# Intersect Voting Policy

## Voting event types

Currently there are two types of vote:

* **Elections**: These types of votes allow members to propose the voting options or more generally to apply as candidates.
* **Polls**: These types of votes provide to members 2 or more options to select from.

Common Voting events currently include:

* **Committee elections**: The voting event where Intersect members elect one or more committees.
* **Board elections**: The voting event where Intersect members elect one or more board members.
* **Chair elections**: The voting event where Intersect members part of an existing Committee or the Board elect their respective chair.
* **General polls**: The voting event where members are asked to provide their opinion on any general matter.

## Existing voting rules

* Only paid members are allowed to join Intersect voting events
  * New members can participate in voting events if they pay for their membership before the voting event starts
  * Existing members who have an expired membership when a voting event is open to vote can participate as long as their renew their membership before voting ends
  * Existing members whose membership expire during the voting period will be able to vote till their membership is active (and after that if their renew)
* For committee elections
  * Only paid members are allowed to apply
    * Members can apply to any committee
    * If a member is elected to more than two Committees, they will be required to select which Committees they wish to hold a voting seat on.
  * Only those who have been paid members for at least 3 months OR that have followed the process to verify themselves are allowed to vote
* For board elections
  * Only paid members are allowed to apply
  * Only those who have been paid members for at least 6 months OR that have followed the process to verify themselves are allowed to vote

### What happens if an election type vote gets equal or less applications then the amount of seats up for election

* Note: Voters are not required to use all their vote allocation *(e.g. if they have 4 votes for a committee they could only select two candidates if they want to, or don't vote)*
* An option for "none-of-the-candidates" will be shown. If this is the option with most votes, there will be no elected members for that election
  * Any vacant seat can remain such till the end of the term for that seat. If the committee / board are below their minimum size they can:
    * Decide to extend terms of current elected seats, by volunteering or appointing
    * Run an election for that seat in the next election for the remaining 6 months term

### What happens if an election type vote gets 0 applications to amount of spots up for election

* Current committee members can decide to volunteer to extend their mandate for 6 months (in extreme cases committee could appoint for the interim for 6 months)
* In the following election those seats can be voted in with a 6 months term
* Note: if an election runs 2 times with 0 or 1 applicant then the board will evaluate if that committee should still exist in that form or if the remit needs to be updated

## Board Election voting results - elected members terms

During the **2025** election, **4 members** will be elected to the board. The two top-voted candidates will get a 2-year term, the next 2 will get a 1-year term (assuming they remain in good standing membership).

The above is done to start a process that staggers elections, keeping continuity in the board. From **2026** we will elect **2 seats** with a 2 year term, starting a cycle to elect every year 2 board seats.


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