Section 1. The elected officials of the Section (officers and elected Executive Committee members) are subject to recall for neglect of duties or conduct injurious to the SOCIETY. Recall procedures are not applicable to Councilors and Alternate Councilors.
Section 2. The recall of an official shall be initiated when a signed petition, indicating in writing the specific charges and reasonable substantiating evidence is submitted to the Chair from at least five members of the Section. In the event the Chair is the official in question, the Chair-Elect shall receive the petition and shall assume the duties of the Chair with respect to this issue until the issue is resolved.
Section 3. The Chair shall, without delay, determine that the petitioners are aware of the gravity of their actions and the procedures to be followed. The Chair shall seek an alternate resolution to the problem and a withdrawal of the petition at this time. In the absence of a resolution to the problem, the Chair shall notify the members of the Executive Committee and call a special meeting within thirty days.
(a) The Executive Committee shall promptly continue the recall process or dismiss the petition as ill-founded or find an alternate resolution to the problem. The Chair shall promptly inform the petitioners and the official of the decision of the Executive Committee. If no contact with the official can be made after a reasonable effort, the Executive Committee may remove the official in question with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the remaining members.
(b) If the proceedings continue:
(1) The Chair shall assign the duties of the official to another qualified MEMBER of the Section until the issue is resolved.
(2) The official shall be offered an opportunity to answer the allegations in the petition before the Executive Committee. A certified letter shall be sent to the last known address on the official SOCIETY membership roll. Upon notification, the official shall have thirty days to make a written response to the allegations.
(3) The Executive Committee shall decide whether or not to proceed after studying the official’s response. The Chair shall inform the official and the petitioners of the decision of the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee decides that the proceedings shall continue, the official shall choose one of the following options:
- The official may resign.
- The official may request a recall vote. Section members shall be informed, through brief written statements prepared by the Executive Committee and the official, of the issues involved with the recall vote. Both statements shall be distributed to the members before the vote conducted by ballot. A paper ballot will be mailed to any member who requests it. At least two-thirds (2/3) of votes cast shall be required for the official to be removed from office. The membership shall be informed of the results of the recall vote.
- The official may request a hearing and a recall vote by the remaining members of the Executive Committee. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the remaining members of the Executive Committee shall be required to recall the official.
- The official may choose not to respond and thus forfeit the position.
Section 4. The vacancy provisions of these bylaws shall be used to fill a vacancy caused by a recall process. The Executive Director of the SOCIETY shall be informed of the recall and the filling of the vacancy.