2023 Spring Vacancy Election: Online Voting FAQ
What is this election?
This is the vacancy election for UAW 2865 Joint Council positions. For a full list of positions, click here.
Why is this election being held online?
This election is being held online because we believe that having an online vote expands voting access and enfranchisement. The call to hold our elections online, originally necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, was formally decided by our Joint Council.
Which campuses will be holding elections?
All campuses will be holding elections for a statewide contested position, with Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara also having elections for local campus officers.
When will the election open?
The election will open at 12:01 AM on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, Pacific Time.
When will the election close?
The election will close at 11:59 PM on Thursday, April 27, 2023, Pacific Time.
How will I receive my ballot?
You will receive an email from vote@simplyvoting.com under the name UAW 2865. The email will contain a link to the voting website and a log-in specific to your email. Do not forward or show this email to anyone else.
When will we have the results?
The results will be made ready instantly to our Elections Committee, which will write up the results to be distributed to membership as soon as possible. When the Elections Committee publishes the results of the election on Simply Voting, the vote totals as well as a public ledger of the individual votes (see below) will be made available to all voters.
Who will receive a ballot?
Per our bylaws, any UAW 2865 member in good standing is eligible to vote. To be a member in good standing, one must have signed a membership card, and must be an undergraduate student who is currently working as an ASE or has previously worked as an ASE, a graduate student, or a dues-paying member. We are committed to abiding by this bylaw. Adding an elector to the database requires a name and an email address. We will use the email address on file with the union.
However, if you have unsubscribed or someone has unsubscribed you when you forwarded an email, you need to opt back in to our communications to receive a ballot. We cannot do this automatically due to service agreements and federal and state anti-spam laws.
How can I ensure that I receive a ballot?
Fill out this form to resubscribe to union emails. If you are subscribed to union emails but did not receive a ballot, fill out this form. The Elections Committee and Data Team will verify your membership and ensure that you are added to the list of ballot recipients. You may fill this form out before or during the election (if during the election, do so before 6:00pm PST on April 27th).
What will the ballot look like?
You can see an example ballot here.
When is the deadline to request a ballot?
The deadline to request a ballot is April 27th, 2023 at 6:00pm, PST.
If I am not a member, can I vote?
You must be a member of UAW 2865 (either a UC graduate student; a current undergrad who is working or who has worked as a GSI/TA, reader, or tutor; or working in one of the represented titles) to vote. Sign up as a member at any time (even during the election) here!
What is the EC doing to ensure the vote is fair and democratic?
Every member of the Elections Committee is to be given access to a member list, similar to the one they would have available during a physical vote. This allows them to double-check voter eligibility.
Elections Help
How can I ask a question before the election?
Email our Elections Committee at elections@uaw2865.org.
The Elections Committee is not permitted to provide any advice on who to vote for and will only assist in the logistics of ensuring members’ access to vote.
Simply Voting
Is Simply Voting secure?
You can view Simply Voting’s security and reliability measures here.
Who can access the administrative side of the election interface?
Access is limited to members of our Elections Committee and members of the UAW 2865 Data Team. Administrators do not have any access to any election results during the election. Administrators can never see an individual elector’s choices unless the elector shares their receipt code with the administrator (see the verification section below). The administrative side of the elections interface contains a log of all administrative activity in the election, along with the corresponding IP address used.
How can I verify my vote?
After voting, Simply Voting will give you a voting receipt that contains the time of your vote, your IP address, and your voting choices. This receipt is only accessible by you. In addition, your vote comes with a code that can be matched to a ledger that shows you your voting choices. Your code is only made available to you. No one can match your identity to your voting choices with the ledger alone.
This is an example voting receipt (created using a test election).
This is an example voting ledger (created using a test election).
Is my vote private?
Yes. The administrative side of the election interface shows who is voting but does not reveal the vote count as the election is happening. After the election closes, the administrative side has access to the ledger of the votes but not the identity of individual votes.
Why did the union choose Simply Voting as opposed to other services?
Our union went through a competitive bid process with online election providers. During this process, the election committee was able to test both the administration of an election and the voting experience within Simply Voting. Simply Voting was chosen as the winning bidder based on its combination of security, reliability, ability to manage an election of this size, history of working with other unions and cost.
Your union is holding its 2023 April Vacancy Election to fill vacant positions on our Joint Council. The election will take place on April 26 and 27th, 2023. Please read on for information about the election.
There are contested positions on the following campuses: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Merced, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. There is also one contested election for the Statewide Executive Board. The election will proceed as planned on April 26th and 27th. This election will only be conducted electronically.
An invitation to a secret and secure ballot will be sent to you from a secure online voting platform, Simply Voting (vote@simplyvoting.com). Voting will open on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 12:01am. Voting will close at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on Thursday, April 27.
The Elections Committee will be on-call for assistance during the election. If you encounter issues while voting, you can reach out to the committee or request a ballot via an online form. If you have any questions, please contact the Elections Committee at elections@uaw2865.org. A link to this form, voting FAQ, and other information is forthcoming and will be available on this page. You can also review the UAW 2865 Guide to Local Union Votes here.