Voting for officers of the Seafarers International Union’s Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU, to be conducted by secret ballot, begins Nov. 1 and continues through Dec. 31. This election also includes two proposed constitutional amendments.Full-book SIU members in good standing are eligible to vote in the election, which will determine union officers for the 2005-2008 term. Such members may pick up their ballots at any of 21 SIU halls throughout the country. Ballots may be obtained from 9 a.m. until noon, Mondays through Saturdays, except legal holidays, until Dec. 31.
The ballot includes the list of candidates seeking the posts of president, executive vice president, secretary-treasurer, eight vice presidents, six assistant vice presidents and 10 port agents (for a total of 27 positions). It also includes the two proposed constitutional amendments.
In accordance with the union’s constitution, a credentials committee composed of six rank-and-file Seafarers, elected by their fellow members, reviewed the nomination applications to ensure each candidate’s eligibility. The committee’s report was prepared Aug. 19 (after the nominations period closed) and approved by the membership at the September meetings.
The secret ballots are accompanied by envelopes marked “Ballot” as well as postage-paid envelopes bearing the address of the bank depository where the ballots are kept until submitted to the tallying committee. Each Seafarer must present his or her book to the port agent or agent’s designated representative when receiving the ballot, the envelope marked “Ballot” and the mailing envelope.
When the member receives the ballot and envelopes, his or her book will be stamped with the word “Voted” and the date.
Members who are working aboard an SIU-contracted vessel during the election period or who have a hospital stay during the first 10 days of November may request an absentee ballot. Such requests should be made in writing, by registered or certified mail, to SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel at SIU headquarters: 5201 Auth Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746. Requests for absentee ballots should be postmarked no later than Nov. 15.
Article XIII of the union’s constitution spells out the procedures by which an election will be conducted. The entire text of Article XIII, along with a sample ballot, a list of voting locations, the constitutional committee’s report and other related information appears on pages 6-11 of the October 2004 issue of the Seafarers LOG. The same information is available on the internet at www.seafarers.org, in the Seafarers LOG section.
Additionally, a notice of the election was mailed in October to all members at their last known address, with a list of all voting locations as well as a sample of the official ballot.
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