HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR VOTING RIGHTS
How to exercise your voting rights
WHO CAN VOTE
Duly accredited member organizations have the right to (1) vote in the Members’ Business Assembly on motions and (2) vote in the elections for the President, Treasurer, Regional Councillors and Commission Chairs.
COLLECTING YOUR BADGE, SPEAKING AND VOTING CARDS
Each member receives a badge when registering at the Congress. Heads of Delegations whose credentials are in order, receive: • an electronic speaking and voting card (programmed according to the number of votes to which your organization is entitled). The cards will carry your organization’s name and member number. In case of loss or damage, please report to credentials officers immediately. You will receive a new chipcard as soon as possible. The old card will be blocked in the system. • a traditional paper voting card (for use in the 1st Sitting and when so instructed by the Chair). Heads of Delegations, in countries where there are several accredited Government Agency members present at the Congress, receive: • one electronic voting card to be shared between all agencies It is recommended that these Agencies agree among themselves who collects the voting card. • one electronic speaking card per Government Agency member Member organizations holding proxies for other member organizations, should collect the voting card(s) for the organization(s) they are representing from the Accreditation/Credentials Desk.
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How to exercise your voting rights
VOTING ON MOTIONS
Members cast their votes by inserting their electronic voting cards into the machines provided (see instructions below).
INTERVENTIONS AND ELECTRONIC VOTING PROCEDURES
Tables will be arranged according to the size of the member delegations and within the designated sections. Members may sit where they wish. Each delegation will have access to one voting and speaking device per delegation placed on the table. Interventions by Heads of Delegation on behalf of their own organizations: • When you wish to intervene in a debate, insert your card into the machine (printing shown in your direction) within the time limit indicated by the Chair. The red light next to the chipcard reader will switch OFF to indicate that your card is valid and accepted by the system. Press the microphone button and your request will be transmitted to the Chair. A red light “REQUEST” on your unit will come up to indicate that your request has been received. • When the Chair invites you to speak, your organization will be identified on the screen in the Plenary Hall. Your microphone will be activated by the audio control engineer! (please do NOT press the microphone button). As soon as your microphone is LIVE, the “MIC”-light will turn on as well as the red ring surrounding the microphone. • The Chair may limit your speaking time. • To switch OFF your microphone, press the white MIC-button. Interventions by Heads of Delegation wishing to speak in the name of an organization for which they hold a proxy: • Insert the card of the organization into the machine within the time limit indicated by the Chair, press the microphone button and your request will be transmitted to the Chair. • When the Chair invites you to speak, the name of the organization on whose behalf you are speaking will appear on the screen in the Plenary Hall.
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How to exercise your voting rights
Electronic voting procedures: • When the Chair calls upon members to vote, the motion will be displayed on the screen, clearly identified through a specific numbering system, together with your options - YES (green) NO (red) ABSTAIN (white). • You cast your vote by inserting your card into the machine and pressing the relevant button. • In accordance with the Rules of Procedure (Rule 69) abstentions will not be counted as votes cast. • It is important to note that it is possible to change your vote during the short time available to cast your vote; however, it is the last opinion expressed that counts.
Heads of Delegation holding proxy votes: • There is a security element built into proxy voting which requires that you cast the vote for your own organization first in order for the system to recognize you as a proxy vote holder. • Cast the proxy votes you are holding separately for each organization you represent. Please note, that proxy votes only can be cast by the same unit, that was used first to vote with your own card. The results of each vote will be displayed separately for the Government and the NGO houses immediately following the vote, and in the three official languages.
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How to exercise your voting rights
ELECTIONS
Elections will be conducted by written ballot.
COLLECTION OF BALLOT FORMS
• Saturday, 11 October, as from 8h30. • The Head of Delegation must go to the Accreditation Desk and present his/her badge and voting card to collect the organization’s pack of ballot forms. • The Head of Delegation must sign the Credentials Register and check that there are no forms missing (16 in total, see box below).
N. B. The ballot forms pack must remain stapled together.
THE BALLOT FORMS PACK Blue for Government delegates Green for NGO delegates. Each pack has 16 ballots: 1 for the President 1 for the Treasurer 6 - 1 for each of the Commission Chairs 8 - 1 for each Region (Regional Councillors)
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How to exercise your voting rights
DISTRIBUTION OF BALLOT FORMS:
State members of IUCN (in States where there are no government agency members) 3 ballot packs
State members of IUCN (in States with government agency members) (State member gives 1 ballot pack to the representative of the government agency member(s))
3 ballot packs
Government agencies where the 1 ballot pack State is not a member. One ballot shared collectively. (Where there are several agencies present at the Congress, delegations are asked to agree amongst themselves, who picks up the ballot)
International NGOs
2 ballot packs
National NGOs
1 ballot pack
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How to exercise your voting rights
HOW TO FILL IN YOUR BALLOT FORMS
Where there is only one candidate for the post in question, the ballot form will show three options: YES, NO, ABSTAIN. Place an “X” against your preferred option. Where there is more than one candidate for the post of President, Treasurer or Commission Chair, place an “X” against the name of your preferred candidate. Where three persons are to be elected from among four or more to serve as Regional Councillors for a Region, place an “X” against up to three names Abstentions are marked with a zero. Ballot forms will be disqualified if: • • • • the ballot form is completely blank the ballot form is illegible or bears marks or annotations other than a simple cross or a zero more candidates are marked than posts available ballots are marked with numbers instead of crosses
Should you make a mistake on a ballot form, you may ask at the Credentials Desk to change your pack. This will be done by the Credentials Officer.
IMPORTANT! LOST BALLOT FORMS CANNOT BE REPLACED.
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How to exercise your voting rights
OPENING HOURS FOR THE POLLS
Polls open on Saturday 11 October at 14h30 and close at 19h30. Completed ballot packs are to be placed in boxes located at the front of the Plenary Hall, labelled respectively for Government ballots (blue) and NGO ballots (green).
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