Stratford no.1 branch will be considering adopting the following election procedures at its next meeting, 9 April.

1. All Officers and members of the Branch Committee shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and serve for one year. Retiring Officers shall be eligible for re-election.

2. Nominations for Branch Officers shall be taken at two Branch Meetings prior to the Annual Meeting. If nominations are not received for any particular position, such may be filled by nomination and election at the Annual Meeting.

3. Candidates for office must be in benefit, and must be proposed and seconded by two benefit members. No member who is suspended from benefit shall continue to hold office. A member who does not contribute to the General Fund of the union is ineligible for election as a Branch Officer.

4. All candidates for any office shall be present at the time of nomination or submit in writing their consent to stand.

5. The deadline for nominations for any branch office or representative's post will be the branch meeting held in the month before the AGM.

6. Candidates are invited to submit with their nomination an election statement of no more than 150 words.

7. The branch will then mail all branch members at their home addresses an invitation to the AGM, and enclose election statements from the candidates that those members are entitled to vote for.

8. Where a local (industrial or health & safety) representative's post is contested, the following procedure will apply.

Voting will take place at the workplace, with a ballot box staffed by an appropriate person appointed by the branch committee. Voting will open before the last early turn books off and stay open until after the last late turn books on. As soon as the ballot box closes, the appointed person will open it in the presence of the candidates or their nominees, and will count the vote. Only members at that location (ie. depot, stations group, etc) will be entitled to vote. The branch officer or nominee will ensure that everyone voting is a member, and will give each member information about branch meetings, encouraging them to attend.