To accept nomination, candidates must agree to serve in writing (email is acceptable). They are also encouraged to submit a statement of not more than 100 words to be published with the ballot. Note that the [[Augustæum Editor]] is admonished to strictly edit for length. While it is hoped that time will permit a more gracious edit, he is permitted to do so by truncating statements to only the first 100 words submitted, provided he treats all submissions the same.
The Nominating Committee will report back to the Board by the [[Agendae|Agenda]] deadline (ten calendar days before the meeting) in time for the June Board meeting with the names of the candidates nominated. At that timemeeting, Directors may nominate additional candidates, with the constraint that they must agree to serve in writing before the ballots must be printed, usually the last week July.
[[Headquarters Staff]] will print the statements received by the date of the June Board meeting, either on or with the ballots, or in an accompanying ''[[Augustæum]]''. No mention will be made of those candidates who did not submit a statement.
Headquarters Staff (or their designees) will print the ballots and mail them to all Members with the statements not later than . The desired date for posting is 30 June, but posting as late as 2 July to all Society members in [[Good Standing]]is acceptable.
Members must properly mark their ballots and return them to Headquarters (or a designated [[Election Teller]]) not later than 1 August. A July postmark is not in itself sufficient; the ballot must be received at Headquarters (or the Election Teller) by the deadline.
Headquarters Staff (or the Election Teller) will arrange to have count the ballots counted by non-members in time for the results to be announced at the [[Annual Meeting]] on 18 the second Saturday of August. Should this prove impossible due to write-in votes or the refusal of the [[President]] to cast a tie-breaking vote, the confirmation of the election will be postponed to subsequent metings of the [[Board]]. In such event, [[Directors]] and [[Elected Officers]] will remain in office until the entire Board has been elected and officer elections may be conducted.
Those elected shall be assigned the longest term available, first by the number of votes received, and second by order of precedence. Given that resignations are not uncommon, there may be no particular pattern to how many terms expire each year. Should there be no objection at the Annual Meeting, or from the subsequent Board meeting if no quorum is had at the Annual Meeting, Headquarters Staff (or the Election Teller) will destroy the ballots, retaining only the vote counts.
==[[By-Laws]] Amendments==
While the [[Board]] is authorized to make most amendments to the By-Laws, any amendment that has the effect of reducing member control or input to Society operations must be approved by the membership, with the sole exception of changing the number of Directors which the By-Laws specifically authorize the Board to do with a super-majority.
To the extent possible , Amendments should be presented at the time of the annual election to save costs, and the questions may be placed on the same ballot sheet as the candidates. Thus a single Ballot Envelope is sufficient.
Amendments that find no objection from either the members of the Board or from [[Headquarters Staff]] may have the text of the amendment accompanied by a brief explanation of the impact, should it not be obvious. Where dissent is heard, two statements of equal length should be authorized, with respected and articulate proponents of each side invited to submit. The length should be a function of the complexity, but should not be so great that both cannot fit on a single sheet of paper. Additional argument may be permitted in ''[[Augustæum]]'', but this should be done well in advance of the voting so as to permit rebuttal.
Amendments submitted to the membership at either the [[Annual Meeting]] or via ballot require only a majority of the votes cast to prevail.
==Election of ''Magister Rosae''==
==Ballot Counting==
[[Headquarters Staff]] will arrange to have the ballots counted by non-members in time for the results to be presented to the next regular that year's [[BoardAnnual Meeting]] meeting following . While it is desirable that the close count be done by disinterested non-members, this is only required when there is some expectation that one or more of the election for confirmationitems is contested, or when an issue may impact Headquarters Staff.
Should there be no objection at the above Annual Meeting or the following [[Board ]] meeting, Headquarters Staff will destroy the ballots, retaining only the vote counts.