ARTICLE XIV.

Pre-Election Rules 

Section 1.

Not more than ten (10) business days following the completion of nominations the Secretary-Treasurer will check the records of all members whose names have been in nomination and forwarded to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Local Union on the "Nomination Forms" furnished by the Local Union, for eligibility for such nominees and notify them at their last known address:

(a)     That they have been nominated.

(b)     That they qualify or do not qualify as a candidate insofar as the Union's records are concerned.

(c)     Enclose a form that must be signed by the nominee indicating his/her desire or refusal to be a candidate for office.  Said form shall be returned immediately to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer.

(d)     Together with the form provided for in subsection (c), the Secretary-Treasurer will then enclose a stipulation to be signed by any candidate to the effect that said candidate meets the requirements of Section 504(a) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959.  Said stipulation shall be returned immediately to the Secretary-Treasurer together with the form provided for in subsection (c) of this Article.

Section 2.

After the completion of nominations, but not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the elections, notice thereof shall be mailed to each member at his/her last known address.

Section 3.

Every eligible candidate shall have the right once within thirty (30) days prior to the date of election in which he/she is a candidate to inspect the membership records containing the names and last known addresses of all members who are subject to a collective bargaining agreement requiring membership therein as a condition of employment, which records shall be maintained and kept at the office of the Local Union, provided:

(a)    He/she shall arrange with the Secretary-Treasurer, at least five (5) business days in advance of the date he/she desires to check such records, a mutually satisfactory time and date for purposes of said inspection.  Inspections may be made only during reasonable hours designated for that purpose.

(b)    The candidate agrees he/she will not copy in any way by writing, photograph or otherwise, or remove from the office or area provided him/her for purposes of inspecting said records any of the records or lists furnished him/her, and that he/she will not take with him/her into the office any equipment that can be used for purposes of copying in any way, or for making notes of the records furnished him.

(c)    The Secretary-Treasurer shall designate the area or office so that the candidate may check the lists or records, and he/she shall also appoint an Executive Board Member or an employee of the Local Union to insure that the records are not copied in any way or removed or stolen from the designated location.

Section 4.

The President of the Local Union, at the Stewards Council meeting held during the month of October, shall appoint a Tellers Committee of not less than seven (7) delegates to make and announce the final tally of the votes cast for each candidate for each office.  In addition to the above, each Candidate shall have the right to have an observer present at the final counting of the ballots.

Section 5.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall comply with all reasonable requests of any declared and eligible candidate, after the completion of nominations, to distribute by mail or otherwise, at the candidate's expense, campaign literature in aid of such person's candidacy to all members in good standing of the Local Union, provided:

(a)   The candidate shall give the Secretary-Treasurer at least five (5) days notice of his/her intention to mail such literature and at the same time furnish the Secretary-Treasurer with copies of said literature in order that he/she can check legal counsel to insure against any libelous statements on the part of the candidate.

(b)   The candidate shall furnish sufficient envelopes properly stamped with sufficient postage for purpose of mailing.

(c)   The candidate shall furnish sufficient copies of the literature properly folded to fit the envelope furnished.

(d)   The furnishing of folded literature, stamped envelopes and other necessary supplies shall be in addition to all other expenses which shall include the paying of any help necessary to perform the job, delivery to the Post Office and other expenses entailed.

(e)   The Local Union will refrain from discrimination in favor of or against any candidate with respect to the use of lists of members, and whenever the Local Union or its officers authorize the distribution by mail or otherwise to members of campaign literature on behalf of any candidate or of the Local Union itself with reference to such election, similar distribution at the request of any other bona fide candidate shall be made by the Local Union and its officers, with equal treatment as to the expense of such distribution.

(f)    The Secretary-Treasurer shall not delay the distribution of any candidate's mailing.  Any reduced rate mailing permit available to any candidate shall be made available to all candidates on an equal basis.

(g)   If compliance with requests to mail literature requires additional help or overtime work of employees, the candidate shall also pay any and all expenses necessary to employ such additional help or pay the required overtime pay.