In addition to the 5% support requirement of Statute 4.12, each candidate for office is required to complete a policy overview and orientation on the position he seeks, to be conducted by the Executive Director or his designee, prior to the opening gavel.
The most senior of the two currently serving winners of the International Balfour Award shall serve as the non-voting chairman of the undergraduate caucus. If no recent winner is available to serve, the Presiding Officer of the [Grand Chapter/Grand Council] shall appoint a recently graduated Sigma Chi to serve instead. The chairman will be assisted by members of the Headquarters Staff.
Before voting begins, each qualified candidate shall be allowed to address the caucus for no more than three (3) minutes. The caucus chairman may lengthen the time limit to five (5) minutes at his discretion. Speaking order will be determined via a random selection method as determined by the caucus chairman and communicated to the candidates in advance.
The elections shall proceed as specified in the Governing Laws. Each caucus delegate may cast two votes. No delegate may cast both of his votes for the same candidate and any such duplicate vote will be disregarded. No candidate shall be elected as an undergraduate representative to the Executive Committee on the first ballot unless he receives votes from at least two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting. If two (2) candidates receive sufficient votes, they are deemed elected, and the election is finished.
If no candidate receives sufficient votes to be elected, the four candidates who received the most votes will remain in the election. If more than one candidate ties for the fourth position, all candidates in the tie will remain. Voting for the initial undergraduate representative will continue with each delegate permitted to cast two (2) votes on each ballot until at least one (1) candidate receives votes from two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting. After each ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated from the election.
After the initial ballot, at the caucus chairman’s discretion the candidates advancing to the subsequent ballot may be allowed to address the caucus for an amount of time not to exceed two (2) minutes. A candidate may yield their time to caucus delegates. The speaking order shall be determined by the caucus chairman via a random selection process.
If only one (1) candidate receives sufficient votes, he is deemed elected, and the caucus will then ballot for the final undergraduate representative. In subsequent ballots each caucus delegate shall cast only one (1) vote, and the single candidate who receives a simple majority of votes cast shall be elected. If no candidate receives a simple majority, only the two (2) candidates who received the most votes will remain in the election. If more than one candidate ties for the second position, all tied candidates will remain. Balloting will continue until a single candidate receives a majority. After each ballot during which no additional candidate is elected, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated from the election.
In the event of a persistent deadlock, the caucus chairman may break ties by a coin toss. A persistent deadlock will be declared by the caucus chairman at his discretion, and the caucus may overrule his determination by a simple majority vote.
Voting shall be by secret ballot. Votes shall be cast and tabulated through a secure, electronic platform. After each ballot, the numerical and/or percentage results shall be available for the candidates to view.
The following individuals shall be the only persons present in the room during the Undergraduate Caucus.
Adopted June 25, 2021.
