Tennessee Association of County Election Officials

  TACEO

 BY-LAWS

 ARTICLE I

PURPOSE OF ASSOCIATION

Purpose of Association.  The purpose of the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials is to provide an educational forum for the exchange of ideas relative to the administration of elections and to offer an opportunity for members to suggest and participate in the implementation of improvements in or to election law. 

 
ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Membership.  The membership of the Association shall include and be limited to:

            All County Election Commissioners in the State of Tennessee, Registrars

            or other Chief Administrative Election Officials from each county, Deputy              Registrars, and Voting Machine Technicians.

SECTION 2. Ex-Officio Members.  The State Coordinator of Elections, the Secretary of State, and members of the State Election Commission shall be ex-officio members.

SECTION 3. Dues.   Dues shall be twenty five dollars ($25) per year for each member, payable to the Treasurer of the Association by January 31 of each calendar year.

SECTION 4. Privileges of Membership.   All members in good standing (dues current) shall have voting privileges and shall be eligible to hold office and serve on committees.
 

ARTICLE III

MEETING OF MEMBERS

SECTION 1.  Annual Meeting.  An Annual Meeting of the Members of the Association shall be held in Nashville, Tennessee in years in which a statewide election is held.  In years in which a statewide election is not held, the Annual Meeting shall be held in either the Eastern or Western Grand Division, alternating between the two, if possible.

SECTION 2.  Annual Report.  Each standing committee shall present an annual report to the Association at large at each Annual Meeting and shall receive suggestions from members relative to progress and activities to be undertaken in the ensuing year.

SECTION 3.  Quorum.  Twenty-five (25) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting.

SECTION 4.  Voting.  Each member shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter submitted.  All questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of all the present voting members.  There shall be no voting by proxy.

The method of voting will be chosen by the Coordinator of Elections in order to give the membership of the Association an introduction to, and access to, the various types of voting equipment.  Polling hours will be announced in the agenda of the Annual Meeting.  Members may vote during the time announced or until the last person in line at the announced closing time has voted.

In the event of a tie vote between two candidates for any office of the Association, a coin toss shall be used to determine the winner.  The coin shall be provided and tossed by the Coordinator of Elections or a designee of the Coordinator’s choosing.  The candidate whose last name appears first alphabetically shall choose the preferred outcome of the coin toss before the coin is tossed.

SECTION 5. Order of Business.  The order of business at the Annual Meeting of the members and, so far as possible, at all other meetings, shall be essentially as follows, except as otherwise determined by the members at such meeting:

            1.  Report on number of members present in order to determine the existence of a quorum.

            2.  Reading the notice of the meeting and proof of the due publication and mailing thereof.

            3.  Reading of minutes of previous meetings of members and the taking of necessary action

                  thereon.

            4.  Presentation and consideration of reports of Officers and Committees.

            5.  Election of Officers.

            6.  Unfinished business.

            7.  New business.

            8.  Adjournment.
 

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

SECTION 1.  Number.  The Officers of the Association shall be a President, two (2) Vice-presidents from each Grand Division of the State of Tennessee, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

SECTION 2.  Term of Office.  All Officers elected in 1998 shall serve a three (3) year term until the Annual Meeting in 2001 and shall be ineligible to immediately succeed themselves in the same office.  All Officers elected after 1998 shall serve a two (2) year term and shall be ineligible to immediately succeed themselves in the same office for one (1) term; however, any former Officer may be elected to office having served in a different capacity or having not served for one (1) year.

SECTION 3.  Report of Nominating Committee.  The report of the Nominating Committee shall be published in “The Tally Sheet” to the membership thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting at which Officers are to be elected.  In addition, the Nominating Committee shall include in its report any names of nominees submitted to it by any member in good standing.  Any such additional nominees shall be submitted in writing to the Chairman of the Nominating Committee at least fifty (50) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

SECTION 4.  President.  The Nominating Committee’s nominee(s) for President shall be  any former officer.  Additional nominations may be made as described in Section 3, or by voting members from the floor.  If, for any reason, any former officer is unable or unwilling to serve, the Nominating Committee may nominate any member.

SECTION 5.  Vice-Presidents.  There shall be two (2) Vice-Presidents from each Grand Division of the State.  Each shall be elected by a caucus of the members from the respective Grand Divisions who are present at the Annual Meeting.  Each Grand Division caucus shall determine its own method of voting for its Vice-presidents.  Each Grand Division shall elect one vice-president who shall be a Commissioner; the other Vice-president shall be elected from the remaining eligible membership excluding Commissioners.

It shall be the duty of the Vice-presidents to select one of their number to preside over any meeting in the absence of the President, and to perform such other duties as may be assigned to them.  A Vice-president shall serve as Chairman of the Voter Outreach Committee, the Election Administration Committee, and the appropriate Occupational Committee as agreed upon by the respective Vice-presidents.

SECTION 6.  Secretary.  Nominee(s) for Secretary shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee, or by any voting member from the floor.  He/she shall be elected by a majority vote of all voting members present.

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings which shall be transmitted to the members prior to the next meeting.  He/she shall be responsible for receiving and compiling committee reports and being sure the appropriate committees have reports prepared for the Annual Meeting.

SECTION 7.  Treasurer.  Nominee(s) for Treasurer shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee, or by any voting member from the floor.  He/she shall be elected by a majority vote of all voting members present.

The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds as instructed by the Budget and Finance Committee and the President shall serve as Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee.  He/she shall submit reports annually on the seminar fund and the general fund.

SECTION 8.  Coordinator of Elections.  The Coordinator of Elections shall serve as liaison between the Association and non-members interested in the election process, including but not limited to the General Assembly and the public at large.

ARTICLE V

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SECTION 1.  Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, past President, the six Regional Vice-presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the President of the Voting Machine Technicians.

SECTION 2.  Duties of the Executive Committee.  It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to approve appointment of the committee members submitted by the Chairman of the each respective committee.  The selections of the Committee Chairman shall be given due deference by the rest of the Committee; however, the Executive Committee shall have the authority by two-third (2/3) vote to disapprove any individuals(s) submitted by the committee Chairmen.

ARTICLE VI

COMMITTEES

SECTION 1.  Special Committees.  Special Committees may be appointed by the President as appropriate.

            Convention Coordinating Committee.  This committee shall be appointed by the

            President to plan the Annual Meeting and to work with the Coordinator of

            Elections in developing the Annual Election Law Seminar.

SECTION 2.  Standing Committees.  The following Standing Committees are hereby created and will be chaired by the respective Officer of the Association.

1.  Resolution/Legislative Committee.  This committee will prepare recommendations for needed legislation and amendments of the State election laws.  The committee will work with the Officers of the Association to promote the passage of such legislation and also for the defeat of any legislation detrimental to the Association or to the election process.  Committees and/or members may submit matters for consideration by the Association to the Resolution/Legislative Committee.  This Committee shall prepare the appropriate resolution or draft legislation and shall disseminate such proposals along with a recommendation from the Committee for passage or non-passage by the Executive Committee.  The President shall serve as Chairman of the Resolution/Legislative Committee.

2.  Budget and Finance Committee.  This committee will develop and administer an annual operating budget for T.A.C.E.O. and for the Annual Meeting.  It will also be responsible for the fiscal affairs of all standing committees and for developing policies relative to reimbursement of members for expense incurred in the performance of their duties for the Association.

3.  Nominating Committee.  This committee shall be appointed by the President and shall be chaired by the immediate past President. It shall be appointed on or before February 1 of the year in which the elections are held.

4.  Voter Outreach Committee.  This committee will study and recommend improvements through the State voter registration laws; consider implementing a voter education program on behalf of T.A.C.E.O.; and staff any study committees created by the legislature to study voter participation in Tennessee.  The education of potential registrants and ways to increase voter turnout such as through public service announcements will be the major program of this committee.  This committee will be chaired by a regional Vice-president.

5.  Election Administration Committee.  This committee will study and recommend improvements to all forms used in the administration of elections and will serve as a clearinghouse for ideas and information relative to the computerization of election offices.  This committee will be chaired by a regional Vice-president.

6.  Occupational Committees.  The occupational committees are as follows:

       Registrars, Commissioners and Technicians.  They will be chaired by the

    appropriate Regional Vice-president.  These committees will serve as  central            location for the sharing of ideas and problems relative to each occupation.

7.  By-Laws Committee.  This committee will study and recommend improvements to the Association By-Laws for consideration by the membership at an Annual Meeting or any other membership meeting.  The President shall serve as Chairman of the By-Laws Committee.

ARTICLE VII

Newsletter of the Association

SECTION 1.  Newsletter.  “The Tally Sheet” shall be the official publication of the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials.  It shall serve to disperse information to the membership of the Association.

SECTION 2.  “The Tally Sheet” Editor.  The editor of “The Tally Sheet” shall be appointed by the President of the Association each year.  “The Tally Sheet” Editor shall be responsible for the preparation and circulation of the newsletter to the Administrator of Elections in each county who will be responsible for the distribution to the membership of the association within their county.  The Tally Sheet may be distributed by electronic means.

SECTION 3.  Notices.  Any notice required to be given by these By-Laws shall be accomplished by publication in “The Tally Sheet” and distribution of “The Tally Sheet” to the membership of the Association.

ARTICLE VIII

VACANCIES

A vacancy occurring in any elective office shall be filled by nomination and majority vote by the Executive Committee for the unexpired term.  An Officer elected to fill an unexpired term of less than one year is eligible to succeed himself/herself for (1) full two-year term.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS