Constituency Associations, Candidate Selection, & Leadership Review

Constituency Association Rules

Authorized under Article 10 of the Alberta Priority Constitution.

I. General

A. All Alberta Priority Constituency Associations are governed by these rules and procedures under the Foundation Bylaws and Party Constitution.

B. Members within each electoral division in Alberta may be organized into CAs. A CA is the primary organization through which the rights of the Members are exercised.

C. CAs are encouraged to choose a Candidate in conformity with the Candidate Selection Rules, who, if elected, will represent all the people of the Constituency as their MLA.

II. Definitions

A. In these CA Rules the following terms have these definitions:

“AGM” means an annual general meeting of the Constituency Members provided for in these Rules at which, among other things, the CA board of directors are elected;
“CFO” means a Director who is the chief financial officer of the Constituency Association;
“Constituency” shall have the same meaning as “electoral division” in Applicable Laws;
“Deregistered Constituency Association” means a Constituency Association that has been deregistered under Applicable Laws and which has not been re-registered within ninety (90) days of the date of deregistration;
For the purposes of these Rules, “Director” means a voting member of a Constituency Association board of directors, including an officer;
“Founding Meeting” means the first general meeting of a Constituency Association, or the first general meeting of a Constituency Association held after a Status Change affecting the Constituency Association has occurred;
For the purposes of these Rules, “Member” means a Party Member with voting privileges who is ordinarily resident within a Constituency;
For the purposes of these Rules, “Officer” means a CA president, CFO or secretary and each Director who is elected or appointed by the CA board as a vice-president.
“SGM’ means a special general meeting of the Constituency Members called for a specific purpose other than an AGM;
“Status Change” means the recognition of a Constituency Association by the Party, or the recognition of a predecessor Constituency Association as the Constituency Association of a registered successor Party, or the happening of an event that causes a Constituency Association to become a Deregistered Constituency Association or a Constituency Association that has no Directors.

III. Accreditation

A. Recognition

The Bylaws permit five (5) or more Members within a Constituency to apply to the Party to form a CA where no CA is currently recognized by the Party for that Constituency. The application shall be in a form provided by the Party. The Board shall consider the application and if approved, may apply to register the CA with Elections Alberta under Applicable Laws.
If a Status Change has occurred, the following rules shall apply in addition to, or substitution for the ordinary process, as the case may be:
the Party Board or its designate, shall within three (3) months of the Status Change, fix the date for a Founding Meeting and provide notice to the Members of the time, place and business to be transacted at the Founding Meeting by electronic mail, by telephone, and by publication of a notice on the Party website, such notice to be not less than twenty-one (21) days; and
the Party Board may establish a different quorum requirement for a Founding Meeting than provided in these Rules, but must record in the minutes their reasons for so doing; and
a designate of the Party Board shall chair the Founding Meeting and appoint a Returning Officer for the election of Directors; and
the Members present and voting at a Founding Meeting shall elect the officers and other Directors in accordance with these Rules, authorize the newly elected CA board to take all necessary steps to register the CA in accordance with Applicable Laws, and conduct such other business as the Members determine is in the interests of the Constituency Association.
The Board, in considering an application to form a CA, shall consult with the Regional Council for that region, if any, and incorporate the Council’s written recommendations into its decision.
The Board shall inform the applicants of its decision without delay, and shall include all relevant information in its written approval, conditional approval, or denial of the application.
The Party may apply to Elections Alberta to revoke the recognition of a CA after:
fully explaining and clearly documenting its reasons; and
successfully defending an appeal of the proposed revocation by the CA to the Party Arbitration Committee; and
entering into an agreement with the CA, which the CA shall not unreasonably withhold, to have their funds transferred to the Party in trust for the benefit of the Members. The Party shall promptly transfer any funds held in trust to a subsequently recognized Constituency Association.

B. Participation

CA Members shall support the principles, objectives and policies of the Party and maintain an effective CA to promote them in their Constituency.
CAs shall encourage Member participation in the political affairs of Alberta, the Party, their CA and Regional Councils.
CAs shall organize, inform their Members of, and conduct the election of Regional Directors in their Constituency in accordance with the Constitution and these Rules.
Upon seven (7) days’ notice of request and provided the meeting venue allows, any Member may request to attend a CA board meeting as an observer. The CA board may establish rules and guidelines for such observers, including the right to limit numbers and individual attendance frequencies.

C. Responsibilities

CAs shall be responsible for the following;
encouraging Members to support and participate in the affairs of the CA, Regional Council, and Party;
soliciting appropriate Member input into CA decisions;
searching for, organizing Nomination Contests to elect, and providing financial and organizational support for a Candidate in their Constituencies;
organize and conduct their Constituency’s general meetings in an open, transparent and orderly fashion focussing on the particular needs and wishes of their Members.
Every CA is encouraged to actively contribute to, and participate in the common goals, Events, and practices of its Regional Council.

IV. General Meetings

A. Governance

Governance of a Constituency Association lies with the Constituency Members who are present and vote at general meetings.
The CA board shall hold an AGM once in each calendar year and may hold a SGM as required, and for the specific purpose set forth in the notice of meeting.
A SGM must be called by a CA board within forty-five (45) days of receipt of a petition signed by the lesser of one hundred (100), or one-third (1/3) of the Members as at the date of receipt of the petition, requesting a SGM for a specific purpose.
The CA board shall determine a general meeting’s date, time, place and business to be transacted and notify all Members, either directly or by arrangement with the Party. Notice must be sent not less than twenty one (21) days in advance of the date of the meeting.
Quorum for general meetings shall be the lesser of:
twenty (20) Members, or
one quarter (1/4) of the total number of Members.
In no case shall more than fifteen (15) months elapse between successive AGMs.
All Members are entitled to attend and speak at general meetings; only those who have been Members continuously for sixty (60) days prior to the date of the general meeting may vote on any matter brought forward at the meeting, or stand for election to the CA board.
Voting by proxy is not permitted.
The CA President shall chair all general meetings except a SGM that has been petitioned by the Members for the purpose of removing some or all of the Directors, in which case the CA’s Regional Director or other designate of the Party Board shall chair the meeting.
In the event that the President is otherwise unable or unwilling to chair a meeting, the CA’s Regional Director, or other designate of the CA board will chair the meeting.
The minutes of each CA AGM shall be archived with the Party and CA Secretaries.

B. CA Board of Director Elections

All Directors shall be elected or acclaimed annually at the Constituency AGM, and their terms of office shall run from the close of the AGM at which they are elected or acclaimed, to the close of the next following AGM, unless item B2 below applies.
In the event that some or all of the Directors are removed at a SGM called for that purpose, the terms of the CA board members replacing those so removed, shall be determined by the Members present and voting at the SGM.
AGM planning and elections shall be conducted in conformity with the procedures outlined in the Party’s AGM Manual.
At AGMs the Constituency Members present and voting shall elect by secret preferential ballot a President, Secretary and CFO, plus up to seventeen (17) additional Directors under the following rules:
Nominations for President and CFO must be delivered to the nominations committee chair not less than seven (7) days prior to the AGM. There will be no nominations from the floor for these positions unless an acclaimed candidate fails to secure the majority approval of the voting Members, in which case the Returning Officer will accept nominations from the floor;
There may be nominations from the floor for Secretary and all other Directors;
Every candidate shall have the opportunity to speak to the Members if they choose;
Vote counting for the President, CFO and Secretary shall be conducted first to enable unsuccessful candidates for these positions to stand for election as Directors;
All ballots shall offer a “YES” and “NO” option beside the name of each candidate, including those acclaimed;
Members may rank their preferred candidates in the numerical order of their preference, in the box beside the “YES” option, “1” being their first choice; “2” their second choice, and so on.
Members may mark an “X” in the “NO” box beside the names of candidates they do NOT wish to see elected or acclaimed to the CA board;
Candidate names with neither a preference ranking, nor a “NO” vote shall be considered a “NO” vote for the purpose of establishing whether the candidate achieved a majority;
The Returning Officer shall tabulate the voting results for the offices of President, CFO and Secretary, ranking them in order of voter preference, iteratively dropping the candidate with the lowest ranking and reassigning their secondary votes to the other candidates, until one candidate emerges as the winner, with BOTH the highest number of votes AND a majority of “YES” votes cast;
In the case of Directors, the same iterative process will be used for tabulating voting results until the winning candidates up to the maximum number of positions available, are determined. Again, no candidate who has not achieved a majority of “YES” votes shall be declared elected to the CA board;
In the event of a tie vote at any stage, the Regional Director shall cast the deciding vote;
In the event the election process fails to fill any of the offices of President, CFO or Secretary, the Directors may elect or appoint such officer from among their number at the first CA board meeting following the general meeting;
For the purposes of these Rules the use of the term “elected” shall include those Directors who are acclaimed to their positions with majority approval of the Members.
The CA board AGM committee shall recruit a Returning Officer from outside the Constituency, who shall supervise the credentialing of Members, conduct the election, supervise ballot counting, announce the election results, and be responsible for the integrity, security and destruction of ballots after any prescribed period elapses.
There are no restrictions on the number of times an individual may be elected to a CA board.
. The CA board shall convene a meeting as soon as is practicable following an AGM or SGM at which some, or all of the Directors have been elected to, at a minimum:
pass a motion or motions to delegate signing authority for all CA bank accounts;
pass motions to note CA board changes and address other necessary financial or non-financial matters, if any;
elect and/or appoint up to seven (7) vice-presidents, all to terms of office that expire at the next AGM.

V. Constituency Association Board

A. Powers and Governance

Between general meetings, the CA Board, is authorized to manage and direct the business and affairs of the Constituency Association in conformity with the Foundation’s principles and objects, Bylaws, the Constitution, these CA Rules and other directives of the Party.
1. Quorum for CA board meetings shall be a majority of the Directors, and must include a majority of the Officers.
1. The President shall preside at meetings of the CA board. When the President is absent from, or otherwise unable or unwilling to chair a meeting or any portion of a meeting of the CA board,
the CFO shall preside at the meeting, or portion thereof; or
the CA board may elect from time to time, if it so chooses and under such terms as it specifies, a Director or Directors to preside in place of the President or CFO.
1. The CA board shall conduct its business by resolution or motion duly passed at a meeting of the CA board. An email resolution endorsed by a majority of the Directors shall be valid and effective when so endorsed, but must be ratified and entered into the minutes at the next CA board meeting.
1. The CA board may establish committees made up of Directors and Members and shall:
  1. establish terms of reference of the committee;
  1. designate the members of the committee, including ex officio members;
  1. designate the chair of the committee;
  1. determine the reporting requirements for the committee; and
  1. where the committee is to exercise any authority, delegate such authority with clarity and specificity.
1. Unless otherwise prescribed in its terms of reference, quorum for committee meetings shall be a majority of its members.
1. The CA board may, by a secret ballot two-thirds vote of the total number of Directors, remove a Director who is deemed to have violated the Code of Conduct or otherwise adversely affected the interests or reputation of the Constituency Association.
1. No Director shall have any authority to act for or on behalf of the CA or CA board except as assigned or otherwise provided for in these Rules or by the CA board through adoption of a motion or a standing rule of order.
1. The CA board shall not pass a motion or resolution in camera.
1. The CA board shall not borrow money, nor operate in deficit.
1. The President or other Director presiding as Chair at meetings of the CA board shall cast a vote only to create or break a tie. The Chair may choose not to exercise this privilege. A motion or resolution resulting in a tie vote is defeated.

B. Duties

The CA board and its members shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Code of Conduct, and shall, immediately upon election to the CA board, sign the Code of Conduct declaration for CA board members, to be filed with the CA Secretary and the Executive Director of the Party.
Directors are fiduciaries of the Constituency Association and have a duty to act in the best interests of the Members as a whole.
Each Director also has a duty to, at all times, exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.

C. Members and Guests

The CA board shall be comprised of Directors elected or appointed pursuant to these Rules.
1. The total number of Directors shall not exceed twenty (20). Up to one in every five (5) or portions thereof, may be members not resident in the Constituency.
1. The CA’s Regional Director and a Party MLA or duly nominated Candidate for the Constituency, if any, shall be ex officio non-voting members of the CA board, and shall not count towards the maximum number of Directors per item C2 above. The MLA or Candidate may designate another person to be their representative at any CA board meeting.
1. Nomination Contestants may attend CA board meetings as guests and to report their activities and answer questions.
1. Other guests may be invited or allowed to attend CA board meetings and the CA board may formulate policies governing such attendees.
1. The CA board may, by a secret ballot majority vote, remove a Director who has missed three (3) consecutive CA board meetings without reasonable explanation.
1. The CA board may, if it chooses and by majority or plurality secret ballot vote as the case may be, fill the vacancy of a Director elected at the previous general meeting that included the election of Directors. The CA board may not however, add to the number of Directors elected by Members, except by a two-thirds vote of the total number of Directors.
1. Notwithstanding C7 above, if the vacancy is that of an officer, the CA board may elect or appoint another Director to the officer position, and may then replace the Director so assigned in the prescribed manner.

D. Meetings

Each Director shall be entitled to attend, speak and vote at every meeting of the CA board.
The CA board may meet as frequently as necessary, but no less than nine (9) times in any calendar year.
The CA board shall meet at the call of the President, who shall provide email notice to all Directors of the time, place and business of the meeting not less than seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. The CA board may, by a two-thirds vote at a meeting, dispense with the notice requirement for that meeting, except when the business of the meeting includes the removal of a Director.
If the President is unable or unwilling to call a meeting, and upon receipt by the Secretary of an email request by one-third of the total number of Directors, the Secretary shall call a meeting of the CA board, which meeting shall be presided over by the alternative chair provided for in these Rules.
Meetings of the CA board may be conducted in person and/or by electronic media provided that all Directors participating in such meetings can hear each other.
The Secretary shall take succinct, accurate and complete minutes of the business conducted at each meeting. The minutes shall reflect each motion made, the voting method, and the number of votes in favor, against, and abstentions. A Director may request that his or her vote be recorded in the minutes, and the Director’s vote shall be so recorded.
2. Each regular meeting of the CA board should, at a minimum, include the following;
Presidents report;
CFO report outlining the financial state of the CA;
VP Membership report on membership retention and acquisition plans;
VP Fundraising report on fundraising plans including events, goals and achievement;
other VP reports of their activities and plans;
brief account of legislative activities by the MLA or Candidate or their designate, if any;
a brief report by the chair(s) of any active CA committee.

E. Officers

A CA shall have, at a minimum, a President, CFO and Secretary.
A CA may also elect or appoint from among its Directors, additional Officers, typically Vice-Presidents responsible for Membership, Communications, Fundraising, and Policy and Governance, although other vice-presidents are permitted, to a maximum of seven (7).
In addition to other duties assigned by the CA board from time to time:
the President shall:
preside over all general meetings and CA BOARD meetings;
have the primary responsibility for CA development and organization unless another Officer is assigned all or part of this responsibility.
the CFO shall:
be responsible for all accounting and budgeting, including the preparation of financial statements and reports to the CA board;
have custody of, and maintain all CA financial records and documents;
be familiar with, and assume primary responsibility for statutory financial requirements and filings with Elections Alberta;
present an annual financial report at each AGM;
upon their election, acclamation or appointment, ensure the necessary changes are made to all CA bank accounts.
the Secretary shall:
prepare, distribute and archive accurate minutes of all CA meetings;
upon receipt, distribute to all CA board members the minutes of the region’s Regional Council meetings;
maintain and keep custody of all non- financial and CA membership records, and disclose requested items to Constituency Members and Party Board members in a manner approved by the CA board;
prepare and file with Elections Alberta within two (2) weeks of the date of CA officer changes, an approved “Update of Constituency Association Registration” form; with a copy to the Party Executive Director.
a VP-Membership shall:
be responsible for the CA membership lists and renewals,
be responsible for the confidentiality and proper use of the membership list,
have the primary responsibility for CA membership maintenance and growth.
a VP-Fundraising, shall:
have the primary responsibility for planning and executing CA fundraising campaigns and events,
together with the VPs Membership and Communications, devise and execute approaches that will encourage Constituency Members to contribute to the CA regularly and effectively,
in collaboration with the VPs Membership and Communications regularly and specifically inform Members of the beneficial effects of their contributions to the CA and Party.
a VP-Communications shall:
be responsible for all communications, advertising and promotional programs of the CA,
be responsible for all social media platforms, as approved by the CA board,
be responsible for all passwords on communications accounts, and disclose them to the Party Vice-President (Communications),
post to social media platforms only those items relevant to CA events and activities,
regularly monitor the Party website and social media platforms to ensure CA events and activities are posted, accurate and timely,
regularly update the CA website, if any, in conformity with Party standards and directives regarding content.
a VP-Policy and Governance shall;
organize and manage all CA initiatives, meetings and procedures through which the CA participates in the Party’s policy and governance processes,
encourage collaboration with other CAs in developing joint policy and/or governance resolutions.

VI. Interpretation and Amendment

A. Subject to the Bylaws, Constitution and these Rules a CA board may adopt standing rules of order to be followed at general meetings and CA board meetings. To the extent not so adopted, Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition, will govern meetings.

B. To the extent there is any conflict between these Rules and the Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail.

C. These Rules are to be interpreted and read in accordance with Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and the Constitution. Unless they are otherwise defined herein or the context requires otherwise, words and phrases used in these Rules have the same meanings as defined in Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and the Constitution.

D. Amendment

A CA board does not have the authority to alter these rules.
The Party Board may temporarily add to or amend these Rules to ensure they comply with Applicable Laws, the Bylaws, the Constitution, or to address unforeseen, unexpected or unusual circumstances affecting Constituency Associations. Such amendments shall have effect and be binding upon CAs from the time determined by the Board until either their expiry or the next AGM, whichever is shorter. The factor causing the addition or amendment must be addressed by the Members no later than the next AGM. In no case shall any such temporary addition or amendment be binding upon CAs or Members until clearly communicated to all affected CA boards and posted on the Party website.
These Rules may be added to, rescinded or revised as prescribed in the Bylaws and the Constitution.

Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures

Authorized under Article 10 of the Alberta Priority Constitution.

Preamble: The Alberta Priority (“Party”) respects and values the Members and the significant role of Constituency Associations as the primary organization through which Member rights are exercised. The Party encourages CAs to choose their own Candidate, but will provide assistance upon request. All Nomination Contests must conform with these Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures.

I General

A. These Candidate Selection Rules and Procedures (“Rules”) are established and maintained under the authority of the Alberta Priority (“Party”) Constitution and Applicable Laws.

B. Definitions

Terms defined in Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and Constitution shall have the same meaning in these Rules unless otherwise defined herein.
In these Rules, the following terms have these meanings:
“Applicant” means a person who has submitted an Application to become a Nomination Contestant, but has not yet been approved;
“Application” means the cumulative documents, stipulated payments, nomination petition, and other requirements set out in Section V of these Rules;
“Candidate” means a person who is selected for endorsement as the official candidate of the Party for an electoral division pursuant to Applicable Laws and these Rules;
“LCNC” means a local candidate nominations committee formed by a CA in accordance with these Rules;
For the purposes of these Rules, “Member” means a Party member with voting privileges who is ordinarily resident within a Constituency;
“Nomination Contest” means the process by which a Constituency Association chooses a person to become a Candidate for their Constituency;
“Nomination Contestant” means an Applicant who has complied with all the requirements of Applicable Laws and these Rules, thereby qualifying them to seek to become a Candidate;
“Official Call” means both the date registered with the Chief Electoral Officer marking the beginning of a Nomination Contest, and the notice and particulars of the Nomination Contest sent to Members and posted on the Party website on that date.
“PCNC” means the Party candidate nominations committee created by the Board as prescribed in the Standing Committee List, to oversee the provincial nominations process conducted in accordance with these Rules;
“Provincial Member” means a Member who, among other things, is eligible to become a Nomination Contestant as provided in the Constitution.

C. CA boards have the primary responsibility to plan, finance and execute their Constituency’s Nomination Contests with the general oversight, assistance and advice of the PCNC, and delegating specific functions to their duly appointed LCNCs as prescribed by these Rules. No business other than the selection of a Candidate may be conducted through a Nomination Contest.

D. The CA board President or CFO shall attest to their Candidate’s endorsement as the official candidate of the Party in their Electoral Division, in a statement to that effect for the Candidate to file with the Chief Electoral Officer in support of his or her application for registration as a Candidate under Applicable Laws.

E. In the event that the Nomination Contest for a Constituency is administered by the PCNC rather than a LCNC, the Party President or CFO may supply the Candidate with the above noted attestation.

F. Authority to reject an Applicant, disqualify a Nomination Contestant, or rerun a Nomination Contest for cause lies with:

The CA board if the Nomination Contest is administered by the LCNC; or
The Board if the Nomination Contest is administered by the PCNC.

Those affected may appeal the decision to the Arbitration Committee.

G. The Leader, PCNC, Board or Executive Director may recommend at any time that a CA board effect the withdrawal of their Candidate for cause. The CA board shall call a meeting without delay to consider such recommendation with representation at the meeting of the party or parties recommending the withdrawal. Effecting the involuntary withdrawal of a Candidate requires a two-thirds vote of the CA board, whose decision is final and may not be appealed.

H. The CA board, LCNC, PCNC or Board as the case may be, may assess a reasonable fee for processing an appeal of any decision made in good faith under these Rules.

II Party Candidate Nominations Committee (“PCNC”)

A. The Board shall appoint the Party Candidate Nominations Committee as prescribed in the Constitution to:

moniter and ensure the uniform and consistent administration of these Rules;
devise, deploy and distribute to LCNCs standardized forms, vetting procedures, templates, manuals, educational tools and other useful tools to guide LCNCs through the Application Process to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all Applicants;
offer input and advice concerning the acceptance or rejection of Applicants, or any other matter arising during the CA’s conduct of a Nomination Contest;
be the first channel for resolving disputes arising from these Rules;
conduct Nomination Contests for Constituencies that are either unable or unwilling to manage their own, if the PCNC chooses to do so; and
screen and maintain a list of third party contractors able to satisfy the access, security, and confidentiality requirements of electronic voting, and provide the list to LCNCs upon request.

B. The PCNC shall record minutes of its meetings, which shall be filed with the Party Secretary, who will copy them to all LCNC Chairs.

C. The PCNC may pass a motion or motions to delegate any of its duties to an agent or agents either within or outside the Party, but shall do so with clarity and specificity, and with appropriate safeguards in place to protect the confidentiality of sensitive Party information.

III Local Candidate Nomination Committee (“LCNC”)

A. The Party recognizes that the primary responsibility for selecting a Candidate to represent the Party in an election or by-election lies with each Constituency Association.

B. In order to achieve this goal every CA shall have access to the experience, advice, educational opportunities and other resources collectively held by the Party, principally through the PCNC in cooperation with the Board and Party staff and contractors.

C. A Constituency Association wishing to nominate a Candidate for a general election or by election must first appoint a LCNC to manage its Nomination Contest. Alternatively, a CA board may, by a two-thirds vote of its members, request the PCNC to manage its Nomination Contest.

D. LCNCs shall be comprised of:

three (3) CA board members, none of whom shall be CA President unless this provision is waived by the PCNC and a two-thirds vote of the CA board; and
up to two (2) Members residing in the Constituency; and
the Regional Director for the Constituency’s region.

Two (2) additional CA directors or Members may be appointed as LCNC alternates in the event that one or more of the original LCNC members resigns or is otherwise unable to fulfill their duties. The alternates may attend and participate in LCNC meetings, but unless they are Chair have no vote until installed as full LCNC members.

E. The following Members may not serve on any LCNC:

Members of the PCNC;
Members of Caucus, the Leader, or any of their immediate family members or employees;
Employees of the Alberta Legislature or Parliament of Canada;
Board members other than the Constituency’s Regional Director.

F. At its first meeting the LCNC shall elect or appoint from among its members, including the alternates, a Chair and a Secretary. The Chair may not vote except to make or break a tie. The Chair and Secretary shall ensure that:

regular communications with the PCNC are held, a summary of which shall be shared with LCNC members at every meeting;
notice of all meetings are sent to all LCNC members at least four (4) days in advance of each meeting;
meeting minutes are kept and regularly reported to the PCNC and the CA board;
LCNC members are aware of all rules pertaining to a Nomination Contest.

G. Every LCNC member and alternate must sign a declaration agreeing they will:

not seek to become a Nomination Contestant;
maintain strict neutrality throughout the Nomination Contest;
preserve the confidentiality of all matters arising from their duties on the LCNC.

Violating any of these conditions may result in the removal or replacement of LCNC members by a majority vote of the CA board or PCNC. The CA board or PCNC may also, by a two-thirds vote and for cause, suspend or replace any or all of the LCNC members.

H. Every LCNC is tasked with, and empowered to:

initiate and conduct a Nomination Contest in compliance with these Rules;
conduct complete and impartial interviews with each Nomination Contestant, not giving special consideration to sitting MLAs or former MLAs;
in consultation with the PCNC, either accept or reject each Applicant, giving written reasons for their decisions;
in consultation with the PCNC, set the dates, times and particulars of the Nomination Contest and ensure the Members are notified and the information published on the Party website;
appoint a returning officer (RO) and deputy returning officer(s), if necessary, from outside the constituency;
advise the CA board, and in particular, its CFO of the Chief Electoral Officer’s requirements for opening a Nomination Contest, together with recommendations and other particulars thereof.

IV Criteria for Commencing a Nomination Contest

A. Unless waived by the PCNC, CAs must meet the following minimum criteria prior to opening a Nomination Contest:

Have at least fifty (50) Members;
Have at least three thousand dollars ($3,000) in their CA bank account(s);
Have formed a LCNC; and
Have developed and provided to the PCNC, a proposed budget for the Nomination Contest that will cover its total costs; or

alternatively, the PCNC has agreed to manage the Constituency’s Nomination Contest and cover all, or a mutually agreed portion of its costs; consequently references to LCNCs herein shall include, or apply to the PCNC.

B. In the absence of a CA commencing a timely Nomination Contest, the PCNC may open, at the Party’s expense, any Nomination Contest following consultation with the Regional Director’s Committee and the CA’s associated Regional Council, and conduct it in accordance with these Rules.

V Application Process

A. To become a Nomination Contestant an Applicant must be a Provincial Member who:

is eligible to be a Candidate under Applicable Laws;
has delivered a completed Application within the stipulated time frame;
has been interviewed and accepted by the LCNC;
has not been a voting member of the Board, any CA board, or committees of either for a period of at least three (3) months prior to the opening of the Nomination Contest, or alternatively, has obtained a waiver for this requirement from the PCNC if sufficient grounds exist for such a waiver. Any Applicant in the same Nomination Contest may appeal such a waiver to the Arbitration Committee;
has provided the LCNC with the following documents:
a completed and signed nomination questionnaire in a format approved by the PCNC;
a current criminal record check, and authorization for the LCNC and PCNC to conduct their own searches;
authorization for the Party to conduct a credit check;
a completed and signed confidentiality agreement in a format approved by the PCNC;
a signed declaration in a format approved by the PCNC stating the Applicant agrees:
the LCNC has authority to disqualify a Nomination Contestant for any reason, which disqualification may be appealed to the PCNC, whose decision shall be final and binding;
to abide by the principles, objects, and policies of the Party;
to abide by the Party’s rules for Nomination Contestants’ use of membership and voter information;
to abide by the Party’s rules for Nomination Contestants’ use of the Party logo and endorsements;
to attend all training sessions provided for successful Nomination Contestants;
to read, obtain clarity as necessary, and abide by these Rules; and
to withdraw as a Candidate when required to do so by the CA board in accordance with these Rules.
has signed an undated, properly witnessed declaration of withdrawal as a Candidate to be held by the CA board and used in conformity with these Rules.
has completed the following payments:
1. a five hundred ($500) fee that is non-refundable and not a contribution, to the CA in the Constituency for which they seek the nomination; anda one thousand ($1,000) good conduct bond in acceptable form payable to the Party that will be returned, in whole or in part, at the discretion of the PCNC after consulting with the LCNC;
has never forfeited any portion of a refundable good conduct bond paid to the Party; neither is the Applicant currently the subject of a good conduct review by the PCNC;
has submitted to the LCNC an original nomination petition in a format approved by the PCNC and signed by at least twenty (20) Members;
has filed an application for registration as a Nomination Contestant under Applicable Laws.

B. Any person who publicly declares themselves to be a Nomination Contestant shall have ten (10) days from the date of such a declaration to complete their Application or they will become ineligible to become an Applicant.

VI Nomination Contest Schedule

A. A Nomination Contest shall commence on the date of the Official Call of the Nomination Contest and continue without interruption until the date fixed for the selection of the Candidate, which period shall not be less than forty-five (45) days unless altered by agreement of the PCNC and affected CAs.

B. Nominations shall close at 5:00 PM on the fourteenth day following the Official Call, when completed Applications must be delivered to the person or address specified in the Official Call. Late Applications will not be considered by the LCNC, but may be appealed to the PCNC.

C. The Application and nomination petition need not be delivered together, but both must be delivered prior to the close of nominations

D. The LCNC shall forward the relevant portions of the Application to the PCNC to review and assess within three (3) days of receiving the Application.

E. The PCNC shall return the results of their assessment to the LCNC within three (3) working days, together with a recommendation to accept or reject the Application.

F. The LCNC may interview Applicants in person or by phone, within fourteen (14) days of receiving the Application.

G. When the LCNC approves an Applicant it shall immediately inform the PCNC of their decision. The PCNC must confer with the LCNC within four (4) days if they object, otherwise the LCNC will inform the Applicant that he or she is approved as a Nomination Contestant.

H. When the LCNC rejects an Applicant, they shall so inform the Applicant and the PCNC. The Applicant shall then have three (3) days to appeal their rejection to the PCNC.

I. The LCNC shall notify the Members within three (3) days of their approval of a Nomination Contestant.

J. Nomination Contestants shall be provided with the Constituency’s membership list, together with PCNC approved rules governing its use.

K. The Nomination Contest schedule for any, or all Constituencies may be adjusted by the PCNC with the approval of:

the Board if the adjustment affects five (5) or more Constituencies; otherwise
with the approval of the Regional Directors Committee and the LCNCs of the affected constituencies.

VII Polling Stations and Voting

A. All Members with voting rights who were Members on the day of the Official Call, and whose memberships have been continuous since are eligible to vote in a Nomination Contest.

B. All ballots shall be marked in secret under the oversight of the returning officer (RO) or deputy returning officers, if any.

C. If a Nomination Contest results in a single Nomination Contestant, the Members may vote ‘Yes” or ‘No’ in a secret ballot vote expressing their approval or rejection of the Nomination Contestant as their Candidate. The Nomination Contestant must gain majority approval of the Members to be endorsed as their Candidate.

D. If a Nomination Contest produces more than one Nomination Contestant the LCNC shall conduct a secret preferential vote by the means, and at the location(s), and time(s) published in the Official Call. Ballots shall permit, but not require a Member to list Nomination Contestants in the order of the Member’s preference.

E. If electronic voting used in whole or in part, the LCNC may use a third party recommended by the PCNC, and shall bear the cost thereof.

F. Nomination Contestants shall be listed on the ballot in alphabetical order by last name.

G. The Chair of the LCNC shall not vote except to break a tie during a Nomination Contest.

H. Nomination Contestants may have scrutineers present to observe the credentialing of Members and ballot counting. Scrutineers may not hinder or interfere with the conduct of the election, and may be ejected from the polling station by the RO for cause.

I. No campaigning is permitted inside a polling station, or within one hundred and fifty (150) feet of its entrance. Campaigning includes:

distributing campaign literature;
wearing or displaying anything intended, or likely to influence a Member’s vote;
indicating Nomination Contestant preferences verbally, in print or any other way;
any activity the Returning Officer deems to be campaigning.

J. Returning Officers shall have primary responsibility for the enforcement of rules at polling stations and to:

preserve the integrity of the voting process and an accurate and impartial outcome including:
credentialing Members;
securing the principle of one Member: one vote;
credentialing and supervising scrutineers;
supervise ballot counting;
communicate voting results to the Nomination Contestants and LCNC Chair;
retain possession and custody of the ballots and voter sign in sheets, and destroy them on instructions from the LCNC;

K. The RO has discretion and authority to vary these rules in exceptional cases such as Members with disabilities who require assistance to vote. No decision made by a RO in a polling station may be challenged by a Nomination Contestant or their agents.

L. A Nomination Contestant may request a vote recount within twenty-four (24) hours of the time the voting results are announced by the RO. Any recount shall be conducted by the RO under the supervision of the LCNC, and recount results may not be further appealed unless the appellant has evidence of voter fraud or other polling station misconduct, in which case an appeal may be made to the Arbitration Committee whose decision shall be final and binding.

Leadership Roles, Selection and Review

Authorized under Article 10 of the Alberta Priority Constitution.

I. Role and Authority

A. The Leader carries an exceptional mantle, and is often viewed by the public as both the face and voice of the Party. This perception must always be tempered by the reality that the Leader is accountable to the Members, the Board, Caucus and, if also an MLA, to their constituents.

B. The Leader must always recognize and differentiate among their often disparate roles, and exercise their appropriate fiduciary duties to each.

Within the Party the Leader is primarily responsible to the Members, who have the sole authority to elect a Leader, doing so in a manner prescribed by the Leadership Selection Committee (LSC) appointed by the Board.
Within the Caucus the Leader is primarily responsible to the Caucus members, who individually and corporately have a duty to hold the Leader accountable.
To the public, and in particular through public media, the Leader must always prioritize and promote the Party, its Principles, objects and policies and ensure that the Leader’s public messaging is consistent with the Party’s.
As an MLA the Leader must exercise his or her fiduciary duty to all Albertans living within the constituency he or she represents.
If the Leader is also Premier he or she must, in addition to all the above, effectively represent the interests of all Albertans at home, within Canada, and abroad.

C. Leaders shall exercise their duties consistently, responsibly, with appropriate transparency, and fully accountable to their various constituents.

D. The Leader shall report to the Members at every AGM and to the Board at every Board meeting, always providing the opportunity to answer questions arising from their report.

E. The Leader shares joint and equal responsibility with Caucus and the Board or agents of the Board, for planning and executing general election strategies within a budget set by the Board.

F. The Leader’s tenure may be reviewed by:

the Members;
the Board; and
the Party Caucus

at such times, and in the manner prescribed herein.

II. Definitions

A. In this Leadership Roles, Selection and Review Governance Document the following terms have these definitions:

“Deputy Leader” means a Member who is elected by the Members or appointed by the Board in the manner prescribed herein, to be the deputy Leader of the Party.
“Founding Leader” means the person, or any of a succession of persons appointed by the Founding Board to serve as interim Leader until the Party’s first leadership contest, when this definition shall be deleted and the remainder renumbered as required;
“Interim Leader” means a Member who is elected, acclaimed or appointed by the Members at a general meeting, or the Board as the case may be, to fulfill the role of Leader when the office of Leader becomes vacant. The Deputy Leader may also be the interim Leader.
“Leader” means the leader of the Party elected by the Members and includes, unless the context prohibits, a Deputy Leader and an Interim Leader.

B. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in Applicable Laws, the Bylaws, or the Constitution as each of them may apply.

III Leadership Selection

A. Promptly upon a vacancy in the office of Leader, or in anticipation of its imminent vacancy, the Board shall appoint a Leadership Selection Committee (LSC) empowered to:

devise, implement and conduct a Leadership Contest, with authority to add to the rules and procedures set forth herein as required, but always in conformity with this Document and Applicable Laws;
define supplemental criteria, if any, for accepting and/or rejecting prospective Leadership Contestants;
approve or reject Leadership Contestants in accordance with these Rules and defined supplemental criteria, if any;
prescribe fees and deposits required to be paid by Leadership Contestants;
be the primary arbiter of Leadership Contest disputes, and impartially adjudicate disputes as they arise and without delay;
establish protocols and content for Leadership Contestant interviews and debates that will ensure transparency and accountability to the Members, and fairness and equity for all Leadership Contestants;
notify Members of, and post, or cause to be posted on the Party website all relevant details of the Leadership Contest in a timely fashion;
appoint a Returning Officer (RO) and Deputy Returning Officers as needed to oversee the credentialing of voting Members, advise the LSC as requested, and if paper ballots are used, supervise the vote counting, secure the completed ballots, and destroy them upon instructions from the LSC;
ensure all Members with voting rights have a reasonable opportunity to vote; and
protect and ensure the integrity of the voting system used.

B. The LSC will consist of seven (7) members, each having experience in leadership and/or candidate selection for political parties, or professional competence with electronic voting systems and procedures, and:

no more than two (2) of whom may be Board members;
at least five (5) of whom shall be appointed from among names submitted by Regional Councils in such a way as to ensure as broad a representation across Alberta as possible.

C. LSC members will select a Chair from among their number at their first committee meeting.

d. LSC members must remain neutral throughout the Leadership Contest, sign and comply with the terms of a confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement, and disclose any potential conflicts of interest affecting their roles on the committee. The Board may replace committee members at any time for violating any of these conditions.

D. A Leadership Contestant shall:

be a Provincial Member as defined in the Constitution on the date he or she files nomination papers;
be of the full age of eighteen years;
meet all qualification requirements set forth herein and under Applicable Laws;
not be the Interim Leader;
agree to abide by the leadership selection rules and procedures specified by the LSC;
not hold any positions on the Board, any CA board, or Party staff on the date they submit their application to become a Leadership Contestant;
complete and submit an application form as specified by the LSC, which form shall include a clause whereby the Leadership Contestant agrees to his or her immediate disqualification as a Leadership Contestant upon receipt by the LSC or the Returning Officer, of credible evidence that he or she, or his or her agents have, in any way, contravened the leadership selection rules, abused the procedures established by the LSC, or violated the trust stated or implied in their use of the Members list;
pay all fees prescribed by the LSC which may include a refundable good conduct bond;
provide a nomination petition signed by at least five hundred (500) Members relatively uniformly distributed throughout Alberta.

E. Disputes arising during the conduct of a Leadership Contest that the LSC is unable to resolve must be referred to the Arbitration Committee without delay. All parties to the dispute shall be allowed to make representation to the Arbitration Committee, which shall be empowered to extend the date or dates of the leadership vote for up to seven (7) days if necessary in order to ensure a fair and equitable decision.

F. Deputy Leader

IV Leadership Voting

A. All Members with voting rights who were Members on the day the position of Leader became vacant, and whose memberships have been continuous since are eligible to vote in a Leadership Contest.

B. A Leadership Vote shall be determined by secret preferential ballot –either paper or electronic or both as determined by the LSC. In the event there is only a single Leadership Contestant, the individual must gain majority approval of the voting Members on a yes/no ballot in order to be declared the Leader. Failure to do so will trigger a re-launch of the Leadership Contest.

C. If electronic voting is chosen, the LSC shall select an arm’s length third party with proven experience in secure electronic voting, validate its security measures, monitor its protocols to ensure the integrity and security of the voting system, and ensure destruction of the electronic results once the limitation period for appeals has expired.

D. The Chair of the LSC shall not vote except to break a tie during a Leadership Vote.

E. A Leadership Contestant may appeal the outcome of a Leadership Vote to the Chair of the Arbitration Committee within seven (7) days of the announcement to the Members of voting results. The decision of the Arbitration Committee is final and binding, and is not subject to further appeal.

F. The LSC or the Board may prescribe a reasonable fee and/or deposit to be paid to the Party by the Leadership Contestant filing an appeal.

V Leadership Review

A. The Members shall review the Leader’s tenure:

by means of an electronic vote open to all voting Members to be held within six (6) months following a general election in which the Party did not form government, or any election in which the Leader failed to secure a seat in the Legislature;
at the Party’s second AGM following a general election in which the Party formed the government;
following the Board passing a motion to do so by a secret ballot two-thirds vote of the total number of its members;
at an SGM held within sixty (60) days of receipt of a request to call an SGM for the purpose of leadership review by the requisite number of CAs specified in the Foundations’s Bylaws.

Voting shall be by secret ballot. The question shall be, “Do you approve of the current Leader?” The voting options shall be “Yes” or “No”. A “Yes” vote of less than two-thirds of the total valid votes cast shall automatically trigger a Leadership Contest.

B. The Caucus may, by a secret ballot two-thirds vote of the total number of Caucus members, request the Board to commence a Leadership Contest, which the Board shall do forthwith.

C. Notwithstanding the above, the Board may initiate a leadership review when both the Board AND Caucus pass motions to do so by a secret ballot majority vote of the total number of their respective members, such motions to be held within thirty (30) days of each other.

V Interpretation and Amendment

A. This Document shall be interpreted and read in accordance with Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and the Party Constitution. Unless they are otherwise defined herein or the context requires otherwise, capitalized words and phrases used in these Rules have the same meanings as in Applicable Laws, the Bylaws and the Constitution.

B. To the extent there is any conflict between this Document and the Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail unless otherwise prescribed therein.

C. The Board or the LSC may at any time, prepare appendices, manuals, forms, form templates, print and electronic instructional materials, and any other supplemental procedures or tools that may be useful in exercising the mandate of this Document, provided that such procedures and tools are consistent with the Constitution and this Document. In the event of a conflict between the Board and the LSC over the usefulness, format or content of such procedures or tools, the LSC shall prevail.

D. Amendment

The Party Board may temporarily add to or amend this Document to ensure it complies with Applicable Laws, the Bylaws, the Constitution, or to address unforeseen, unexpected or unusual circumstances affecting leadership matters. Such amendments shall have effect and be binding upon the Leader and the Party from the time determined by the Board until either their expiry or the next AGM, whichever is shorter. The factor causing the addition or amendment must be addressed by the Members no later than the next AGM. In no case shall any such temporary addition or amendment be binding upon the Party or the Leader until clearly communicated to the Leader, Regional Councils and Members, and posted on the Party website.
This Document may be added to, rescinded or revised by a two-thirds vote of the Members present and voting at a general meeting.