Central Middle School

Elections

ELIGIBILITY

The process begins several weeks before the actual General Election takes place.  Sixth graders can run for the office of Secretary or Treasurer, while seventh graders can run for the office of President or Vice President - if they become eligible...

Academic requirements - any potential candidate must maintain an overall combined average of C+ or better in their five core academic classes (English, Math, Reading & Writing, Science, Social Studies).

Disciplinary requirements - any potential candidate must have not been assigned office detention or suspension from school on more than six occasions in the current school year.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

We strongly believe that Leadership Training is an essential component of a successful Student Council program, and something any student who intends to seek a leadership position in that program should experience. Although this is not mandatory, it is highly suggested. Please see the LTC website.

REGISTRATION

There is a three day Registration Period during which they declare their intent as to what office they seek. Seventh graders are eligible to  run for President or Vice President while sixth graders are eligible to run for Secretary or Treasurer. They must also verify their academic eligibility to run for office during this time. A mandatory meeting is held for all potential candidates at the end of this period, after which Petitioning will begin.

Article IV, Section 2 of our Student Council Constitution:

There will be a Registration Period of at least three school days, in which interested sixth and seventh grade members of the Student Body will have the opportunity to declare their intent to become a potential candidate for Executive Office.  The dates for this period will be set by the Advisor, who will consult the eighth grade members of the Executive Board.

1. To register, a student must have maintained an overall combined average of C+ or better in English, Math, Reading/Writing, Science, and Social Studies for the first two marking periods of the current school year.

2. To register, a student must not have been assigned office detention or suspension from school on more than six occasions in the current school year.

3. Reasonable requirements to become a potential candidate, such as completion of a Leadership Training Course, may be set by the Advisor.

PETITIONING

Petitioning is the process through which a potential candidate for Executive Board office establishes a base of support and proves the viability of their candidacy. Each potential candidate must obtain fifty signatures of their fellow sixth and seventh graders during a three or four day period following Registration. A student is not obligated to vote for the candidate whose petition they sign, but he or she may only sign one petition for each office. With competition for potential votes, candidates are forced to network and build a support base. If there are too many candidates attempting to run for a particular office, the field may be narrowed as a result.

Article IV, Section 3 of our Student Council Constitution: There will be a Petitioning Period of at least three school days, in which all potential candidates will have the opportunity to collect signatures in support of their becoming a candidate for Executive Office.  The dates for this period and the Rules of Petitioning will be set by the Advisor, who will consult the eighth grade members of the Executive Board.

1. The Advisor will provide in advance the Rules of Petitioning to all potential candidates, who have registered according to the Second Section of this Article.

2. To formally become a candidate for Executive Office, a registered student must have their Petition signed by fifty sixth or seventh grade students, who may each not sign any other petition for the same office.

3. Any potential candidate that violates the posted Rules of Petitioning may be disqualified by a unanimous vote of the Advisor and all eighth grade members of the Executive Board.

ELECTIONEERING

Electioneering is the "fun" period in the final three days before the campaign speeches and voting take place. Candidates who have successfully completed petitioning have their campaign posters hung in the cafetorium, and hand out buttons and other promotional materials.  This phase of the General Election process at Central remains largely unchanged from what it was 10 or even 20 years ago.

Article IV, Section 4 of our Student Council Constitution:

There will be an Electioneering Period of at least three school days, in which all candidates will have the opportunity to distribute campaign materials and convince fellow students to vote for them.  The dates for this period and the Rules of Electioneering will be set by the Advisor, who will consult the eighth grade members of the Executive Board.

1. The Advisor will provide in advance the Rules of Electioneering to all potential candidates, who have completed petitioning according to the Third Section of this Article.

2. On the final day of the Electioneering Period, all candidates will be given the opportunity to speak to the entire sixth and seventh grade student body.  Speeches will be reviewed by the Advisor at least two days in advance. 

3. Any candidate that violates the posted Rules of Electioneering may be disqualified by a unanimous vote of the Advisor and all eighth grade members of the Executive Board.

VOTING

On the final day of the electioneering period, Campaign Speech Assemblies are held in the morning for the sixth and seventh grades. Voting then takes place later in the day, typically in Period 6 classes for sixth graders and Period 7 classes for seventh graders.  Votes are tallied using a partial Preferential Balloting system, in which students do not just choose one candidate for each office but must indicate their top three preferences.  Visit our Preferential Balloting page to learn more about how this process works.

Article IV, Section 5 of our Student Council Constitution:

The General Election will be held by secret preferential ballot through homerooms each April. The ballots will be delivered to the Advisor for counting, the winners to be notified within three days of the election. In case of a tie vote, a runoff election excluding all other candidates will be held within five days

1. The winners will become associate members of the Executive Board to assure a smooth transition, but will not gain full membership in it until the term of the departing Executive Board has ended.

2. If an Officer-elect becomes unable to take their office before their term begins, the second place finisher for that office will be elevated to it and the third place finisher for that office will take their vacated seat on the Board of Directors.  If there are less than three candidates for the office in question, the President-elect may appoint an unsuccessful candidate for another office in the same grade to fill any remaining vacancy, with consent of the Advisor.

3. If a Board of Director-elect becomes unable to take their seat before their term begins, the third place finisher for the office that person was originally a candidate for will be elevated to the Board of Directors.  If there are less than three candidates for the office in question, the President-elect may appoint an unsuccessful candidate for another office in the same grade to fill any remaining vacancy, with consent of the Advisor.

4. The Advisor will provide all candidates the opportunity to view the final vote counts, but will not post, publish, or otherwise announce them except to the current Executive Board.  All ballots will be sealed and kept for at least one year following the date of the election.