Harvard Works Because We Do Harvard Union of
Clerical and Technical Workers

HUCTW Elections

HUCTW Annual Election Details, December 10-11, 2024

In December, HUCTW will be holding its annual election, which this year will include local and regional HUCTW representative roles. The election will take place online from December 10-11, 2024.

HUCTW members will vote online, via a unique access link sent to each member by email on December 10, which will open an electronic ballot. This unique access link will be randomly generated for each member by the third-party vendor, ElectionBuddy (which specializes in the management of union elections) and will allow you to vote securely and anonymously. You will only be sent a ballot via the access link if you work in a region or unit with a contested electoral race. If there is not a contested race in your region or unit of the campus, you will not be sent a ballot to vote.

As long as you are a signed HUCTW member in one of the contested regions or units, you will be sent a unique access link by email automatically. If you would also like to have your access link texted to your cellphone, please fill out our Cellphone Submission Form by December 4 at 5:00 pm. If you choose to provide your cellphone number, the same access link will be both emailed and texted to you and you can choose either method to cast your vote. No matter which method you use to cast your vote, your vote will remain anonymous, and election administrators will not be able to link a member to their vote. Do not share this link with anyone else – this link is unique to you and represents your vote.

You must be a signed union member in order to vote. If you have not already signed a membership card, you must submit your card to HUCTW by Wednesday, December 4 in order to vote in the December 10-11 election. In order to join, fill out a membership card online and email it back to huctw.info@huctw.org.

If you are eligible to vote, you may be asked to vote in zero or up to two races for Executive Board seats and/or Local Union Representative roles, depending on which races are contested in your section of the campus.

By 5:00 pm on December 3, we will post updates to the Notice of Election with information regarding contested races and election details. You can also find general information about HUCTW’s online voting system below and about HUCTW elections in general on the following page.

 

A Note about Electronic Voting

HUCTW members will vote online, using a unique access link sent to each member by email, which will open an electronic ballot. This unique access link will be randomly generated for each member by the third-party vendor, ElectionBuddy (which specializes in the management of union elections) and will allow you to vote securely and anonymously. Members may also request to receive their ballot by SMS text message, as well as by email. All votes must be delivered via electronic ballot, there is no exception to this. Please contact huctw.elections@huctw.org if you have concerns regarding ballot access.

 

Election Schedule

Announcement: In conjunction with the Notice of Election/Notice of Nomination (available here and mailed out in early October) that is mailed to members’ homes, the information on this page constitutes the announcement of HUCTW’s Regular Annual Elections.

Nominations: Nominations are open upon receipt of the official Notice of Election/Notice of Nomination by US Mail, or upon the posting of that notice online, whichever is earlier.

Nominations will close Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 5pm. Please email nominations to huctw.elections@huctw.org or mail them to the HUCTW Office (131 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138), Attention: HUCTW Elections.

Once nominations have been finalized, the roster of contested races, and the names of candidates in each race, will be updated on our website. This is the only dissemination of candidate information done by the HUCTW Elections Committee. The distribution of any and all other information regarding candidates or their positions is the province of candidates and their campaigns. Candidates may request a list of eligible voters in their electoral region or area.

Voting: For contested elections, each eligible HUCTW voter will be emailed (and optionally texted) a unique access link to an electronic ballot which will allow a member to vote in each election that they are eligible to vote in. The period of online voting will take place December 10 – December 11, 2024. Reminders will be sent by the Elections Committee and/or by its third-party vendor, ElectionBuddy.

Results: The HUCTW Elections Committee will review results on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 and announce them by email and on the website as soon as they have been verified.

 

Voter Checklist

  1. Notify HUCTW by December 4 at 5:00 pm if you’d like to use your cellphone to vote by submitting your information here. If you opt in to vote by text, you will be both emailed and texted the same unique access link to vote when the election opens, allowing you to only vote once.
  2. Sign a Membership Card in advance of the vote if you have not already done so. HUCTW Elections are only open to signed Union members. Electronic ballots will be sent to those staff who have signed a card by December 4, 2024, by 5:00 pm. If you’ve signed or voted in the past, you do not need to sign again. Unsigned staff may join by downloading and filling out a writable pdf membership card and emailing it to huctw.info@huctw.org by the deadline.
  3. Keep an eye out for your invitation to vote, which will arrive by email (and text, if registered) on December 10 shortly after 8:00 am. The invitation will contain a unique access link that will give you access to your electronic ballot. You will only be invited to vote if there is a contested election in your section of the campus. Visit this page on December 3, 2024, for an updated list of contested elections.
  4. On December 10-11, use the link emailed to you to vote for your preferred candidate(s). Candidates are responsible for communicating with HUCTW members in their regions. Voting closes December 11 at 5:00 pm.
  5. You will receive confirmation that your vote was received and recorded by the ElectionBuddy system. Results will be posted to the HUCTW website by December 12.

 

FAQ Regarding Online Voting:

Q: Why are HUCTW Elections held online?
A: Historically, HUCTW Elections have been conducted in person over the course of a single day at numerous voting locations where our members work. Since 2021, we have modified our voting process in order to address health and safety concerns due to COVID and the fact that most members are working hybrid schedules. Our goal has been to match the fairness, accuracy, and accessibility of our usual in-person process, while meeting established and new election regulations from our parent union, AFSCME, and the federal government.

Q: Is there a place I can vote in person this time around?
A: No, all voting will take place online, via electronic ballot. You will be emailed a unique access link to access your electronic ballot, and you can opt to have this same unique access link texted to your cell phone by registering here by December 4 at 5:00 pm.

Q: How does the Union administer electronic elections? How do we know it is fair and secure?
A: We will use a system designed and managed by the company, ElectionBuddy. It is a system used by many other unions across the U.S. for voting and elections. We have ensured that ElectionBuddy satisfies all HUCTW, AFSCME and Federal requirements around voter anonymity security regulations.

Q: It’s December 10 and I didn’t get a voting link—help!
A: If you do not receive an email and/or text with a unique access code by 8:15am on December 10, please reach out to huctw.elections@huctw.org as soon as possible, and no later than 12pm on December 11.

If you have other questions, please contact the elections committee at huctw.elections@huctw.org.