IBT International Officer Election Overview

Since 1991, the IBT international officer election has consisted of three distinct stages.  At all stages of the election, a member’s rights to participate include the right:  to seek nomination as a candidate for office or delegate; to support or oppose candidates; to observe the conduct of the election; to file protests alleging violations of the Election Rules; and to vote for candidates by secret ballot. 

Stage 1:  Delegate Elections.  Each IBT local union with 100 or more members will meet to nominate delegates and alternate delegates to the IBT convention and will conduct an election, if necessary.  Nominations and the election will be conducted according to a written Election Plan prepared by the local, and approved by the Election Supervisor.  Local unions will elect delegates to the convention during the period beginning January 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2016, except that (1) a small number of local unions with members who work in a seasonal agricultural industry during the summer months will conduct their nominations and elections between July 1, 2015 and September 30, 2015 (a list of these locals will be posted on the OES website in May, 2015); and (2) local unions required to conduct their officer elections between October 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015, may also conduct their delegate elections at the same time as their officer elections.

The Election Supervisor is responsible for supervising and conducting a fair, free, democratic, and informed election process.  As part of that process, any member may get a copy of the proposed local union election plan and file a written comment on the plan with the Election Supervisor.  Any member in good standing may attend nomination meetings, nominate or second the nomination of any candidate for delegate or alternate delegate, and vote in the election by secret ballot.  Any eligible member may run for delegate or alternate delegate.  The Election Rules available on this site state the requirements for membership in “good standing”, which allow a member to participate in the election, as well as the requirement of “24 months continuous good standing” for eligibility to run for office or delegate and alternate delegate.  Members may ask the Election Supervisor to check their IBT records and determine if they are eligible to run, nominate, second, or observe in the election.  Upon request, the Election Supervisor will inform any member who is not eligible to nominate, second, or observe in the election of the process by which the member may restore his or her eligibility to do so.

Stage 2:  The Convention.  The 29th International Convention of the IBT will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 27 through July 1, 2016.  In addition to conducting the necessary business of the union, candidates for international office will be nominated from the floor.  Any candidate who receives the secret ballot vote of 5% or more of the delegates from the geographic area from which the candidate seeks election will be eligible to appear on the ballot in the general election.

Stage 3:  The Election.  If more than one candidate is nominated for an office, union members will vote by secret ballot in Fall 2016 to elect a candidate to fill the office.  Every member will receive a ballot and all members in good standing have the right to vote in the election.  In past years, the balloting has been conducted by mail using procedures to ensure the secrecy of each member’s vote.  Ballots are usually mailed out in the second week of October and members have until the third week of November to return their voted ballots by mail.  Ballots are counted in the following week and winners are announced after the count is completed.