. Recount of the entire votes needs a special GBM permission.
8. Unused ballot papers at the end of the voting will be discarded appropriately by the Nominating Committee.
9. The elections process will be conducted by Parliamenarian/Nominating Committee with the help of Election Officers (EOs) appointed by Nominating Committee. Community members are encouraged to approach the Nominating Committee to serve as EOs.
10. The presidential candidates will be given three minutes each to address the audience and all other candidates will be given two minutes each. Unanimous candidates will not be given this opportunity.


Agents’ Rights/Responsibilities

1. No arguing with the voters.
2. If they observe any fraudulent activity during elections, they should bring it to the attention of Nominating Committee/Parliamentarian immediately.
3. Any incident brought up after the elections will not be entertained.
4. You could request the Election Officer to verify that the person seeking to vote was born on or before Dec 6, 1988. (It is required that a TAMA member and the spouse of the member is at least 21 yrs of age)
5. Agents will have to sign the observation forms during the following four phases during elections:

• After checking the empty ballot boxes and the sealed box of ballots at the beginning of the elections.
• The closing time of the election is strictly observed by the Nominating Committee. All the voters that reach the voting area before the cutoff time, will be allowed to vote. Any voters reaching voting area after the cutoff time will not be allowed to vote.
• When the counting is completed
• After the final list of the winning candidates is declared by the Nominating Committee/Parliamentarian.


Counting Agents’ Responsibilities

1. Three agents from each panel are allowed while counting of the votes takes place.
2. The counting agents are not allowed to carry cell phones with them.




Rights/Responsibilities of the Election Officers


1. If they observe any fraudulent activity during elections, they should bring it to the attention of Nominating Committee/Parliamentarian immediately.
2. Any incident brought up after the elections will not be entertained.
3. Upon request from an Election Agent or at random (trying to be legal here!!!), the Election Officer on duty needs to verify that the person seeking to vote was born on or before Dec 6, 1988. (It is required that a TAMA member and the spouse of the member is at least 21 yrs of age)