Article Four, Delegates, Section 5: Election Time Frame
In a Delegate election year, the nominations period for seats being vacated shall open on June 1 and remain open for thirty (30) days, closing on July 1. The national and local election supervisors shall thereafter prepare the written ballots for each radio station, listing all of the candidates and setting forth all other information required by these Bylaws. Ballots shall be mailed, or otherwise made available, to the Members on August 15 (or the following day if August 15 is a mail holiday). To be counted a ballot must be received on or before September 30 (the "Election Close Date").
All ballots shall be held sealed until the Election Close Date. If the required quorum of ballots is not received by the Elections Close Date, then the Elections Close Date shall be extended by up to four additional weeks until closed by the National Election Supervisor. The national and local elections supervisors shall have up to 15 days after the Election Close Date to count the ballots and to certify the results to the LSBs, the Board, and the Members, which results must be reported by October 15 or, if the Election Close Date was extended, by 15 days after the extended Election Close Date, and shall be posted on the Foundation's and the radio stations' websites. If no quorum of ballots is obtained by the extended date, then those Delegates whose terms would have expired upon the election of new Delegates shall remain in office until the next regularly scheduled Delegate election.
If in the year preceding Delegate elections, the Pacifica National Board determines by a 2/3 vote of the total number of Directors conducted by email or paper ballot, that the schedule above cannot be executed due to exigent circumstances, they may by November 30 adopt a schedule subject to the constraints herein:
1) Avoids where possible conflicts between major fund drives and the period between the close of nominations and the election close date
2) Includes a period of not less than 30 days for nomination of candidates;
3) Allows no less than 35 days after the mailing of ballots, on or before which completed ballots must be received to be counted ("Election Close Date")
4) Provides that all other intervals within the timeline remain as stated in the preceding paragraph, and
5) Allows for seating in December as provided for in Article 7, Section 6 (B).