The ins and outs of caucus voting procedures

Thursday balloting will take place in three-way race for 2nd vice president

April 7, 2005

The Unity Caucus will hear from the three individuals running for NYSUT second vice president at a candidates forum Thursday night, followed by a caucus primary to decide which contender gets the caucus nod.

The candidates are: Kathleen Donahue of the Hilton TA, Kate McKenna of the Syracuse TA and Terry McSweeney of the Marcellus FA.

The caucus candidates forum starts at 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Ballroom. Procedures will be explained by Elections Committee co-chairmen Rod Sherman and Jeff Zahler. Candidates will have an opportunity to speak. Caucus voters then will be assigned to different rooms, by local, to pick up their ballots. Voters need to show their convention badge and caucus membership card.

Caucus primary votes will be cast and tallied Thursday night (perhaps extending after midnight). A winner needs to attain a majority of caucus votes plus one. (The votes are proportional, based on the number of local delegates who are in the caucus and the membership strength of the local.) Each candidate will have an observer at the vote tabulations.

The caucus will meet again at 7:30 a.m. Friday in the Grand Ballroom. If no one has attained a majority, the caucus at that time will hear procedures for a runoff between the two top vote-getters. The run-off balloting would follow, with voters assigned to rooms by local.

"We are asking that delegates be patient with us," said Tony Bifaro, assistant to the NYSUT president who chairs the convention. "These are unprecedented procedures for a caucus primary, based on caucus bylaws and NYSUT's campaign and election procedures established by the NYSUT Board of Directors."

Some staff are off duty for NYSUT and contracted out to the Unity Caucus for those hours devoted to the complex procedures for caucus primaries. Any caucus can purchase the services of NYSUT to assist in internal elections.

NYSUT general elections will be held Saturday at 11 a.m.

Registration, voting info

In order to be eligible to vote in the general NYSUT election (distinct from the Unity Caucus primary), you must be a registered delegate by 5 p.m. Friday. You also must be present at your assigned Election District voting place between 11:30 a.m. and noon Saturday. Instructions, distribution of ballots and voting begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. After noon, those delegates not at their assigned ED voting place will not be able to vote.

To vote in a caucus primary

The Unity Caucus has asked to share the following procedural information with all delegates for the primary election.

In order to vote in the Unity Caucus, delegates must enroll for caucus membership and for RA credentials by 7:30 p.m. Thursday. A Caucus Registration Table will be open from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. It will be located outside the Exhibit Hall.

There will be a primary election for Unity Caucus endorsements for second vice president.

To vote in the caucus elections, you must show a NYSUT 2005 RA delegate badge and a Unity Caucus membership card. If you forgot, or have lost, your card, go to the Caucus Registration table outside the exhibit hall.

There are three polling places.

Delegates from United University Professions will vote in Beekman Parlor. This is on the second floor of the Hilton.

Delegates from the United Federation of Teachers will vote in the Trianon Ballroom. This is on the third floor of the Hilton, the same floor as the general session.

All others will vote in the Rhinelander Gallery. This is on the second floor of the Hilton.

Delegates with disabilities who need assistance to reach their polling place should go to the elevators. Staff will be available to assist you.