a guide to student council elections for students and

A GUIDE TO STUDENT COUNCILELECTIONS FOR STUDENTS ANDSCHOOL PERSONNEL

A GUIDE TO STUDENT COUNCILELECTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND

SCHOOL PERSONNEL

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Directeur général des élections du Québecin cooperation with theDirection de l’adaptation scolaire etdes services complémentaires (DASSC)of the Ministère de l’Éducation

Design and DevelopmentDaniel Côté

CoordinationMadeleine Beaudoin and Danielle BouchardandMichel Leclercof the Ministère de l’Éducation

Graphic Design (logo and cover)Verge LeBel communication

Schools are authorized to reproduce this document, in whole or in part. If the document is tobe sold, the price should not exceed the cost of production.

© Gouvernement du QuébecMinistère de l’Éducation, 1999-99-0349

ISBN: 2-550-34677-7

Legal Deposit - Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, 1999

Foreword

The directeur général des élections duQuébec, in cooperation with the Ministèrede l’Éducation, is pleased to introduce thisguide to the educational community. StudentCouncil Elections in Secondary School isintended to assist students in charge ofholding a student council election, as well asthe adults working with them, and to makethe experience of an election an introductionto the rules and requirements of democracy.The document reinforces and enriches thepractical guide to holding an election foundin Elections for Secondary-School Students–an Introduction to the Democratic Process,1

published in 1992 by the Directeur généraldes lections and the Ministère del’Éducation. It also supplements the moduleThe Student Council and Democracy,2

included in the ACTI-JEUNES support kit.

1. Directeur général des élections and the Ministère de

l’Éducation. Elections for Secondary-School Students–AnIntroduction to the Democratic Process. Québec. 1992.

2. Ministère de l’Éducation. The Student Council andDemocracy. Québec. 1996.

TABLE DES MATIÈRES

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1

Preparations for Student Council Elections ....................................................................... 3

1. Roles and Responsibilities of the Student Council ................................................... 3

2. Composition of a Student Council .............................................................................. 4

2.1 Student Association ............................................................................................. 4

General Assembly ......................................................................................... 4Legislative Council ...................................................................................... 4Executive Council ......................................................................................... 5

2.2 Presidents' Council .............................................................................................. 5

2.3 School Life Committee ........................................................................................ 5

3. Election Models ............................................................................................................ 6

3.1 Class Representatives .......................................................................................... 6

3.2 Grade Representatives ......................................................................................... 6

3.3 Student Council Members ................................................................................... 7

4. Chief Electoral Officer ................................................................................................ 7

5. Electoral Regulations .................................................................................................. 8

5.1 Voter Qualification .............................................................................................. 8

5.2 Criteria for Candidacy ......................................................................................... 8

5.3 Conditions for the Formation of a Political Party ................................................ 9

5.4 Electoral Expenses of Candidates ........................................................................ 9

5.5 Election Advertising ............................................................................................ 9

5.6 Casting of Ballots ................................................................................................ 9

5.7 Counting of Ballots .............................................................................................. 9

5.8 Recounting of Ballots ........................................................................................ 10

6. Electoral Calendar ..................................................................................................... 10

Stages of the Election Period ...................................................................................... 15

1. Calling of Elections .................................................................................................... 15

2. Production and Revision of the Voters' List ............................................................ 15

3. Recruitment and Teacher Supervision of Candidates ............................................ 15

4. Declaration of Candidacy .......................................................................................... 16

5. Information for Voters .............................................................................................. 16

6. Recruitment and Training of Election Personnel ................................................... 17

7. Preparation of Ballots and Ballot Boxes .................................................................. 18

Election Day ..................................................................................................................... 29

1. Installation of Polling Stations .................................................................................. 29

2 Voting Procedure ....................................................................................................... 29

2.1 Polling Hours ..................................................................................................... 29

2.2 Presence of Candidates ...................................................................................... 30

2.3 Voting Procedure ............................................................................................... 30

3 Counting of Ballots ..................................................................................................... 30

4 Announcement of Results .......................................................................................... 31

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Introduction

Schools have long aimed to prepare studentsfor life and citizenship. According to thereport of the Task Force on Elementary andSecondary School Learning Profiles1, thecomplexity of the world in the twenty-firstcentury will require schools to intensify theirefforts in this area. Considering that youngpeople will have to grow up in a worldwhere economic changes threaten toaccentuate inequality, the authors of thereport point out that to promote democraticprinciples, social justice and theresponsibility required of citizens is now,more than ever, one of the key purposes ofthe school.

The Ministère de l’Éducation, in thedocument School: A Place to Grow–Organizational Framework for StudentServices2, states that since civic educationrequires that students early on play active,responsible social roles, it is important thatthe schools provide them with theopportunity to participate in decisionsaffecting the quality of life in the school andthe organization of school activities. Thestudent council stands as one of the means tothis end, contributing to the attainment ofthis objective.

1. Ministère de l’Éducation. Preparing our Youth for the 21st

Century. Report of the Task Force on Elementary andSecondary School Learning Profiles. Québec. 1994.

2. Ministère de l’Éducation. School: A Place to Grow–Organizational Framework for Student Services. Québec.1988.

The Directeur général des élections hopesthat this experience will lead students todiscover the electoral process of Québec andstimulate their interest in applyingdemocratic principles in their schools. Healso hopes to generate an awareness in theschools of the high quality of the Québecelectoral system. From the age of 18, youngpeople have an active role to play, whetheras electors, as employees in the electoralprocess or even as candidates for politicalparties. To play these parts well requires agood understanding of the electoral systemand the purpose of this document is to helpyoung people master these principles.

In particular, this document is intended forstudents and school personnel who wish tomake the election of a student council alearning exercise in democracy and in thevitalization of school life. Part One coversthe preparations for a student councilelection, including the roles andresponsibilities of the council, itscomposition and different election models. Italso examines the tasks of the person whoassumes the role of chief electoral officer forthe student council election, the electoralregulations and the electoral calendar. PartTwo deals with the specific stages of theelectoral period. It covers the call forelections, the production and revision of thevoters’ list, the recruitment and supervisionof candidates, declarations of candidacy,information for voters and the recruitmentand training of election personnel. Activitiesrelated to voting day, such as setting uppolling stations, balloting, counting of votesand announcement of results, are included inPart Three. Since the student council is aproject to be created and re-invented,according to the needs of each individualschool, this guide does not include anygeneral model to be applied in all cases.

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Nevertheless, the guide does contain anumber of indications on how to best adaptthe experience to the particular character ofthe school and how to make the studentcouncil election part of education indemocracy.

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Preparations for StudentCouncil Elections

In order for the student council election totruly educate students in the workings ofdemocracy, it is important to take the time tosettle certain questions before the electionsare called. First of all, the roles andresponsibilities of the student council mustbe defined. It must also be decided whatpositions the council will consist of and howit will be elected. Finally, the tasks of thechief electoral officer must be specified,electoral regulations must be established andthe electoral calendar must be prepared.

This section covers the elements to beconsidered before approaching any of thesequestions.

1. Roles and Responsibilities ofthe Student Council

To avoid disappointment andmisunderstandings, it is important to defineclearly the roles and responsibilities of thestudent council. As public consultation isone of the mainstays of a democratic system,this task could be entrusted to a committeemade up of the school principal,representatives of teaching and non-teachingstaff, the student council advisor, as well asstudents who can speak for their peers (suchas members of the outgoing council). Sincethe mission of the council is to contribute tothe improvement of quality of life in theschool, and since these needs may changefrom one year to the next, there could be anannual review of the student council’sresponsibilities. Once this list ofresponsibilities has been revised, the

information would be communicated toschool personnel and students.

The student council, unlike non-electedstudent committees such as those in chargeof sports or the school radio station, has theright to speak for the entire student body. Toensure that the election of the council is nota purely theoretical exercise, it is importantthat its responsibilities justify holdingelections. It should be remembered that it isnot necessary to be elected to organizeextracurricular activities such as parties,intramural games or activity days.

This does not mean that the council must notbe allowed to organize such activities. Asthese are generally popular with thestudents, it would enhance the visibility ofelected students to be involved in theorganization of at least one or two importantextracurricular activities–a Christmas dance,school carnival, sports day, or other event.However, the organization of such activitiesshould not be the council’s onlyresponsibility.

As an elected body, the council has alegitimate right to speak for the students,and its responsibilities should include issuesof school life that require the consensus ofadults and students. The student councilcould thus be invited to participate inrevisions of the school regulations,management of the budget allotted toextracurricular activities, development of theeducational project and the improvement ofstudent services (cafeteria, library,supervision, etc.). In schools that havenumerous activity committees (graduationdance, newspaper, radio and othercommittees), the council could also have theresponsibility of organizing an activity torecognize the contributions of those

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committee members. The student councilcould also initiate special projects such assetting up a school fund, decorating astudent lounge, or replacing equipment forthe school radio station.

When the responsibilities of the studentcouncil are being established, theavailability of its members and that of thecouncil’s advisor should be taken intoaccount. The age of the young people is alsoa factor to be considered, as well as theirunderstanding of democracy. It is alsoimportant that the majority of the tasksassigned to the council can be carried outbefore its mandate expires. Finally, it shouldbe remembered that the sharing ofleadership duties between young people andadults may be more difficult to achieve incertain cases. It may be preferable at first toexclude some aspects of school life(evaluation and improvement of teaching,supervision, etc.) from the jurisdiction ofstudent representatives, rather than placethem in a situation where it is not likely theywill be listened to, or will have no realpower to influence decisions.

Sheet 1.1 contains an example of the rolesand responsibilities that may be conferred ona student council.1

2. Composition of a StudentCouncil

The size of a school generally determinesthe composition of a student council. In 1. It could be useful to adopt, where possible, the

terminology of the Québec political system(prime minister, ministers, members ofparliament) to familiarize students with theseterms.

small schools the council is usually made upof one representative from each class in asubject such as English or personal andsocial development. In cases where thenumber of classes is too high for this modelto be used effectively, other formulas maybe used. Three examples of different typesof student council are described below.

2.1 Student Association

A student association is a three-tieredstructure consisting of a general assembly, alegislative council and an executive council.

General Assembly

The general assembly is composed of allstudents in the school and serves as theirchief representational body. It has theexclusive power to modify the studentassociation’s rules of operation: compositionof the executive council, election format,electoral regulations, etc.

In some schools, the executive councilconvenes the members of the generalassembly twice a year–once at the beginningof the year to set out its priorities, and onceat the end of the year to report on itsactivities.

Legislative Council

The legislative council is made up of onerepresentative per class (sometimes called adelegate). This delegate ensurescommunication between the students and theexecutive council, carrying out surveys andinformation campaigns among the students.In some schools, the students elected torepresent their class are grouped intocommittees or ministries responsible for

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sports, festivals, environmental activities, orsociocultural events.

The legislative council usually meets onceper school term. It usually has the authorityto refuse or amend any project presented bythe executive council and to removemembers of the executive council fromoffice.

Executive Council

The executive council, which could becalled the cabinet, constitutes the studentcouncil. This is the body that officiallyrepresents students to the schooladministration. It defines the roles andresponsibilities of all committees orministries. It has the power to block anyproject issued from the legislative council.

The number of students sitting on thecouncil varies from school to school. Insome cases, there will be three: a president,a vice-president and a secretary. In othercases, a dozen students will form thecouncil: a prime minister, a deputy primeminister, a minister for sociocultural affairs,a minister for sports, a minister of finance,etc.

Sheet 1.2 contains an example of the rolesthat can be assigned to an executive council.

2.2 Presidents’ Council

Some large schools opt for electing a studentcouncil for each grade level. The presidentsof each council form a presidents’ council.The president of this council may be chosenfrom one of its members or elected byuniversal suffrage.

The role of the presidents’ council is tocoordinate the activities of the gradecouncils. It can also act as a supreme councilby participating in the revision of schoolregulations or the development andapplication of the rules concerning remedialactivities.

2.3 School Life Committee

A school life committee is made up ofrepresentatives from each grade level as wellas students from various activitycommittees: sports, newspaper, radio,sociocultural activities, etc. Its chiefmandate is to listen to students’ needs andtend to school life activities.

On the basis of these three types of councils,other models can be developed. In someschools where the student associationformula is used, the class representatives arenot grouped into activity committees orministries. In other schools, a generalassembly is not convened. In some cases,councils are formed for each grade withoutforming a presidents’ council. It can also bedetermined that no seats should be reservedfor activity committee representatives andthat the council should be made upexclusively of representatives from thegrades.

The main thing is that the make-up of thestudent council be adapted to the school’sparticular needs and respect the basic rulesof democracy.

Since the council exists to serve the needs ofstudents, the formula adopted must take intoaccount the characteristics of young people.Once again, age is an important factor toconsider. What is appropriate for students inthe second cycle may not be appropriate to

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those in the first cycle. The socioculturalbackground of the students, which mayinfluence their understanding of thedemocratic processes of our society, isanother factor to be taken into consideration.An evaluation must also be made of theresources available for supervision of theelected students. It should be realized that,while the formula of grouping graderepresentatives or delegates into activitycommittees or ministries has the advantageof adding prestige to these roles, it is verydemanding on resources for supervision.Where this formula is used, the role ofstudent council advisor is usually occupiedby more than one adult.

Whatever the model chosen, it is essentialthat the student council remain a flexibleorganization allowing everyone who wishesto participate in the management of schoolaffairs the chance to do so. This means thatthere must be ways of utilizing the talents ofdefeated candidates. For example, thestudent council may be granted authority toappoint non-elected students to positions ofresponsibility in areas such as publicrelations, school radio, cafeteriaorganization, etc. Their appointments maybe temporary or permanent.

Finally, it is important that the studentcouncil format evolve along with thestudents as they request. To this end, thecomposition of the student council should berevised on a yearly basis.

3. Election Models

Depending on the type of council selected,one of the following elections will be held:election of class representatives, election ofgrade representatives or election of council

members (president, vice-president,secretary, etc.). While the procedure forelecting students to represent their class isgenerally the same in all schools, the type ofelection used to elect grade representativesor council members may differ.

3.1 Class Representatives

Students are invited to run as candidates torepresent their English class, or their class insome other subject. The student who obtainsthe most votes is declared elected. Often therunner-up is designated as an alternativerepresentative. The election is usually heldin the fall.

To motivate classes to elect a representative,schools may grant certain privileges to thoseclasses. Classes with a representative mayreceive special rates for school outings orshows presented by the school, for example.

3.2 Grade Representatives

To elect grade representatives some schoolsmake use of an electoral college. The rightto vote and to run for this position isrestricted to students who already representtheir class. Such an election may often beheld at the end of a session (or even a wholeday) of training and information for the classrepresentatives.

In other schools, grade representatives areelected by universal suffrage. All students inthe grade have the right to vote. The right torun as a candidate may or may not belimited to students who represent their class.

The number of grade representatives to beelected to the council may be determined asa function of the number of students in eachgrade. For example, it might be decided to

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elect one person to the position for every200 students. If there are 400 students inSecondary V, then two would be elected. Ifthere are 630 in Secondary III, then threestudents would be elected.

In some schools, where universal suffrage isused and where the right to run as acandidate is not restricted to classrepresentatives, the election of graderepresentatives takes place in the spring. Inthis case, their mandate usually begins inJune and ends in May of the following year.

3.3 Student Council Members

The election of student council membersmay be internal. For example, when it iscomposed of grade representatives (allclasses of the same year), those persons maybe asked to elect from among themselves apresident, a vice-president, a secretary, etc.

The electoral college is another possibleavenue. In that case, the right to vote and torun for one of the positions is restricted toclass or grade representatives.

The method of universal suffrage may alsobe used. This means that all students in theschool have the right to vote. The right torun as a candidate for one of the offices mayor may not be restricted to the studentselected to represent their class.

Finally, we may note that it is also possibleto elect the president by universal suffrageand to use the electoral college to elect theother members of the council. Whenuniversal suffrage is used to elect at leastone council member and where the right torun as a candidate is not restricted to classrepresentatives, the election may be held inthe spring.

The method of declaring candidacy may alsovary. In some schools, students areencouraged to form different political partiesand to run as a bloc. In others, students runindividually for a particular office:president, vice-president or other.The essential thing is that the model usedshould stimulate students to run ascandidates. Since the students can showtheir preference for one model over another,it is important to consult them beforedetermining the type of declaration ofcandidacy that will be used.

Sheet 1.3 presents a description of fourelection models: presidential election,presidential election with a running mate,election of an executive council and electionof a political party.

4. Chief Electoral Officer

In order that the student council is notsupervised by one adult only, the role ofchief electoral officer should be taken by adifferent person than the one acting asadvisor to the council. To show that thestudent council represents an occasion toreinforce the partnership between youngpeople and the adults of the school, one ortwo students could be appointed to theposition of deputy electoral officer.

The chief electoral officer and his or herdeputies are neutral and may not displaypartisan opinions. Their tasks are thefollowing:

� To determine the electoral rules and seethat they are respected.

� To determine an electoral calendar.� To recruit and train electoral personnel.

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� To communicate all useful informationto candidates and to students who arevoting.

� To produce and revise the voters’ list.� To display or distribute the voters’ list.� To coordinate the activities of the

student candidates.� To receive the declarations of candidacy.� To prepare the materials required for a

polling station: ballot box, voting booth,ballots, etc.

� To supervise the voting process and thecounting of votes.

� To announce the official results of theelection.

� To receive, where applicable, the reportof candidates’ electoral expenses.

Note that the procedures indicated abovecorrespond to those found in the QuébecElection Act and that they can, of course, beadapted to the particular needs of the school.

When students are being elected to representtheir class, the teachers responsible for theseclasses act as election officers. A studentcould be associated with this task, or eventake on the role himself or herself, with thesupport of the teacher. These two persons, asrepresentatives of the chief electoral officer,are responsible for the electoral process intheir class.

5. Electoral Regulations

The electoral regulations, developed incooperation with the outgoing studentcouncil, may vary depending on whether theelection is of class representatives, graderepresentatives or student council members.Generally speaking, these regulations coverthe following points.

5.1 Voter Qualification

First, it must be determined who has theright to vote. For the election of classrepresentatives, this might be the students ofeach English class. If the election is forstudent council members, the right to votemight be extended to the all students in theschool or (as described above) restricted toclass representatives.

5.2 Criteria for Candidacy

Whether the election is for classrepresentatives, grade representatives orcouncil members, the first criterion fordeclaring candidacy is to be an eligiblevoter. In many schools, this is the onlycondition that candidates running for classrepresentative must meet.The requirements are usually higher forcandidates for student council offices andgrade representatives. In most cases, theyare asked to have their candidate’sdeclaration form signed by a certain numberof students. In an election by universalsuffrage involving the whole school, studentcandidates are sometimes required to collecta certain number of supporting signatures ineach grade. Often the signatures of membersof the teaching staff are also required.

For the positions of president and vice-president, other criteria may also be added.In some schools, each candidacy must havethe approval of the principal’s office. Inothers, they must receive the approval of acandidacy committee, usually composed ofthe school principal, teaching staffrepresentatives, the student council advisorand student representatives. Studentsrunning for office may also be required tohave completed their third year of secondarystudies and to have marks averaging above

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70 percent. They may also be asked to writea text explaining their reasons for seekingoffice.

5.3 Conditions for the Formation ofa Political Party

When students are encouraged to formpolitical parties, it is sometimes stipulatedthat the parties must be made up ofrepresentatives from each grade. It may alsobe required that party leaders be elected bysecret ballot and that the election besupervised by the chief electoral officer.

5.4 Electoral Expenses of Candidates

When the election of student councilmembers is carried out by universalsuffrage, a budget may be allotted to thecandidates or political parties for theirelectoral expenses. If this is the case, it mustbe indicated in the general rules how muchmoney is allotted for this and the deadlinefor submitting the report on electoralexpenses to the chief electoral officer.

5.5 Election Advertising

Election advertising must not interfere withthe normal operation of the school, nor withthe normal timetable of courses, nor with thereputations of individuals. In many schools,the content, quality of English and locationof posters produced by student candidatesmust be approved by the chief electoralofficer. On voting day, all posters must beremoved and no partisan advertising isallowed.

5.6 Casting of Ballots

Generally, the vote to elect classrepresentatives takes place in class, at thebeginning or end of the period. Studentsindicate their choice of candidate bymarking one of the circles on a ballotdistributed to them. The ballot is secret.

In many schools, the voting for councilmembers or grade representatives is carriedout on the model of Québec elections. Thepolling stations are set up in a large hall(gymnasium, library or other such location)and each polling station has a deputyreturning officer, a poll clerk and arepresentative of each candidate.

In order to vote, the student approaches thepolling station at which he or she isregistered and identifies himself or herself.The poll clerk checks whether the student’sname is on the list and crosses it out. Thedeputy returning officer initials the ballotand gives it to the student. The student thenproceeds to the voting booth and marks hisor her choice of candidate on the ballot. Thestudent then folds the ballot in three anddeposits it in the ballot box.

5.7 Counting of Ballots

The counting of the ballots in elections forclass representatives is usually done by thedeputy returning officer in front of thewhole class. In elections for student councilofficials and grade representatives, theballots are counted by the deputy returningofficers from all the polling stations in thepresence of the chief electoral officer andthe student candidates.

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5.8 Recounting of Ballots

Schools recognize that defeated candidateshave a right to request a recount of votes.Their request must be presented in writing tothe chief electoral officer within 24 hoursfollowing the official announcement of theelection results.

A recount can be accepted for any candidatewho alleges an illegal rejection of ballots, anincorrect tally of votes counted for eachcandidate or any other reasonable cause. Byaccepting a request for a recount, the chiefelectoral officer must hold the recount at thesoonest convenient day. He or she mustnotify the candidates of the time, date andplace of the recount.

6. Electoral Calendar

The electoral calendar is prepared for thestudents and school personnel and indicatesthe date, location and (if applicable) the timeof the following activities:

� Calling of the elections� Composition of the voters’ list� End of the period for declaration of

candidacy� Period for revision of the voters’ list� Election campaign� Presentation of election speeches� Voting day� Official announcement of results

The electoral calendar of the Directeurgénéral des élections du Québec may also beobtained by writing to the address below:

Directeur général des élections du QuébecÉdifice René-LévesqueCentre de renseignements3460, rue de la PéradeSainte-Foy (Québec) G1X 3Y5

Telephone: (418) 528-0422 (Québec City region)1 800 461-0422 (toll free)

Student Council � Elections in Secondary School

Sheet 1.1

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESOF THE STUDENT COUNCIL

EXAMPLE

Roles of the Student Council

1. To officially represent all the students in the school.

2. To identify and help solve problems encountered by students in the school.

3. To communicate its opinion to the school administration on any subject that concernsstudents and on which the council wishes to be consulted.

4. To promote and encourage the involvement of students in organizing school activities.

Responsibilities of the Student Council

1. To promote the interests of students among the school administration, staff and parents.

2. To inform students about any subject that concerns them.

3. To consult students on any issue of importance.

4. To organize financial campaigns for school life activities.

5. To participate in the process of revision of school regulations.

6. To organize the Christmas party.

7. To participate in developing the school’s educational project and to promote it to students.

8. To organize an activity to recognize the efforts of students involved in organizing schoolactivities.

9. To propose activities to the school administration that would improve the quality of life inthe school.

10. To maintain good relations, out of mutual respect, with the school staff (the principal,teaching and non-teaching personnel) and parents.


Sheet 1.2

ROLES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCILOF THE STUDENT COUNCIL

EXAMPLE

1. Prime Minister or President

� To act as official spokesperson for the council in its relations with the students and theschool administration.

� To call meetings of the council and to prepare the agendas.

� To chair, or co-chair with an adult, the meetings of the council.

� To supervise the tasks of the council members.

� To take part in all special committees formed by the council or send a representative tosuch committees.

� To represent the students on official occasions.

2. Deputy Prime Minister or Vice-president

� To advise and assist the prime minister or the president.

� To coordinate the work of non-elected students involved in the organization of schoolactivities: newspaper, radio, environment, school dances, etc.

� To replace the prime minister or the president when he or she cannot be present.

3. Secretary

� To write up the minutes of every council meeting.

� To publish and distribute all the documents necessary for meetings.

� To write and classify the correspondence of the council.

4. Minister of Finance or Treasurer

� To keep accounts up to date.

� To make purchases.

� To provide full information about the council’s finances whenever the council wishesto see it.

5. Minister or Councilor

� To direct the activities of the ministry or committee for which he or she is responsible.

� To represent the members of his or her ministry or committee before the executivecouncil.


Sheet 1.3

ELECTION MODELS

Models Elected Offices Types of Candidacy Types of Balloting

1. Presidential System Council President Candidates runindividually for councilpresident.

Universal suffrage orelectoral college

2. Presidential Systemwith Running Mate

Council President andVice-president

Candidates form teams oftwo, running together forthe positions of councilpresident and vice-president.


3. Executive Council Each office of thecouncil: president, vice-president, treasurer, etc.

Candidates runindividually for a specificoffice.


4. Political Parties All offices of the council:president, vice-president,treasurer, etc.

Candidates form politicalparties and run as a bloc.

Universal suffrage

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Stages of the Election Period

The electoral period is a time of intenseactivities for candidates and for the chiefelectoral officer and his or her assistants.The duration of the period may varydepending on whether the election is for aclass representative, a grade representativeor a particular office on the student council.In general, the electoral calendar suggestedby the Directeur général des élections duQuébec, based on the Elections Act, is agood guide. In the case of an election byuniversal suffrage, the electoral period isusually two weeks.

Part Two, which follows, covers theprincipal stages in the period precedingvoting day.

1. Calling of Elections

The calling of elections marks the beginningof the electoral period. Elections may becalled by the outgoing council during a briefceremony.

For the chief electoral officer and his or herassistants, this is the time when candidatesmake themselves familiar to their electorateof fellow students using such means asbadges, posters with their photos andmessages on the school radio station. This isalso the time to distribute the electoralcalendar and the list of responsibilities andissues that will be assigned to the nextstudent council.

2. Production and Revision ofthe Voters’ List

The voters’ list is the list of students eligibleto vote, according to the regulations of theschool. In the case of an election for counciloffices this may be the list of classrepresentatives or the list of all students inthe school.

As soon as the election is called, the chiefelectoral officer draws up the voters’ list.This is posted so that students eligible tovote can see whether their names are on thelist. Only students properly registered on thevoters’ list can vote.Any person eligible to vote whose name isnot on the voters’ list can submit aregistration form to the chief electoralofficer. Likewise, anyone who notices anerror in the listing of their name can requesta correction. Sheet 2.1 shows an example ofa registration or correction form for thevoters’ list.

3. Recruitment and TeacherSupervision of Candidates

Many schools organize an informationsession for students wishing to run for classrepresentative or student council office. Ledjointly by the chief electoral officer and theadult acting as advisor to the studentcouncil, such a meeting enables students tomake informed choices about running as acandidate. In some schools, students areinvited from groups that may be reluctant topresent candidates (students from culturalcommunities, students with learningdifficulties, vocational education studentsand others). This invitation is a way ofencouraging them to run for office.

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The topics on the agenda of the informationsession are usually as follows:

� roles and responsibilities of the studentcouncil

� roles of the members of the studentcouncil

� electoral regulations� the electoral calendar� declarations of candidacy

The information session also provides anexcellent opportunity to introduce anddistribute a brochure to students entitledRunning in a Student Council Election,which contains an outline for preparing anelection speech and some hints on how todeliver it. Copies of the folder and theelectoral calendar can be obtained from theDirecteur général des élections (see addressin Part One, Section 6).

The text of the folder also appears in themodule The Student Council andDemocracy, contained in the ACTI-JEUNES Student Advisor’s Kit.

4. Declaration of Candidacy

When an election for grade representativesor for student council offices is held byuniversal suffrage, those who wish to run ascandidates are usually asked to fill out aform. This form must be returned to thechief electoral officer ten days before votingday, at the latest. As indicated previously,the form must usually be signed by a certainnumber of electors. Sheet 2.2 contains anexample of a form for declaration ofcandidacy.

The same procedure may be used in anelection for class representatives. In this

case only one or two electors’ signatureswould be required and students would beasked to submit their declaration ofcandidacy forms to their deputy returningofficer, a position occupied by the teacher ofthe class in which the election is being held.

Another approach is for the teacher to askstudents to nominate candidates. For anomination to be valid, it must be secondedby at least two students. In this case, theteacher writes the name of the proposedcandidate on the blackboard, the name of thestudent who nominated the candidate, andthe names of the students who second thenomination. No student may play more thanone of these roles.

At the end of the nomination period, theteacher asks each student whose name hasbeen put forward whether they wish to runfor the position of class representative ornot. Those students who agree to run ascandidates are listed on the ballot. Thisprocedure can also be used when theelection of grade representatives or studentcouncil members is done by an electoralcollege.

Whichever procedure for declaration ofcandidacy is used, a candidate can withdrawfrom the race by submitting a written noticeto the chief electoral officer. If the candidatewithdraws after the ballots have been printedand it is impossible to print new ones, thechief electoral officer must see that thecandidate’s name is crossed off each ballot.

5. Information for Voters

Students participating in the elections shouldbe well informed about the issues thestudent council will be dealing with, the

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electoral regulations and the phases of theelectoral calendar. The chief electoral officermay use various means to communicate thisinformation: the school radio station,posters, visits to all classrooms, aninformation booth, etc.

In order that the election does not become amere popularity contest among thecandidates, it is important to educate voterson how to exercise their right to voteresponsibly. The brochure Running in aStudent Council Election has been producedfor just this purpose. It discusses the role ofthe student council and the qualificationsrequired of those elected to it. It may beobtained from the office of the Directeurgénéral des élections du Québec, at theaddress mentioned above (see Part One,Section 6).

Considering that the preparation of voters isone of the essential conditions for electing agood student council, more and moreschools are paying special attention to this.In some schools, teachers of personal andsocial development are asked to includeeducational activities in their classes tosensitize students to the importance ofexercising their right to vote in a judiciousway. Activities of this type are found in theACTI-JEUNES Student Advisor’s Kit in themodule entitled The Student Council andDemocracy. This document may be obtainedfrom the ACTI-JEUNES coordinator in anyregional office of the Ministère del’Éducation.

6. Recruitment and Trainingof Election Personnel

In an election for grade representatives (forall classes of a single grade) or for studentcouncil members, the chief electoral officermust appoint:

� an officer in charge of information andorder for each location in which apolling station is situated. If the pollingstations are in the cafeteria or library,two such officers will be appointed;

� a deputy returning officer for eachpolling station;

� a poll clerk for each polling station.

These roles are to be assumed by students.When this is not possible, they can be filledby teachers or parents. Sheet 2.3 includes adescription of the tasks of the officer incharge of information and order. Sheet 2.4details the tasks of the deputy returningofficer and Sheet 2.5 lists those of the pollclerk.

In an election for class representatives, theteacher responsible for that class shouldappoint the election personnel. In this case,the teacher will usually take the role of theofficer in charge of information and order.

It goes without saying that the electionpersonnel must carry out their functions inan impartial and non-partisan manner.

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7. Preparation of Ballots andBallot Boxes

The chief electoral officer has ballots printedaccording to the model on Sheet 2.6.

The ballot should clearly identify eachstudent running for office. It should list thefirst and last names of all candidates inalphabetical order. If two students haveidentical first and last names, then the firstname of their father or mother may be addedto distinguish them.

The chief electoral officer should set up aballot box for every polling station. Ballotboxes and voting booths can be obtainedfrom the Directeur général des élections duQuébec at the address mentioned above (seePart One, Section 6).

Before voting day, the chief electoral officerwill give each deputy returning officer aballot box, a description of the tasks of themembers of the election personnel, a voters’list, the materials required for the voting andthe form for recording the results of theballot count (see Sheet 2.7). In addition,each deputy returning officer receives anenvelope containing a number of ballotsequal to the number of students registered athis or her polling station, along with anumber of extra ballots to compensate forany damaged ballots.


Sheet 2.1

REVISION OF VOTERS’ L IST

REQUEST FOR REGISTRATION OR CORRECTION

Election of:

Request for Registration

First Name:

Last Name:

I, the undersigned, declare that I am an eligible voter.

Date: Signature of voter:

Request for Correction

Currently registered on voters’ list as:

First Name:

Last Name:

Correction Requested

First Name:

Last Name:

I, the undersigned, declare the above information to be truthful.

Date: Signature of voter:

Date: Signature of the chief electoral officer:


Sheet 2.2

DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY FORM

I, the undersigned,

first name last name class

wish to run for the position of:

Date: Signature:

We, the undersigned, as eligible voters,support the candidacy of:


Sheet 2.3

TASKS OF THE OFFICER IN CHARGEOF INFORMATION AND ORDER

The student who acts as officer in charge of information and order may not engage in partisanactivities. On voting day, the tasks of this person are:

� To vote as soon as the polls open if he or she is eligible to vote.

� To greet the voters and direct them toward their polling station.

� To ensure that the polling stations are accessible and to direct the flow of traffic among them.

� To ensure that only one person at a time is admitted to a polling station.

� To ensure that only those voters present in the polling area at closing time are admitted tovote.

� To ensure that only authorized persons are present in a polling station.

� To notify the chief electoral officer immediately of any situation that requires his or herattention.


Sheet 2.4

TASKS OF THE DEPUTY RETURNING OFFICER

Students who act as deputy returning officers must not display partisan opinions in theperformance of their functions. On voting day, the deputy returning officer is required:

� To set up the polling station (see list of required materials on Sheet 2.8).

� To post the instructions for voters in the voting booth, facing the voter (see Sheet 2.9).

� To seal the ballot box after verifying that the box is empty.

� To vote as soon as the polls open if he or she is qualified to vote.

� To initial the back of each ballot paper, fold it in thirds and give it to the voter who hasidentified himself or herself to the poll clerk. If a voter accidentally spoils a ballot paper, thedeputy returning officer must provide him or her with another in exchange.

� To ask the voter to deposit his or her ballot paper in the ballot box after having voted in thevoting booth.

� To close the polling station at the time indicated by the chief electoral officer.

� To open the ballot box and count the ballot papers in the presence of the poll clerk.

� To sort into separate envelopes:

- the valid ballots for each candidate

- the ballots rejected during the ballot counting

- the damaged or spoiled ballots

� To fill in the form, Result of Ballot Count (see Sheet 2.7)

� To notify the chief electoral officer of the results of the vote and hand over the envelopes, thevoters’ list, the Results of Vote Count form and the ballot box.


Sheet 2.5

TASKS OF THE POLL CLERK

The student who acts as poll clerk cannot engage in partisan activities in the course of his or herduties. On election day, the tasks of the poll clerk are:

� To help with setting up the polling station.

� To vote as soon as the polls open if he or she is eligible to vote.

� To cross off the voters’ list the names of students who arrive at the polling station to vote.

� To help with the counting of the votes by keeping track of the number of votes received byeach candidate while the deputy returning officer counts the ballots.


Sheet 2.6

BALLOTS


Sheet 2.7

RESULT OF BALLOT COUNT

Election of: Polling Station

Total number of students

Number of students who voted

Percentage of vote exercised

Ballots received from the chief electoralofficer

1. Ballots valid for each candidate

Total valid ballots

2. Damaged or spoiled ballots

3. Unused ballots

4. Ballots rejected during ballot count

(Boxes a and b must be identical.)

TOTAL

(Add columns 1, 2, 3 and 4.)

Date: Signature of deputy returning officer


Sheet 2.8

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR A POLLING STATION

The following materials must be available at each polling station:

� a table and two chairs for the electoral personnel

� a ballot box placed on the table of the electoral personnel

� the voters’ list, on which the poll clerk indicates who has voted

� a pencil for the deputy returning officer and one for the poll clerk

� ballots with the names of candidates printed on them

� a voting booth

� a table on which to set the voting booth

� instructions for voters (see Sheet 2.9) posted in the voting booth, in front of the voter

� a pencil placed in the voting booth for the voters


Sheet 2.9

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTERS

MARK ONE CIRCLE ONLY

Fold your ballot to ensure the secrecy of your vote.

N.B. These instructions must be posted in the voting booth.

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Election Day

In democratic societies, citizens enjoy theinvaluable right to vote. It is one of the mostimportant symbols of the population’sparticipation in public affairs. In our countrythe right to vote is protected by theCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedomsand the Québec Charter of Human Rightsand Freedoms.

Because it is so important, the right to votecannot be exercised indiscriminately. Onelection day, a specific procedure must befollowed.

From an educational standpoint, theprocedure to be followed in an election byuniversal suffrage for student council officeor grade representative should besubstantially the same as that for Québecelections.

1. Installation of PollingStations

The chief electoral officer determines thenumber of polling stations to be set up forthe election. The exact procedure may varyfrom one school to another. Some have onepolling station per grade (for each group ofclasses of the same year). Others choose todivide the school population into sections of200, for example, and set up a pollingstation for each such group (riding).

It would be preferable to install the pollingstations in a location easy to access and tomake sure that handicapped persons canreach them easily. This location must beclearly marked. Sheet 3.1 contains a model

for setting up a location for the pollingstations.

The electoral personnel must arrive at thetime stipulated by the chief electoral officerto set up the polling stations. When thepolling station is opened, the deputyreturning officer and the poll clerk mustmake sure that the ballot box does notcontain any ballots. The box is then sealedand placed on the table of the polling stationin clear view of the electoral personnel.

2. Voting Procedure

2.1 Polling Hours

In schools, the vote takes place during classhours. Students are called by class accordingto a schedule determined by the chiefelectoral officer. This is a formula whereexercising the right to vote is in some sensecompulsory.

Other schools use a system similar to thatused in Québec elections, which has theadvantage of sensitizing young peoplethrough experience to the Québec electoralsystem. The voting takes place outside ofclassroom hours, generally at lunch time,which is sometimes extended for thepurpose. The decision to exercise one’s rightto vote or not is left entirely to the voters.This method, perhaps because it emphasizesindividual responsibility, often leadsstudents to vote in a more serious andthoughtful manner.

When the voting does not take place in classtime, the chief electoral officer must informstudents of the opening and closing times ofthe polling stations. If, due to extraordinarycircumstances, the polling stations cannot

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open at the appointed time or if they areinterrupted because of a shortage of ballots,for example, the time lost must be made upuntil the polling station has been open forthe length of time originally planned. Voterspresent at a polling station at the timespecified for the closure of the polls, andwho have not yet voted, may do so. Thedeputy returning officer then declares thepolling station to be closed.

2.2 Presence of Candidates

Candidates may remain at the polling stationfor the entire voting period. Furthermore,these students can designate a person torepresent them at each polling station. Eachof these persons must carry a candidate’srepresentative permit, signed by his or hercandidate (see Sheet 3.2).

Sheet 3.3 contains a description of the tasksof the representative.

2.3 Voting Procedure

Only one voter may be admitted to eachpolling station at a time. When the studentarrives at the polling station, he or shepresents his or her identity card issued bythe school. The poll clerk checks whetherthe student’s name appears on the voters’list and, if it is there, crosses it out.

After initialing the back of the ballot, thedeputy returning officer hands the ballot tothe student admitted to vote. The studentthen goes to the voting booth, marks theballot by shading in a single circle using apen or pencil, and folds it. He or she thenallows the deputy returning officer, the pollclerk or the candidate’s representative toexamine the initials of the deputy returningofficer on the ballot. Then, in view of all

those present, the student who has voteddeposits his or her ballot personally into theballot box.When a ballot has been damaged or spoiledaccidentally, the deputy returning officerasks the student to shade in all of the circles.The deputy returning officer then invalidatesthis ballot and gives the student a new one.

Voting is by secret ballot. At the pollingstation, voters cannot reveal in any way thename of the candidate for whom they arevoting or have voted. Nor can the personnelof the polling station, the candidates or theirrepresentatives seek to find out from a voterfor whom they intend to vote or have voted.A person cannot be pressed to divulge forwhom they

3. Counting of Ballots

After the polls are closed, the deputyreturning officer, with the help of the pollclerk, proceeds to count the ballots. Thecandidates and their representatives canremain to witness this.The deputy returning officer opens the ballotbox, and counts the ballots by taking each ofthe ballots from the box, one at a time, andallowing each person present to examinethem. He or she declares each ballot valid ifit has been marked according to theinstructions to shade in one circle only of theballot. The deputy returning officer canreject any ballot that:

� was not supplied by himself or herself� does not bear his or her initials� has not been marked� has been marked in favour of more than

one candidate� has been marked elsewhere on the ballot

than in one of the circles

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� has been marked with senseless orinsulting comments

� carries a mark allowing the voter to beidentified

After counting the ballots and filling out aResult of Ballot Count form (see Sheet 2.7),the deputy returning officer places intoseparate envelopes the ballots for eachcandidate, the rejected ballots and thedamaged or spoiled ballots. These envelopesare sealed and the deputy returning office,the poll clerk and the representatives who sowish write their names on each envelope.The deputy returning officer then turns inthe envelopes, the Result of Ballot Countform, the voters’ list and the ballot box tothe chief electoral officer.

4. Announcement of Results

The official announcement of electionresults is made by the chief electoral officer.In schools, the results are first announced tothe candidates. The announcement is madeat a meeting where students who have runfor office are invited to evaluate theirexperience and where they are notified ofthe means available for using the talents ofthose who were not elected.

In the case of a tie, the chief electoral officerinforms voters of the new period fordeclaring candidacies and the new date forthe election.


Sheet 3.1

A POLLING STATION

SECONDARY IV SECONDARY VELECTORAL DIVISION ELECTORAL DIVISION

1. A voter arriving to vote

2. Officer in charge of information and order

3. Deputy returning officer

4. Poll clerk

5. Candidate or party representatives

6. Ballot box

7. Voters’ list

8. Ballot papers

9. Voting booth in which is posted the “Instructions for Voters”


Sheet 3.2

CERTIFICATE TO REPRESENT CANDIDATE

I, the undersigned,

__________________________

as candidate for the position of:

___________________________ hereby authorize

___________________________________

as my official representative at polling station number ______

during the casting of ballots and the counting of ballots.

Date Signature of Candidate


Sheet 3.3

TASKS OF THE CANDIDATE’S REPRESENTATIVE

The student who acts as a candidate’s representative has a partisan function. On the day of theelection, his or her tasks are:

� To vote.

� To represent his or her candidate at the polling station.

� To ensure that the voting procedure is being followed correctly.

� To observe the counting of the ballots without making any comment.

� To note down his or her observations and report to his or her candidate.

� To acknowledge the results of the vote.

Gouvernement du QuébecMinistèrede l'Éducation

19-7017 A

a guide to student council elections for students and

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