Office of Labor-Management Standards January 11, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice is a request for information from the public to assist the Department of Labor (``Department'') in issuing guidelines concerning the use of electronic voting systems in union officer elections. ``Electronic voting systems'' is meant to include: Electronic voting machines used for casting votes at polling sites; electronic voting from remote site personal computers via the Internet; and electronic voting from remote site telephones. ``Electronic voting systems'' is not meant to include electronic tabulation systems where votes are cast non-electronically but counted electronically (such as punch card voting or optical scanning systems). Title IV of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (``LMRDA'') establishes democratic standards for the conduct of union officer elections. The LMRDA does not, however, require a particular method or system of voting. Labor organizations are free to establish their own methods or systems of voting for officer elections as long as they are consistent with lawful provisions in the union's constitution and bylaws and the provisions of Title IV of the LMRDA. Labor organizations and other interested parties have sought guidance from the Department regarding the LMRDA compliance of electronic voting systems. This request for information seeks public comment to assist the Department in the consideration and issuance of such guidance.