Information about the Election Process

Introduction

Each spring United Students for Fair Trade will hold elections to confirm new leaders to make decisions about the organization's direction and be responsible for operations with the input of all affiliates. The graduating Coordinating Committee shall confirm an ad-hoc Elections Committee to administer and promote the election and verify its results. Responsibilities include coordinating logistics, publishing impartial information to educate affiliates on issues or candidates, ensuring all candidates in the election are presented and compliant with guidelines, and should not be outspoken proponents for an issue at stake.

Nominating

USFT relies on motivated individuals to nominate themselves for the Coordinating Committee. Applicants self-nominate online and provide information to the broad affiliate base. We ask that no more than 2 students from each school run for the Coordinating Committee.

Term

Terms are 16 months. The members elected will serve formally until June of the following year, and will be responsible for recruiting candidates and transitioning in new leadership through the spring and summer.

Introduction to the Ballot Process

In the case of votes on plenary decisions, affiliates will case "Yes/No" votes and a majority of voters (more than 50% of votes) shall win. Affiliates will be given at least 7 days to vote.

In the case of leadership elections, affiliates will cast instant-runoff ballots online, with an option to vote "no confidence." Affiliates will be given at least 7 days to vote.
Verification

At the close of the voting period, all votes will be tallied electronically and be verified by the Elections Committee and the USFT paid staff. Coordinators Elect will be asked to confirm, and results will be released within 1 week of the close of the voting period.

Instant-Runoff Ballot Procedure Description (adapted from Wikipedia.org)

Each voter ranks at least one candidate in order of preference on one ballot. For example if there are 5 candidates, the affiliate group must rank at least one and at the most 5 candidates on the same ballot. First choices are tallied. If no candidate has the support of the majority of voters (more than 50%), the candidate with the least support is eliminated from list of candidates. A second round of counting takes place. All ballots where the eliminated candidate is the first choice, the second preferred candidate on that ballot will be counted. After a candidate is eliminated, he or she may not receive any more votes. This process of counting and eliminating is repeated until one candidate has over half the votes.

Rationale for the Instant-Runoff System

Instant-runoff voting is more democratic than a simple majority system.. The system is favored by many third parties as a solution to the "spoiler" effect third-party sympathizers suffer from under plurality voting (i.e., voters are forced to vote tactically to defeat the candidate they most dislike, rather than for their own preferred candidate). Note that any candidate with a majority of voters in the first round will win, just as with a simple majority system.

Coordinating Committee Positions

Below are descriptions of the positions and their responsibilities.

All Coordinating Committee Members

All members of USFT’s Coordinating Committee will be expected to:

• Embody the Purpose, Vision, and Values of USFT
• Represent USFT on a National and Regional level
• Work actively to meet goals outlined in USFT’s Strategic Action Plan
• Participate in bimonthly Conference Calls
• Attend the International Convergence
• Build relationships and maintain constant communication with other CC members, the National Coordinator and the Advisory Committee
• Regional Coordinators (RC) are expected to help organize a regional convergence/super convergence in their region or in collaboration with another region.
• RCs should provide support to their region's affiliates through helping publicize FT events, connecting folks to other students or individuals who are working on similar issues, providing materials/resources for group development and leadership (like pop educational activities, anti-oppression, FT awareness) and so forth.
• Participate in organizational fundraising. You will be expected to raise approximately $1000 through grassroots and foundations fundraising
• Manage listservs and respond to emails and phone calls promptly and professionally
• Attend conferences to represent USFT where appropriate
• Attend the Transitions Summit. USFT will be responsible for covering the costs of the adventure
• Time commitment is a minimum of 10 hours per week
• Rock the Fair Trade Movement!

Position name and descriptions:

Regional Organizers (8 elected)

Regions: Northeast (MA, ME, NH, VT, CT, NY, RI). MidAtlantic (NJ, PA, DC, MD, DE, WV, VA). Southeast (AR, LA, MS, GA, FL, AL, NC, SC, PR). Southwest (CO, AZ, NV, NM, UT, TX, OK). Heartland (IL, WI, SD, ND, IA, MN, NE). Midwest (OH, KY, IN, TN, MO, KS, MI). Northwest (WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, AK). West Coast (HI, CA, Guam):

• Build relationships with affiliates, contact each affiliate group individually monthly (minimum)
• Support affiliate campaigns, connect affiliates to each other, to resources, etc.
• Collect semester feedback forms from every affiliate
• Research new developing campaigns on campuses and draw new schools into USFT’s affiliate network
• Offer leadership development opportunities to affiliates and support their organizations
• Organize monthly regional conference calls
• Facilitate on-going regional projects, campaigns and development of new ideas/projects/campaigns
• Support affiliates in finding resources for campaigns
• Expand affiliate base
• Interact with allies and producers
• Facilitate dialogue between different affiliate groups, affiliates and producers, affiliates and allies, etc
• Actively organize and campaign in your region and support student activism!
• Provide support to everyone on the CC and participate in USFT’s national committees

High School Coordinators (2 Elected)

• Actively support Fair Trade campaigns in High Schools
• Reach out to new high school groups
• Seek opportunities to develop high school specific programs
• Develop and update a high school organizing guide
• Facilitate a committee of high school organizers
• Build relationships with affiliates, contact each affiliate group monthly (minimum)
• Support affiliate campaigns, connect affiliates to each other, to resources, etc.
• Collect semester feedback forms from every affiliate
• Offer leadership development opportunities to affiliates and support their organizations
• Support affiliates in finding resources for campaigns
• Expand High School affiliate base
• Interact with allies and producers
• Facilitate dialogue between different affiliate groups, affiliates and producers, affiliates and allies, etc
• Actively organize and campaign in your region and support student activism!
• Current High School student preferred

Campaign Coordinators (3):

Fair Trade University Coordinator (1 elected):

• Spearhead the USFT National Campaign Committee
• Work closely with the regional reps. and affiliates to coordinate national actions and develop national plans for USFT
• Build on incoming national campaign committee plans, and think innovatively towards the future
• Manage media work for national campaigns
• Conduct research and compile resources for campaigns on campuses
• Work with regional reps in making these resources available to affiliates
• Actively support campus groups in converting to Fair Trade coffee, tea, bananas, sugar, chocolate, soccer balls, etc
• Work with the National Coordinator to leverage resources for campaigns
• Communicate consistently with campus affiliates, Food Service Providers, allies, and producers

Domestic Fair Trade Coordinator (1 Elected)

• Work with students and allies to develop Domestic Fair Trade programming
• Facilitate the USFT Domestic Fair Trade Strategy Team through conference calls and a session at the Convergence
• Support and connect students engaging in Domestic Fair Trade on campuses
• Uphold USFT's role as an endorsing member of the Alliance for Fair Food and organize in support of the work of the Student/Farmworker Alliance and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
• Maintain connections between USFT and the Domestic Fair Trade Working Group and attend meetings
• Research potential ally organizations and build relationships
• Keep abreast of workers' rights campaigns in the United States and identify potential for coalition building
• Research ways to expand Domestic Fair Trade programming
• Develop education materials and provide access to existing resources
• Develop a long-term vision and strategy for Domestic Fair Trade campaigning

BRIDGE Coordinator (1 Elected)

• Facilitate the planning of the South-North internships and the North-South internships
• Facilitate dialogue between affiliates and producers
• Serve as initial point of contact for producers
• Facilitate Transition Summit planning with the National Coordinator
• Plan popular education presentations for conferences
• Support the development of BRIDGE initiatives
• Facilitate affiliate access to speaker tours, events, etc
• Play a major role in connecting cooperative communities to affiliate groups
• Work with international affiliate student groups

Liaisons (2)

Industry Liaison (1 Elected)

• Communicate USFT campaign and program information to industry allies
• Serve as initial point of contact for businesses
• Manage press and media relations
• Spanish language skills preferred
• Manage relationship with TransFair USA
• Develop relationship with new industry allies
• Hold allies accountable to Fair Trade movement mission, vision, and values
• Attend industry events
• Report on USFT’s activities and solicit feedback
• Facilitate dialogue between affiliates and businesses
• Work with Movement Liaison to publish a quarterly USFT newsletter

Movement Liaison (1 Elected)

• Communicate USFT campaign and program information to movement-focused allies
• Serve as initial point of contact for NGOs
• Manage press and media relations
• Facilitate the Advisory Board
• Develop relationship with new NGO allies
• Hold allies accountable to Fair Trade movement mission, vision, and values
• Report on USFT’s activities and solicit feedback
• Facilitate Interfaith Working Group
• Maintain constant communication with student activist groups
• Creating a database of Fair Trade opportunities
• Work closely with Student Trade Justice Campaign
• Facilitate dialogue between affiliates and NGOs
• Facilitate dialogue between affiliates and other student activist groups
• Work with Industry Liaison to publish a quarterly USFT newsletter

Webmaster Flash (1 Elected)

• Update usft.org
• Content management
• General listserv maintenance
• Organizational tech support to Coordinating Committee and affiliates
• Publication of E-newsletter
• Develop online action alerts
• Support affiliates in tech-based activism
• Provide vision and help USFT to realize our tech potential
• Should have some previous website maintenance experience.

FUNdraising Coordinator **New Position!**

• Work with staff to research new funding sources and apply for grants
• Manage a fundraising committee, made up of CC members and affiliates
• Develop a long-term fundraising plan, including a grassroots fundraising plan
• Participate in fundraising and grant-writing workshops and use Foundation Center resources
• Provide assistance to CC members in developing personal fundraising plans
• Provide assistance and support to affiliates around fundraising on their campuses
• Assist Convergence Coordinators in fundraising and industry outreach
• Update fundraising guide for affiliates
• Keep updated records of all fundraising activities
• Provide reports on completed grants
• Be the key contact for all grants and donations
• Be in close communication with CC and staff at all times
• Provide monthly reports of fundraising activities to the CC