Elections procedures

ADOPTED: 9/22/1995
REVISED: 09/13/1996
REVISED: 10/20/2000
REVISED: 11/16/2001
REVISED: 12/15/2017
REVISED: 06/22/2019
REVISED: 01/10/2021
REVISED:11/30/2021
REVISED: 12/7/2022
REVISED: 12/6/2023
REVISED: 04/09/2024
REVISED: 10/10/2025

POLISH HOME ASSOCIATION
Election Procedures

for the preparation and conduct of elections for Officers and Trustees of the Polish Home Association (PHA) in Seattle, WA

I Meeting Preparations:

  1. The preparation of elections and election proceedings for the PHA Annual Election Meeting are the responsibility of the Election Commission appointed by the President of PHA.
  2. The PHA Election Commission is composed of up to 5 (five) but not less than 3 (three) individuals, with the Chairperson appointed by the PHA President.
  3. The Election Committee will publish and post the election announcement including the election procedures, the date of the Election Meeting, the dates and process how Members can submit candidates for PHA Officers and Trustees no later than 7 weeks before the Election Meeting.
  4. In the addition to the in person election process PHA Members will be able to vote by mail. All PHA Members in good standing as of December 31st, of last year before the election year will receive voting ballots by mail.
  5. The election pamphlet and voting ballot will be mailed to all eligible PHA voters no later than January 5th in the year of the Election Meeting.
  6. The voting ballots for the election of PHA Officers and Trustees will be of a distinctive color and individually numbered by the Election Commission.
  7. The voting ballots will include the voting instructions. The ballots which does not meet the voting instructions will be counted towards the required quorum but will not be included in the results for individual positions on the ballot.
  8. Voting ballots will be mailed in an envelope containing a return envelope and a ballot envelope. Ballot envelopes and ballots will be designed to protect voter identity.
  9. The mail in voting ballots had to be mailed to the Election Commission postmarked by date posted in the election pamphlet or earlier to be counted and valid.
  10. The January special Quarterly Meeting (also known as PHA Annual Meeting) is prepared by the retiring PHA Officers and will be held at PHA open to all PHA members. The PHA President serves as Chairperson for this meeting and as usual will report on the PHA affairs to the members. The PHA Election Meeting will commence immediately after the conclusion of the PHA Annual Meeting and will be chaired by the Chair of the Election Commission.
  11. The PHA Officers will be absolved from theirs responsibilities at the conclusion of the PHA Annual Meeting before the elections results for new PHA Officers are announced.
  12. The Election Commission members will meet at the PHA in Seattle on the day immediately before the PHA Annual Meeting to count mail-in ballots. Return envelopes will be used to verify member eligibility. If member eligibility is confirmed, the ballots will be accepted, counted and tabulated. At no time with the mail in ballots counted before the Election Meeting will the preliminary results be shared with the PHA Officers or Members.
  13. The in person ballots will be casted on the day of the PHA Annual Meeting at the time and place specified in the election pamphlet and will be counted during this meeting . The Election Committee will tabulate the results of in person and mail in ballots to determine the quorum. If the quorum was reached the Election Committee will certify the election results during the Election Meeting.
  14. Results of the elections will be announced by the Election Commission during the PHA Election Meeting and posted promptly on PHA Website.

II. Voting Eligibility:

  1. All members of PHA who have paid membership dues no later than December 31st of the year prior to the Election Meeting and have been members of PHA no later than July 1st of the year prior to the Election Meeting are eligible to vote or become candidates for PHA Officers or Trustees  .  “Paid Membership Dues” means that money (cash or check) has been deposited with the PHA treasury no later than December 31st of the year prior to the Election Meeting year. The list of voting eligible members is closed December 31st of the year prior to the Election Meeting.
  2. Payment of PHA membership dues for the previous year will not be accepted between January 1st and the Election Meeting.

III. PHA Elected Officers and Trustees Positions:


PHA Officers and Trustees are elected for two year terms. The Officers are elected on odd years and Trustees are elected on even years at the annual Election Meeting:

A.     Board of Trustees – composed of 15 individuals.

  1. Chairperson of Board of Trustees is selected from and by the elected Trustees.
  2. Audit Committee is composed of 3 (three) Trustees and is selected by the Trustees .
  3. Chairperson of Audit Committee is elected from and by the Audit Committee.

B.     PHA President

C.     PHA Vice Presidents

  1. Senior VP
  2. VP Of Administration
  3. Financial Planning VP
  4. Cultural VP
  5. Entertainment VP
  6. Facilities and Design VP
  7. Information Technology (IT) VP
  8. Communications and Membership VP
  9. and (if necessary) Special Affairs VP

D.     Treasurer

E.      Recording Secretary

IV. Selection of candidates for Officers and Trustees:

  1. The Board of Trustees is obligated, fulfilling its role as the overseers of the Polish Home Association, to undertake a search for candidates for the position of President and the Board of Trustees recommending candidates to the Membership. The recommendation should be presented to the Membership in the Election Newsletter and at the Election Meeting.
  2. The candidates for President shall search for and recommend such candidates for the PHA Officers positions as theirs recommended slate of candidates. The recommendation should be presented to the Membership in the Election Newsletter and at the Election Meeting.
  3. The above points (points #1 and #2) do not change the fundamental principle that every member has the right to become a candidate for any office of the PHA, including President.
  4. Any eligible PHA member interested in becoming candidate for PHA elected positions are required to submit in writing to the Election Committee, in the exact form in which the candidate wishes the information to be presented to the voters at large, his/her interest for a specific position by the date posted in the election announcement. The Election Committee shall present the candidates written information, without any changes to the content, in the election pamphlet.
  5. The candidates for PHA elected positions have to be current with their membership dues at the time they submit their candidacy to the Election Commission.
  6. Only individuals who submit their candidacy for an elected position in accordance with the above nomination procedures shall be considered to be valid candidates for PHA Officers and Trustees positions.
  7. The Election Committee will  provide an acknowledgement that  they received the applications from candidates for Officers and Trustees positions.
  8.  As per Art. 6; Sec. 42. B PHA Bylaws  – Candidates for President must receive 50%+1 to win, Candidates for other offices receiving the most votes win.

This revision of Election Procedures has been written in English only. The English text is the only official version and will be used for all interpretation of procedures