The Code of Conduct for APPNA Elections
This Code of Conduct governs the behavior and activities of candidates during the electoral year for APPNA, spanning from January 1 to December 31. It aims to ensure fair play, integrity, and professionalism during elections. These provisions are intended to establish a structured approach to enforcing the Code of Conduct, detailing the penalties associated with violations and the process for potential public disclosure. Candidates are encouraged to adhere to the Code to avoid penalties and maintain their eligibility in the election process.
1. Candidates must not announce their candidacy or commence campaigning before the official start of the electioneering period as designated by the NEC.
2. The NEC will officially announce the slate of candidates. No campaigning is permitted outside of the activities outlined in this Code of Conduct.
3. Candidates shall not present themselves as candidates at any component society meetings or similar events prior to the official announcement of slate of candidates by the NEC.
4. Candidates are allowed to create a personal website and/or social media page to showcase their achievements on or after the first day of the Summer Convention. Candidates may invite the general membership to visit these pages via shared links.
5. Each candidate is permitted to send three electronic mails to the APPNA membership throughout the election process. All emails must be submitted to the chairperson of the NEC in advance for approval. The APPNA central office will facilitate the distribution of these approved emails to the general membership.
6. Any system-wide celebration emails and postal communications, such as Eid greetings and similar holiday messages, will be counted toward the total of three permitted campaign emails.
7. Candidates must ensure that all facts in their campaign mailings can be substantiated. They bear the responsibility of providing substantial proof when their claims are challenged, with the failure to do so leading to a violation of the Code of Conduct.
8. Letters or emails of support or opposition regarding any candidate are prohibited. Such communications can result in disciplinary actions against the members, potentially including removal from the voter list. The NEC has the authority to recommend disciplinary actions to the Ethics and Grievance Committee, which may include suspension or termination of membership.
9. Any instances of negative campaigning, defined as disparaging or undermining other candidates, will be addressed by the EGC, which can impose various disciplinary measures, including the possibility of revoking membership in the organization. These rules are designed to maintain a fair and respectful electoral process and to uphold the integrity of the organization.
10. Candidates may only engage in debates sponsored by the NEC. The format of the debates and the selection of moderators must be approved by the NEC. Candidates are prohibited from participating in any debates organized by chapters, alumni groups, component societies, or any assembly of physicians. This restriction also extends to debates conducted on social media platforms.
11. Candidates shall not allocate or donate funds, either directly or indirectly, to any activities associated with APPNA, its component societies, or any affiliated organizations. This prohibition includes all forms of charitable donations.
12. Candidates are not permitted to have a speaking engagement at any component society events.
13. APPNA may offer each candidate a free advertisement, limited to one page, for inclusion in its Summer Convention or other publications. Paid personal advertisements of any form are not allowed. This encompasses all APPNA meetings and component society events, as well as advertisements in newspapers, on TV, social media, and other platforms.
14. Candidates are prohibited from utilizing the APPNA logo in any form of communication.
15. Candidates or their supporters are prohibited from initiating unsolicited telephone calls, direct mailings, text messages, or individual emails to voting members for their election campaign. The use of facsimile (fax) transmissions, robocalling, and mass messaging for campaigning is also not allowed.
VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT:
1. A first violation of this Code of Conduct will result in a cease-and-desist citation and a fine that may not exceed $1,000.
2. A second violation may result in additional fines or the removal of the candidate’s name from the election ballot, at the discretion of the NEC.
3. The NEC is not required to issue a warning prior to issuing a citation for a first violation.
4. Should a candidate be cited for a violation and all appeals have been exhausted, the details of the violation and the candidate’s name may be disclosed to the membership.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR 2025 APPNA ELECTIONS
FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ROLES AND RESPONSABILITIES
A. Nomination and Election Committee (NEC) shall seek nominations from the general membership before the Summer Convention. A blast e-mail will be sent to the general membership.
B. There will be one (1) position of President-Elect 2026 and there will be three (3) Board of Director positions for a two-year term starting January 1, 2026, and ending on December 31, 2027.
C. NEC will submit a slate of candidates meeting eligibility criteria, as outlined in APPNA bylaws, for President-Elect and Board of Directors of the Association to all members at least four weeks before the date of election (Balloting Process) along with a short resume of each candidate.
D. Candidates shall complete the Election Packet by reviewing, signing and notarizing the Statement of Compliance. Candidates shall collect fifteen (15) nominations from APPNA members in good standing and send the completed packet to the APPNA office by e-mail, mail or fax on or by June 22, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST.
E. Candidates’ written acceptance of the nomination along with their candidate fee check of $3500.00 for President-Elect, and $2500 for BOD, made payable to APPNA must be received by APPNA office by June 29, 2025. The last date for withdrawal of the candidacy and partial refund of the fee is July 4, 2025.
F. Electioneering starts on July 9, 2025 with the start of the 48th Annual Summer Convention.
G. Last date for voter registration to be eligible to vote in 2025 APPNA elections shall be July 13, 2025, the last day of the Summer Convention.
H. The final voters list certified by the Membership Committee and approved by the Board of Directors shall be sent to the Election Company contracted by the NEC by July 31, 2025.
I. Electronic ballots shall be sent to the e-mail addresses on APPNA voters list starting Friday, August 8, 2025.
J. The membership shall vote for one candidate on the slate of nominees for the President-Elect 2026, and for three (3) candidates on the slate of nominees for the Board of Directors position.
K. Only one (1) candidate shall be elected from one alumni. In the event of more than one candidate from the same alumni contesting the Election, the person obtaining the highest votes will be declared elected if that candidate is among the top three vote-getter out of all the candidates in this election cycle. In such circumstances the next candidate securing the highest vote from a different alumni shall be declared elected.
L. Voting shall end on August 28th and results will be announced at APPNA Canada Meeting on August 30, 2025
APPNA 2025 Election Timeline for President-Elect and Board of Directors
Sunday, June 8, 2025
NEC invites nominations from the membership
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Last date for submission of completed nomination packet
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Last date for acceptance of nomination by the candidates and to return the signed affidavit with election fees
Friday, July 4, 2025
Last date for nomination withdrawal and partial refund of the election fee
Sunday, July 6, 2025
NEC announces the final slate of candidates to membership
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Electioneering starts with 48th Annual Convention
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Last date for voter registration to vote in 2025 APPNA elections
Friday, August 8, 2025
Ballots go out to the membership
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Last date to cast vote
Saturday, August 30, 2025
Election results announced at APPNA Canada Meeting
1. All candidates shall acknowledge APPNA’s exclusive authority to resolve disputes and grievances related to elections.
2. The election process encompasses not only nomination, voting and counting but also includes electioneering, campaigning, speaking at meetings and other election related activities.
3. Any APPNA member can file an election related complaint with the NEC by writing to the NEC Chairperson, providing a copy to the President of APPNA.
4. The NEC shall render a written decision within 5 business days to the complainant and notify other relevant parties as appropriate.
5. If unsatisfied with the NEC’s decision, the complainant can appeal to the Ethics and Grievance Committee within 48 hours. The appeal must be in writing and submitted to the EGC Chairperson with a copy to the APPNA President.
6. The E&G Committee shall respond with a written decision to the complainant within 5 business days of filing of appeal, with copies or directions to other parties involved, as appropriate. Appeal of EGC decisions to the Council is waived so that violations can be remedied within the compressed period of the election process.
7. All candidates shall acknowledge and accept that once APPNA’s aforementioned dispute resolution procedures have been completed, the resulting decision is definitive and may not be challenged or appealed in any external legal or non-legal forum within any state. This clause is designed to uphold the integrity of APPNA’s processes and prevent external disruptions or challenges to its decisions.
