REGULATIONS GOVERNING ELECTION OF
STATE 4-H OFFICERS
Any 4-H member who is at least 16 years of age and has been an active 4-H'er for three
years may be nominated for one of the State 4-H Council offices of President, Vice President,
Secretary-Treasurer, or Reporter. The offices are elected in this rotation pattern:
EVEN YEAR ELECTIONS
President - Boy
Vice President - Girl
Secretary-Treasurer - Girl
Reporter - Boy
ODD YEAR ELECTIONS
President - Girl
Vice President - Boy
Secretary-Treasurer - Boy
Reporter - Girl
According to the Bylaws of the Constitution of North Carolina 4-H Council, all
candidates for a state office must submit a nomination form and a black and white glossy
print photo to the Department of 4-H Youth Development that is postmarked on or before
JUNE 15 of the current year. No nominations will be accepted after JUNE 15. If for any reason
there is still no candidate for an office, the office will be reopened at the first state council
meeting which will be held on the Monday afternoon of NC 4-H Congress. At this time, all
candidates will be nominated and certified for each office. They should bring a copy of the
completed nomination form to the Council meeting.
Presentations of candidates to all delegates will be the day following
nomination. During Campaign speeches, each
candidate will be allowed two minutes for speaking time. No campaign materials may be
displayed at North Carolina State 4-H Congress before this time. The only state office
campaigning allowed before nominations at State Congress will be restricted to oral or mailed
written statements. Following the Tuesday evening assembly, candidates will be able to have
campaign booths and begin actively campaigning, Every candidate is expected to participate
and will be provided with an eight foot table.
The election of state officers will be held on Thursday afternoon during 4-H Congress. A
special seating area for delegates will be designated. Extension Agents and 4-H Leaders will
not be allowed into the election room and will be attending a separate meeting. Each county
will have a certain number of electoral votes depending on its 4-H members enrollment in
community 4-H clubs and special interest groups last year. Every county will have four votes
plus one additional votes for each 100 community 4-H members with a maximum of 10 from
special interest members. They will have this number of votes for each office. The number
of electoral votes will be the same for state elections as for district elections. To be elected, a
candidate must receive a simple majority vote. For example: IF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
ELECTORAL VOTES HELD BY ALL COUNTIES COMBINED IS 900, A CANDIDATE
FOR ANY OFFICE MUST RECEIVE AT LEAST 451 VOTES BEFORE BEING
DECLARED THE WINNER.
Each day during 4-H Congress each county is encouraged to have a group meeting
(county huddle) of all delegates to help members receive maximum benefits from the week.
Early in the week at one of these meetings, a county election representative should be elected.
This representative will assist in conducting county huddles and will cast the county's vote.
The decision of now each county's allotted electoral votes are to be cast must be made by
the county delegation to State 4-H Congress. Counties will decide, in the county delegates
meeting to be held on Wednesday, how their votes are to be cast on the first ballot. Votes
must be cast in whole numbers.
Another example: County D has 6 electoral votes and 16 delegates and cast all votes for
candidate Jane, so all 6 votes go to Jane.
During elections, counties will be called upon in alphabetical order for the representative
to call out the county's vote for all offices. Just before announcing a county's votes, the
representative shall submit an official ballot of the county's electoral vote and how the county
casts its votes for each candidate. If on the first roll call, none of the candidates for a
particular office has a majority, a second roll call will be held for this particular office to vote
on the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. A short caucus period will be
allowed for county groups following the first roll call if needed. Campaigning will be
allowed during this period if desired. The county representative will again cast the county's
votes for the respective candidates as determined in the caucus.
CAMPAIGNING
Active campaigning for state officers begins after the Tuesday Evening Assembly.
Posters and campaign literature may be used. It is recommended that county groups prepare
the campaign material before coming to Congress so there will not be a conflict with the 4-H
Congress program. Posters may be used if they are placed on or near the bulletin boards at
the dormitories.
There is a limit of 8 stationary posters per candidate including 2
banners. Each candidate is required to send 110 copies of the print materials
to the State 4-H Office prior to the Wednesday before 4-H Congress. Candidate's
will not be allowed to pass out printed materials during 4-H Congress with the
exception of Tuesday night during the Campaign Booths. Candidates
will be allowed to pass out buttons, stickers, badges etc. The 4-H Congress
Coordinator will put together a Campaign Packet for each County that includes
all of the printed qualification handouts for each candidate. Glue, nails, or any other materials which may mar structures are
not to be used on walls. Candidates should be conservative in the amount of money spent on
material and should consider having some campaign favors donated from local businesses or
groups. Favors may be distributed only during Tuesday Evening. (NOTE: Do not throw any
items from the stage.). NO CAMPAIGNING WILL BE PERMITTED DURING CLASSES
OR ASSEMBLIES. Campaigning with hand held posters and chants will be allowed during
tally periods during the election assembly to be controlled at the President's discretion.
North Carolina State University and personal property must be respected at all times.
The candidate is responsible for seeing that all literature is taken down and picked up after
the elections. No cars are to be used by anyone for campaigning purposes. A special effort
should be made to prevent litter from being left on the grounds or in the buildings.
Enforcement of election rules will be executed by an election committee. This committee
will be composed of one Extension Agent, One adult leader, and three 4-H'ers to be
appointed by the State 4-H President at the first State 4-H Council meeting at NC 4-H
Congress. A candidate for state 4-H office or any member of his campaign staff will be
warned after the first violation of a campaign rule, and will be deemed ineligible for election
that year if the violation is not corrected or re-occurs. Any election situation not covered in
the constitution will be referred to this committee for a final decision.
These regulations will be mailed to state office candidates prior to arrival at 4-H
Congress.
