The following was the timeline for OTW elections in 2009.
Early September
- The OTW Elections Committee works with the Volunteers Committee to identify possible candidates.
Wednesday, September 2
- Elections sends all eligible potential candidates a call for candidacy, outlining the job description and making clear all requirements.
- The Elections and Communications Committees send an announcement of the upcoming election, with all other relevant information, to all OTW members.
Week of September 6-12
- During this week, the Elections Committee and the current OTW Board host a chat for all committee members interested in running for the Board, to answer questions about what is entailed in the election and in Board service.
Wednesday, September 23
- Deadline to declare candidacy and submit initial legal name verification.
- Elections determines whether the election will be contested. If not, the deadline for declaring a candidacy is extended, and the Elections Committee actively recruits additional candidates from the pool of eligible potential candidates.
- The campaign period commences, and extends up to the close of voting.
- The Communications Committee begins to publicize the upcoming election and the membership cut-off date for 2009 voting to the general public.
Wednesday, September 30
- If the deadline was extended in order to facilitate a contested election, this date is the final deadline for the declarations of additional candidates.
Sunday, October 18
- Deadline to become a paid member, for the purposes of voting in this election.
- Candidates are required to provide their official statements to the Elections Committee, which will then make those statements public on the main OTW Website and the OTW Elections Website.
Wednesday, November 4
- Deadline to assign a voting proxy.
Wednesday, November 11
- Announcement of the election to the membership, containing a direct link to the voting page, voting instructions, and voting website account login username and password.
Wednesday, November 18
- Announcement of the commencement of the election period to the membership, containing a direct link to the voting page, voting instructions, and voting website account login username and password.
- Polls open for 48 hours, beginning at noon UTC. (What time is that in my local time zone?)
Friday, November 20
- At noon UTC, polls close. This is the deadline for voting and for voter complaints about technical difficulties in voting.
- At midnight UTC, if there are still no results, Elections begins posting status reports.
Monday, November 23
- Deadline for public posting of elections results to the main OTW website and the OTW Elections website.
Wednesday, November 25
- Deadline for candidates to request recounts, revotes, or clarification of results. Elections will give a ruling within a week of receipt of any formal complaints.
No later than December 9
- Any revotes will take place no more than one week following the Election Committee’s determination that they are necessary.
Friday, December 11
- Rollover day: Newly elected board members replace the outgoing board members.