[Proposal] FIG 3.0 - Vacancy elections

[Larry Garfield]

Jeremy brought up the point that the wording around vacancy handling is a bit cumbersome.  I agree.  I tried to phrase it 3 different ways and what we ended up with is the least-bad I could manage.

The text in question is:

(For Secretaries):
Should the vacancy occur less than four months before the next regular election month, the seat may be left vacant until the next election at the discretion of the other Secretaries and Core Committee. In that case, the second-highest voted candidate will assume the available seat with less time remaining in its term. Should two Secretary positions become vacant simultaneously a special election must be called immediately for both seats.

(For CC members):
Should the vacancy occur less than four months before the next regular election month, the seat may be left vacant until the next election at the discretion of the Secretaries and Core Committee. In that case, the fifth-highest voted candidate will assume the available seat with less time remaining in its term.

I explained the intent in an earlier email, but I'm open to alternate wording for either paragraph if someone can suggest something better.

--Larry Garfield

[J.T. Grimes]

The way this reads, it seems like the seat will be left vacant and filled by the runner-up. To me, those are mutually exclusive things. 

Maybe something like: Should a Secretary or Core Committee position become vacant with less than 4 months remaining in its term, the Secretaries and Core Committee may (at their discretion) invite the runner-up in the most recent election to fill the seat until the next scheduled election. (The runner-up is the person with the second-highest vote totals in elections for secretary and with the fifth-highest vote totals in elections for Core Committee.)

If two or more Secretary positions become vacant at the same time, a special election must be called immediately for all seats.

-- J.T.