Publications

Run-off elections

When the election is completed, those candidates who received a majority of the votes cast for their offices are declared elected. If no candidate received a majority, a run-off election must be held for that office. The ballot for the run-off election will contain two names for each office to be filled. For a single-post office, such as president, this simply means listing the two candidates who ran first and second in the original election. In a multi-post office, the situation may be somewhat different. If, for example, nine candidates are running for three executive board positions and only one received a majority, the ballot for the run-off would list the four candidates who finished in positions two through five in the original election.

This “Rule of Two” should avoid the necessity of more than one run-off; it doesn’t always work. If, in the race for president, no onegets a majority and there is a tie for the second spot, three names must go on the run-off ballot — unless one withdraws. If three names do go on the ballot, the majority requirement still applies and a second run-off is possible.

Suppose, following an election contest in which no candidate received a majority, one of the top two withdraws. Is a run-off still required?

Yes, it is, with the third candidate moving up into the run-off. The only way to avoid a run-off is for all candidates except one to withdraw.

When can a run-off be held? If the election was held at a meeting and the meeting is still in process when the ballots are counted and the results reported, it can be held immediately. Otherwise, the 15-day notice requirements comes into play — unless, of course, the local has, as part of the original notice informed the membership that a run-off, if one is needed, will be held on a particular day, time and place. In that case, the original notice will suffice.

In any case, the run-off should be held as quickly as possible and under the same general rules as were applied during the original election.

Print Version