Dear Sister/Brother:

In accordance with Article III of the IAM Constitution,[1] except as set forth herein, the IAM will conduct elections for the offices of International President, General Secretary-Treasurer, 6 U.S. General Vice-Presidents, 3 Delegates to the A.F.L.-C.I.O., and 5 Members of the Committee on Law (including one from Canada) for terms ending on June 30, 2025.

Nominations for these offices can be made at a special meeting of your local lodge on Saturday, January 16, 2021.  In the event that members of your local nominate more than one candidate for IAM International President and/or General Secretary-Treasurer, or more candidates than there are positions for the other offices, there shall be a local lodge endorsement vote on Saturday, February 13, 2021.  Finally, if more than one candidate for International President and/or General Secretary-Treasurer receives the endorsement of 25 or more local lodges, and/or more candidates than there are positions for the other offices receive the endorsement of 25 or more local lodges, there shall be an election on Saturday, April 24, 2021. All three of these nomination, endorsement and election meetings will take place from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the location printed in your letter.  You can also find your specific nomination, endorsement and election meeting location by going to www.grandlodgenominations.org.

At all special meetings, the meeting will remain open until every member present before the closing time has had the opportunity to nominate or vote.  To assist in verifying your eligibility to participate in this process, bring the copy of the letter you received in the mail with you to your local lodge nomination and endorsement vote meetings, as well as to the election meeting.  Only members in good standing of the local lodge may participate in the nomination and election process.  Eligible members may also participate through absentee ballot, as set out in this notice.

Nominations must specify the name, local lodge, and card number of the candidate and the office for which the candidate is being nominated. Although a member can nominate fewer than the required number of candidates for an office, in accordance with Article III, Section 4 of the IAM Constitution, a failure by a local lodge to nominate the required number of candidates for an office shall invalidate the local lodge’s endorsement for that office.

In order to find out whether there are contested nominations in your local lodge requiring a vote on February 13, 2021, or to confirm your voting location, go to www.grandlodgenominations.org. Local lodges holding endorsement votes will be posted on the website on approximately January 21, 2021.  You will need to log on using your card number and lodge number which, if you don’t otherwise have it, is listed at the top right corner of your letter, below the date. Candidates who receive a plurality of votes will earn the local lodge endorsement for the contested offices.

Information concerning the April 24, 2021 election will be posted on the website on approximately March 1, 2021.

Protests concerning the IAM nomination/endorsement process should be filed in writing with Andrew Buffenbarger, Special Assistant to the International President, in the By-laws and Internal Disputes Department at the address on this letterhead as soon as possible but no later than February 23, 2021.  Protests regarding the April 24, 2021 election should be filed as soon as possible but no later than 10 days after the completion of the ballot tally, to be held in May 2021.

Absentee Nominations/Ballots

Members who: (1) reside more than 25 miles from the designated nominating/balloting place;[2] or (2) are at work during the times of the local lodge nominations or balloting; or (3) are confined because of illness or injury including concerns related to voting in person due to Covid 19; or (4) are on leave qualifying under family leave law; or (5) are working members on vacation or retirees more than 25 miles away from their residence on election day; or (6) are on official IAM business; or (7) are on employer travel assignment; or (8) are on military leave, may nominate, participate in the endorsement vote, or vote in the election by absentee ballot, upon request. 

Eligible members wishing to receive an absentee nomination form and/or ballot must complete the Absentee Nominations/Ballot Request Form which was included with the Notice mailed to each member, or send a letter including your name and address, the reasons for the request, which meeting(s) the request is for, and your signature and mail it as soon as possible but no later than 10 days before the nomination or voting dates set forth in this notice to:  IAM PO Box 1540, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773.

The Grand Lodge will confirm your eligibility to nominate or vote by absentee ballot and mail you a ballot and instructions within 2 days after receipt of your request, or from receipt of printed ballots, whichever is later. Members found not eligible to nominate or vote by absentee ballot will be sent notification within 2 days after receipt of the request. If you do not receive a response to your request for an absentee nomination form/ballot, call the IAM Membership Department at (301) 967-4525.  

Absentee nomination forms must be received by the Grand Lodge by January 16, 2021. Absentee ballots for the February endorsement vote meetings must be received by the Grand Lodge by February 13, 2021. Absentee ballots for the April election must be received by the Grand Lodge by April 22, 2021. Absentee ballots received after the dates set forth above will not be counted.

 [1] The relevant provisions of the Constitution, including the eligibility and qualification rules for holding office, may be found at www.goiam.org/grand-lodge-elections.

 [2] Distance is determined by the closest Internet driving distance.

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