JMC Student Council Constitution

A pdf version of the constitution is included in the Student Handbook online. The constitution was last updated in March, 2006.

Article V - Election to Membership

Section 1:

The elections committee, chaired by the vice president, will arrange all elections for the student council officers and for the student council representatives within the time limits specified by this constitution.

Section 2: Timing of Elections

1. Class elections for the first-year students shall be held in the month prior to the October meeting and again in the month prior to the February meeting. The term will last for one year after the February election.
2. Class elections for the second-year students shall be held in the month prior to the February meeting. The term will last for one year.
3. Class elections for the third-year students shall be held in the month prior to the February meeting. This term will end at graduation.

Section 3: Election of class representatives

1. The election committee shall announce at least four weeks prior to the date of the elections the opening of petitioning for five equal representatives and an alternate representative.
2. Each candidate must obtain the written endorsement of 25 constituents. Petitions for candidacy must be submitted to the elections committee or its designate at least one week prior to the elections. Candidates running for first-year representatives positions in the October election must write a short statement of intent to be posted one week prior to the election. Distribution, collection, tabulation, and publication of results will be handled by the election committee.
3. Each constitutent will vote for five of the candidates for representative. The five candidates receiving the most votes shall be the five equal representatives for that class. The candidate receiving the sixth highest number of votes shall be designated the alternate representative. The alternate representative's identity will only be known to the president and the vice president and is to serve only as a means of tallying council votes as described previously; otherwise the alternate shall function as all other council representatives and shall have the same duties.
4. In the event of a tie, the elections committee shall hold a runoff between the tied individuals only.

Section 4a: Election of Executive Officers via the Election Oversight Committee

1. The Election Oversight Committee defined. The Election Oversight Committee is formed to conduct the election of the Student Council Executive Committee. It is formed of five or six members which include the following people:
   • The sitting president or vice president.
   • One other member of the current Executive Committee, selected randomly by name drawing (unless volunteered) in the presence of the Student Council at the November meeting. This individual cannot be running for election to the new Executive Committee.
     
     If three or all of the members of the current Executive Committee are running for future Executive Committee positions, one or two representatives from the current third-year class will be picked randomly (unless volunteered) by name drawing at the November Student Council meeting. This will ensure two members are picked from either the current Executive Committee or the third-year class representatives.
   • Four volunteer class representatives from the first- and second-year classes: there must be at least one first- and one second-year class representative. If need be, the other two individuals may come from the third-year class representatives. if not enough or none volunteer, these four will be randomly selected by name drawing at the November Student Council meeting. If it is impossible to coordinate the following balloting procedures among these four individuals, or if individual contraints preclude selecting four individuals, three individuals may substitute (with a minimum of one each from the first and second-year class representatives.)
2. Of the five (or minimum four) randomly selected or volunteered individuals, two will be randomly picked by name drawing at the November Student Council meeting to make the final tally of the ballots along with either the sitting president or vice president. The five or six Election Overesight Committee members would coordinate placement, pickup, counting, and delivery of the ballots. Each individual will count the ballots that s/he picked up and write the count on a card. This card and the ballots would be brought to a mutually agreed upon place (e.g. Jefferson Alumni Hall), whereupon the president or vice president along with the two randomly selected individuals would each tally the accumulated ballots. These three individuals must necessarily reach the exact same counts. After reaching the same counts, the ballots will then be destroyed, and these three individuals, the only ones privy to the total counts, are sworn to secrecy. The results of the election (not the numerical totals) would then be announced individually to each candidate by the president or vice president.

Section 4b: Election of Executive Officers

1. Candidates for president and vice president must be members of the second- or third-year classes.
2. Candidates for the offices of secretary and treasurer must be members of the first-, second-, or third-year classes.
3. A candidate must run for only one office in a given election, and verbal nominations will be accepted at the October and November Student Council meetings or via an e-mail or telephone call to an executive committee members contacted during the period after the November meeting but before the December meeting.
4. The Election Oversight Committee shall determine the elections schedule for each class prior to the October meeting and shall also inform the classes of this schedule and of all the requirements prior to the October meeting.
5. Candidates will be permitted a position statement (one page or less) to be posted for all to read at least one week prior to the election. Candidates for the office of president must submit a brief letter of intent which will be printed on the reverse side of the ballots.
6. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to briefly (three minutes or less) voice their intentions and goals at the November meeting. After all speeches are completed, the voting representatives shall vote via secret ballot for the candidates they chose to be given their proxy votes. These votes will be tallied by members of the Election Oversight Committee as described above.
7. At the time of the general election, any student may opt to vote proxy. Proxy will be determined such that each voting representative of the designated class decides 1/5 of the proxy vote.
8. A minimum of 50 percent of Jefferson Medical College first-, second-, and third-year students must cast ballots for an election to be valid. Fourth-year students will be given the opportunity to cast ballots if they desire.
9. In the event of more than three (3) candidates appearing on the ballot for an executive council position or positions, a primary election must be held for that position or positions during the general election. A final election consisting of the two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary election should then occur as soon as permitted.
10. In the event of a tie vote in the general election, a reelection shall occur between the involved candidates according to the election procedures above.

Section 5:

All elected members of council shall assume their positions on the council at the first meeting following their election. Executive officers term will start in January and will last for one year.

Section 6:

In the event of resignation, death, disability, or recall of any member of council (except the president), his/her successor shall be chosen by special election according to the provisions of this article.