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Title 1, Chapter 2

Election Procedures Act of 1977

Section 1. This act shall be known as the “Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature Election Procedures Act of 1977.”

Section 2. Any delegate may run for any position and any current officer may run for re-election or seek another office, but all candidates are subject to the qualifications in Article 1, Section 4 and Article II, Section 12 of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature Constitution.

Section 3. There are seven (7) officers elected by the General Assembly: Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General by both houses and Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of each house by each house.

Section 4. An officers' term begins at the final adjournment of the General Assembly at which he/she is elected and continues through the end of the next General Assembly.

Section S. To be considered for a position, a candidate should be nominated. Nominations will be on the second day of the assembly. Nominations shall be opened by the Speaker of each house for their respective houses, and by the Governor in a joint session. There is no limit to the number of nominations for an office, and nominations shall remain open until no more nominations are offered. There will be no motion allowed to close nominations. If a candidate is not nominated, he/she may still be considered through write-in votes. Further, all nominations must be seconded to be considered, and no speeches shall be allowed at the time of nominations.

Section 6. Elections shall be held on the third day of each assembly. All elections shall be held at one time through a multiple-office ballot. The ballot must contain a space for write-in votes for each office. The ballot shall contain only the name of the candidate and the office he/she is seeking. Only Senators shall vote for officers of the Senate,, and only members of the House of Representatives shall vote for House officers. Elections shall be presided over in each house by the Speaker. If the Speaker is running for re-election, the Speaker Pro Tempore shall preside. The Governor shall preside over elections in a joint session. If the Governor is running for re-election, the Speaker of the Senate shall preside. A ballot will be provided for each delegate with the name of each candidate on the left-hand side. After all speeches for a race are completed, the persons eligible to vote in that race will mark their ballot. They will then sign their name and school on the right-hand side of the ballot, tear the ballot in half, and give both pieces to the persons collecting the ballots.

Section 7. Immediately before elections, two speeches may be made on behalf of each candidate. The first is an introductory speech, not longer than five minutes by a person of the candidate's choice. Then, a candidate will be allowed a ten-minute speech. The speaking order shall be determined by lots, or any other impartial method agreeable to all candidates. No speaker may yield time to another speaker. The speaking order for elections shall be:

In joint session:
1. Governor
2. Secretary of State
3. Attorney General

In each house:
1. Speaker
2. Speaker Pro Tempore

Section 8. The ballots shall be supervised and counted by the Speaker Pro Tempore of each house. A representative of each candidate's choice shall oversee the ballot counting to spot any impropriety that may occur. Any disputes that may arise are subject to the decision and review of the Attorney General. The vote totals will not be announced in open session.

Section 9. No candidate shall win with less than a majority of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority, the last-place candidate and all candidates below the third-place candidate shall be stricken from the ballot, and voting shall continue in this manner until a winner is selected.

Section 10. All candidates are bound by this act and as members of TISL to conduct their campaigns and their own behavior in an ethical manner. No official times, other than those previously cited, may be used for campaigning, distributing campaign material or campaign activities. Posters, signs and handbills may not be circulated on behalf of the candidates. However, a typed resume may be distributed outside official TISL meetings. Financial expenditures are discouraged.

Section 11. If anyone has reason to believe fraudulent or irregular practices took place, he/she should report these activities to the Attorney General, who may then order a new election, subject to an appeal by the delegates.

Section 12. All officers shall take an oath of office on the final day of the assembly in a joint session.

Section 13. Immediate disqualification from the election, subject to an appeal to the delegates, will result if any candidate fails to meet, or violates, any provision of this act. Such disqualification shall occur in open session.

Section 14. No person shall be a candidate for more than one office.