This year, Local Union Elections will be held for the office of one (1) Trustee. This will be for a one-year term due to the recent amendment to Article X, Section 14, which states: Commencing with the 2010 General Election, all Trustees shall be elected to a three (3) year term that expires at the same time as the other executive board officers positions. Nominations will be made following the General Membership Meeting on Wednesday afternoon, November 11^th, 2009 at the Meeting Hall 225 Louisiana Street, Buffalo, New York 14204.

Anyone wishing to decline nominations will have until 4:00 PM Thursday, November 12^th, 2009 to do so. Declinations must be in writing and addressed to the Local President.

Candidates for office shall then draw for position on the ballot at the Union Office, 225 Louisiana Street, Buffalo, NY 14204 at 4:00 PM on Thursday, November 12^th, 2009, directly after declinations. If a candidate is unable to draw for himself or herself, he or she may appoint someone to do so. Such person must have written authorization from the candidate, addressed to the Local President. You should be prepared that afternoon to give your name as you wish it to appear on the ballot. Please make it your first name appearing first.

The Executive Board has decided to conduct a secret mail-in ballot using the triple envelope system of voting. Eligible members will receive an envelope addressed to current address on file at the Union Office. Inside the envelope, there will be two envelopes, one will be a stamped, postage-paid, and have a return address with a Post Office Box Number. The third envelope will be marked Election Committee and will contain one ballot with instructions. The one ballot is for the one (1) Trustee. After receiving your ballot, mark your ballot in the appropriate box next to the name, enclose ballot in the Election Committee envelope, then place it inside the stamped envelope addressed to the Post Office Box number and mail it. Return ballots must be postmarked no later than, Wednesday, December 9th, 2009. If you do not receive a ballot by Friday, December 4th, 2009, please contact the Union Office at 852-3663 between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The ballots will remain in the Post Office Box until Election Night. The key shall remain in the possession of the Postmaster, who will turn the key over to the Election Committee on Election Night. Anyone is welcome to come to the William Street Post Office to witness the Election Committee getting the ballots from the box. The Committee will deliver the ballots to the Union Office, where the Election Committee will count them.

The return envelopes will have a code number in one corner, which is strictly for the benefit of the Election Committee and prevents members from voting twice. When the returns come back, the code number is checked off a master list. Any alteration of the envelope or ballot shall void it. Some members in the past have crossed out the number or changed it, and have needlessly wasted their ballot. The Election will be held at 4:00 PM on the night of Thursday, December 10^th, 2009 and the Election Committee before the candidates or their observers will then count the ballots.

EACH MEMBERS DUES MUST BE FULLY PAID BY NOVEMBER 2009 OR THAT MEMBER WILL LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION. BALLOTS WILL BE SENT TO OUR MEMBERS LAST KNOWN ADDRESS. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY MEMBER TO NOTIFY THE UNION OFFICE OF ANY CHANGE OF ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.