The Foreign Service Journal, December 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2014 53 AFSA NEWS • Pre-AFSA restrictions : Any individual who has served: 1) in a management position in Washington in which he or she has engaged in labor-management relations or the formulation of personnel policies and programs; or 2) as a confidential employee to one of these management ožcials within two years prior to taking ožce in AFSA, is precluded from par- ticipating in labor-management issues while serving on the Governing Board. • Post-AFSA restrictions: Employees who have participated in collective bargaining while serving on the AFSA Governing Board may not serve: 1) in a management position in Washing- ton that involves labor-management relations or the formula- tion of personnel policies and programs; or 2) as a confidential employee to such management positions, for two years after leaving AFSA. Members should consider these restrictions before deciding whether to run for AFSA Governing Board positions covered by these restrictions. Please direct questions regarding this issue to Sharon Papp, General Counsel, by email: papps@state.gov . All other elec- tion-related queries should be addressed to the Committee on Elections by email: election@afsa.org . In addition to the above, due to AFSA e’orts to educate Congress on issues related to Foreign Service conditions of employment, legislative proposals and other issues directly impacting the Foreign Service, employees serving in congres- sional fellowships may not serve on the AFSA Governing Board. A conflict or potential conflict of interest exists between their position in AFSA and their ožcial duties. AFSAmembers serv- ing as congressional fellows may run for the AFSA Governing Board provided their fellowship ends before the incoming board takes ožce on July 15, 2015. Accepting a Nomination 1. A nominee can indicate his or her acceptance of a nomi- nation by written response to the Committee on Elections (using the same addresses indicated above under “Nominating Candidates”). Following receipt of nominations, an authorized representative of the Committee on Elections will promptly communicate with each nominee (excluding members who nominate themselves) to confirm their willingness to be a candidate. Nominees must confirm their acceptance in writing (using the same addresses indicated above under “Nominat- ing Candidates”) to the Committee on Elections no later than 17:00 EST on February 13, 2015. Any nominee whose written acceptance of nomination is not received by the Committee on Elections by this time will be considered to have declined candidacy. 2. All candidates accepting a nomination must identify the position or positions they have filled for the past two years prior to accepting the nomination. All candidates not seeking a full-time AFSA position (President, State VP, USAID VP, FCS VP, FAS VP) must also identify the agency position they will be serving in beginning on July 15, 2015, when the Board takes ožce. This information is necessary to ensure compliance with section 1017(e) of the Foreign Service Act. Campaigning 1. Campaign Statements. All candidates will be given the opportunity to submit campaign statements for dissemina- tion to AFSA members with the election ballots. Further infor- mation regarding such statements and editorial deadlines will be contained in the “Instructions to Candidates,” which will be posted by the Elections Committee on the AFSA website (www.afsa.org/elections/) by December 12, 2014. 2. Supplementary Statements. Should candidates wish to mail supplementary statements to the membership, AFSA will make its membership mailing list or address labels avail- able to the candidate upon request and at their expense. Further information on this and other campaign procedures will be included in the “Instructions to Candidates” men- tioned above. 3. Other Methods of Communication . Department of Labor requirements prohibit individuals from using govern- ment resources (including email accounts) to campaign for AFSA positions. Voting Ballots will be distributed on or about April 15, 2015, to each regular AFSA member as of March 16, 2015. Candidates or their representatives may observe the ballot distribution process if they so desire. Each member may cast one vote for President, Secretary, Treasurer and, in addition, one vote for a constituency Vice President and each Representative position in the member’s constituency. Regular members may cast their votes for candidates listed on the ožcial ballot, or by writing in the name(s) of member(s) eligible as of March 16, 2015, or by doing both. To be valid, a ballot must be received by 8:00 a.m. on June 4, 2015, either (i) at the address indicated on the envelope accompanying the ballot or (ii) by online vote. More detailed balloting instructions will accompany the ballots. Vote Counting and Announcement of Results On or about June 4, 2015, the Elections Committee will oversee the ballot tabulation and declare elected the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each position. Can- didates or their representatives may be present during the tally and may challenge the validity of any vote or the eligibility of any voter. The committee will inform candidates individually of the election results by the swiftest possible Continued on page 54