Proposed Amendments to APS Constitution to Allow Electronic Balloting

At its April meeting, the APS Council approved several amendments to the Constitution, which will appear on the election ballot this summer for APS members to vote on their adoption. The amendments are presented here to the membership, and comments are invited. These should be sent by e-mail, regular mail, or fax (301-209-0865) to Amy Halsted at APS Headquarters. Please respond by September 4. The amendments under consideration are necessary to permit electronic ballots in future membership-wide elections and for proposed Constitutional amendments. The rationale for electronic balloting is increased voter participation, lower expenses, and gentler environmental impact because paper ballots would not need to be mailed to every member. Confidentiality and accuracy of electronic ballots would be assured. For the forseeable future, members preferring to vote on a paper ballot would retain that option. The entire Constitution can be viewed on the APS Home Page or in the latest issue of the APS Directory. New text appears in bold italics; text to be deleted appears underlined.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD AND COMMITTEES

2. Nominating Committee. - .The Chairperson-Elect shall be elected annually by ballots cast electronically or by mail mail ballots as described in Article VII.5.

ARTICLE VII - ELECTION AND TENURE OF COUNCILLORS, OFFICERS, AND ELECTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS

2. Ballot. - The Vice-President, Chairperson-Elect of the Nominating Committee, and Councillors shall be elected by ballots cast electronically or by mail mail ballots as hereinafter provided.

5. Election Mail Ballot. - The election ballot shall contain the names of at least two candidates for each vacancy to be filled, clearly separated according to category: VicePresident, ChairElect of the Nominating Committee, and General Councillors. Copies of the election ballot shall be mailed provided to all members of the Society by mail or electronically at least five weeks prior to the Elections Meeting of Council. No ballot shall be counted unless unambiguously filled out marked by a qualified voter, cast electronically or sent in a sealed envelope bearing the voter's name, and received at a specified location address not later than the specified deadline date...

ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS

No part of the Constitution shall be amended or annulled except by a vote of the membership by ballots cast electronically or by mail ballot.The text of the proposed amendment shall be published in a publication of the Society before ballots are distributed mailed...The Executive Officer shall distribute the ballot and a copy of the proposed amendments to all members of the Society and shall specify a location an address to which the ballots are to be sent and a deadline date not less than five weeks later than the date of the distribution of the ballot. No ballot shall be counted unless unambiguously filled out marked by a qualified voter, cast electronically or sent in a sealed envelope bearing the voter's name, and received at a specified location address not later than the specified deadline date...