Motion #19
Last year’s resignations of both the Party’s Co-Leaders exposed faults in the current wording of our Constitution in regard to leadership by-elections. A previous incarnation of SOC found that the clause in question, 8(xi), was capable of numerous different interpretations regarding the length of term that a new Leader or
SOC notes: This motion will require a two-thirds majority to pass.
Clause 8(xi) of the Constitution currently states:
“If there are Co-leaders and one of the Co-Leaders resigns, there will be a by-election for both Co-Leaders. If there are two deputy leaders, should one of the deputy leaders resign, there will be a by-election for both deputy leaders. They shall serve a term lasting as if they were starting following the result of the previous Annual Ballot, or if held after May, lasting as if it were starting following the result of the next Annual Ballot.”
Delete final sentence and substitute:
“If the by-election process is started (i.e. the call for nominations goes out) such that it can be completed (i.e. the result declared) on or before the 1st of May in the second year of the current two-year term, the person or persons elected shall serve until the scheduled end of that term: if the process cannot be completed on or before that date, no by-election shall take place and clause 8(xii) shall apply until the result of the next scheduled Annual Ballot. Any by-election for the position of Leader or Co-Leaders will not impact the term of the current Deputy Leader(s), except that nobody may be both Leader/Co-Leader and Deputy Leader simultaneously. In the event of a by-election under this clause, there may temporarily be only one Deputy Leader alongside a single Leader where a single Leader succeeds Co-Leaders, or two Deputy Leaders alongside Co-Leaders where Co-Leaders succeed a single Leader. This will only occur until the next regularly scheduled election.”