January 2009 Elections

Assalam alaikum brothers and sisters:

I would like to remind you that the next ISL Board Election is scheduled for January 2009. The ISL Board has formed the nomination committee for nominating candidates and conducting elections on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 7:15 PM (after Isha Prayer).

This election will be held to select 3 new board members to replace the 3 outgoing members whose term has ended.  According to the ISL Constitution, we need two candidates for each position, and accordingly we need to nominate 6 candidates for the membership to elect from.

To assist the nomination committee in its search for the best candidates to serve as board members, please review the criteria of the ISL. Constitution listed below as requirement in the nominees, and forward any names you recommend to ISLnominations@ yahoogroups. com   Please send your recommendation before 11/30/2008. Jazakum Allahu Khairan

Najabat Abbasi
Director, ISL

Article V of ISL Constitution: Governance

Section 4

Nominees for the ISL Board must meet the following eligibility requirements on or before January 1 of the election year:

1. Registered member of ISL.
2. At least 18 years of age.
3. Must have established proof of residence (as defined in the Bylaws) in Lawrence, KS for at least one year.
4. Must be of competent and sound mind.
5. Must have served officially or unofficially on any committee or held any office in any Islamic Center anywhere in United States for at least cumulative three (3) months.  (This requirement shall go into effect 1 (one) year after the election of the first ISL board according to this constitution.)

Article III of ISL Bylaws: Governance and Officers      
Section 1
B. At least one member of the ISL board must be a female member of the community who satisfies the criteria of Article V, section 4 of the constitution. In the event, no female member receives any votes, then, an all male ISL Board will be formed.

Elections: Rules and Procedures:

Article. V    Governance              

Section 5:    Terms of Office

2. Board members shall be elected to a two (2) year terms in alternate years.  Board members may serve a maximum of two (2) terms of two (2) years.

Article VII            Elections
Section 1

1. Elections of the ISL Board shall be called for on the third Friday of January of every year.  If calamity, catastrophe, and/or life threatening events due to acts of God (storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, blizzards etc.), national emergencies, insurrections, riots, wars, or any law, order, regulation or other actions of any governmental authority, agency, instrumentality, or of any civil or military authority, or interference make it impossible to hold the election on the third Friday of January then the elections will be postponed until the third Friday of February. In the event the calamity extends beyond the second proposed date of elections, said elections must be held on any suitable Friday within 90 days after the Third Friday of February.
2. Elections of the ISL Board shall be conducted and presided over by an Election Committee which shall:
1. Plan, prepare, and announce the election rules, procedures, date, and time at least two (2) months prior to the end of the existing ISL Board’s term.
2. Assure that all nominations and votes are constitutional and impartial, and accordingly announce election results to the General Assembly.
3. Nominees for the ISL Board must meet all requirements given in Article V, Section 4 and have not been holding the post for which they are nominated, for two or more consecutive terms.
4. Votes shall only be caste by registered members physically present in the election meeting through voting ballots.

Art. VI           Elections   (Bylaws)
Section 1:       Nominations:

1. Elections for the ISL Board shall be held according to article VII of the ISL Constitution.
2. A Nominating and Election Committee shall be responsible for selecting nominees for vacant offices, and preparing & conducting the elections according to the constitution and the Bylaws of ISL.
3. Nominating Committee members cannot be candidates for elections for office.
4. The Nominating and Election committee shall consist of:
1. Current Director of ISL.
2. Immediate Past Director of ISL.
3. Imam.
4. Two community members who meet all the criteria required for office eligibility as described in the constitution and Bylaws, AND receive recommendations by two (2) community members who can testify to their character.
5. The Nominating and Election committee shall solicit at least two (2) candidates for each vacant office of the ISL Board.  The committee shall finalize a list of nominees at least two (2) weeks prior to the election date.  This list will be made available to the eligible voters two (2) weeks prior to the Election Day.  Additional names of eligible candidates may be added to the list if submitted no later than one (1) week before the Election Day.
6. Floor nominations, on Election Day, will be accepted only if the Nominating and Election Committee fails to propose names for any office, or if the nominee declines to run for office.  Floor nominations must meet the same eligibility criteria set forth for eligibility to run for office.
7. Nominations by petition: If a signed petition consisting of names of at least twenty percent (20%) of the community membership supporting the nomination of an eligible community member is presented to the nominations committee, then the nominations committee must include said member on its list of candidates.

Section 2:           Voting:

1. Voting Procedure:  Election shall be carried out by secret ballots.
2. Votes shall be cast by eligible members only. 
3. In an election to fill a vacant position(s), the position(s) shall be filled by the candidate(s) who win(s) the highest number(s) of votes cast.  If two of the top vote-receiving candidates receive exactly the same number of votes, a run-off ballot will be administered to determine the winner of the vacant position between the two.
4. Newly elected Board members will take office 2 weeks after election date. 
5. During the 2 week transition, outgoing members, will:
1. Brief newly elected members
2. Transfer all documents, records, files and keys to new members
3. Change signatures on all applicable documents and financial accounts.
4. Transfer financial records including cash, check books, and appropriate cards.
5. Hand over a list documenting all current unfinished business items, outstanding accounts, and other issues needing immediate or continued attention.