Article X

PRECONVENTION ACCREDITATION OF

CANDIDATES FOR INTERNATIONAL

OFFICER POSITIONS

            A candidate for any International Officer position may be certified by the Election Supervisor as an accredited candidate, and thereby obtain access to membership lists pursuant to Article VII, Sections 2 and 3 of the Rules and have his/her campaign literature published in the IBT Magazines pursuant to Article VII, Section 10 of the Rules, if the following requirements are met:

1.         Number of Signatures Required

            Each candidate seeking to become an accredited candidate must obtain signatures on petitions of at least two and a half percent (2.5%) of the membership of the relevant membership pool (i.e., candidates running for union-wide office must obtain signatures on petitions of two and a half percent (2.5%) of the union-wide membership, while candidates running for any regional office must obtain signatures on petitions of two and a half percent (2.5%) of the membership of the particular region in which they are a candidate). The number of petition signatures required for each candidate position shall be available from the Election Supervisor on or about June 1, 2020.

2.         The Petition

            (a)        Such petitions may only be circulated by a member in good standing and after the effective date of the Rules.  The petition shall include the following:

(1)       Identification of the candidate(s) by name, Local Union number(s), and title of office(s) sought;

(2)       Space for each signatory to sign his/her name, to print his/her name, mailing address, including zip code or postal code, list his/her Local Union number, and, if the member chooses, the last four digits of his/her Social Security number; and

(3)       Space at the bottom for each circulator to state his/her name, mailing address, including zip code or postal code, Local Union number, and if the member chooses, the last four digits of his/her Social Security number and to certify the validity and accuracy of the petition's contents.

            (b)        Members of a slate of candidates formed in accordance with Article VIII of the Rules may circulate a single petition for some or all of the members of the slate.  Such petitions may identify the slate by name or title.  However, no slate petition shall include regional Vice President candidates from more than one (1) region.

3.         Submission of Petition

Once the requisite number of petition signatures has been obtained, the candidate may, after July 1, 2020, and through December 15, 2020, submit these petitions to the Election Supervisor for counting and verification.

4.         Checking the Petition

            (a)        Immediately after petitions are received, the Election Supervisor shall:

(1)       Check petitions and void any signature or group of signatures where:

(i)         the signatory or circulator failed to sign and print his/her full name or to state his/her mailing address, including zip code or postal code, Local Union number or last four digits of his/her Social Security number;

(ii)        there are multiple signatures by the same signatory;

(iii)       there are forged signatures; or

(iv)       the circulator failed to list the name(s) of the candidate(s), Local Union number(s), and office(s) sought at the top of each form and to certify the accuracy and validity of the petition's contents at the bottom of each form.

(v) Provided, however, that a signature shall not be invalidated under the foregoing criteria solely because the signatory provided one but not the other of his/her mailing address or the last four digits of his/her Social Security number, if the Election Supervisor, exercising discretion, finds from the information the signatory provided that the signature may be validated.

(2)       Take whatever other action is necessary to verify the accuracy or validity of petition signatures and information.

(3)       Count the valid signatures to insure that the requisite number has been obtained and submitted from the relevant membership pool.  Signing petitions for opposing candidates shall not invalidate the member's signature on any of the petitions signed.

            (b)        If the Election Supervisor finds a candidate has submitted the requisite number of valid signatures on valid petitions, the Election Supervisor shall certify the candidate as an accredited candidate.  No candidate shall be certified as an accredited candidate, entitled to the benefits of accreditation set forth in Article VII, Sections 2, 3 and 10 of these Rules, until his/her petitions have been checked and verified by the Election Supervisor.

            (c)        Each candidate for International office shall have the right to inspect, but not copy, any other candidate's accreditation petitions at the office of the Election Supervisor in Washington, D.C., by appointment made with the Election Supervisor.