In our member-run democratic union, members have many opportunities to run for office and have a seat in various boards and committees within Local 1671, AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE), AFSCME, and the AFL-CIO.

Our elections are conducted in accordance with Local 1671 constitution as well as the AFSCME Local Union Election Manual and the AFSCME Appendix D Elections Code.

Members can be nominated or nominate themselves. All nominees will be placed on the ballot unless they decline their nomination. Candidates may choose to send mailers in accordance with AFSCME Council 28's policy.

• Elections for Local 1671 Executive Board are conducted by Local 1671 in December of odd years.
• Elections for Local 1671 Trustees are conducted by Local 1671 in December in accordance with their terms in office.
• Elections for Delegates to the AFSCME Council 28 Public Service Policy Committee are conducted by Local 1671 in odd years after the WFSE bianual convention.
• Elections for AFSCME Council 28 Executive Board are conducted by the Public Service Policy Commitee in odd years after the AFSCME Council 28 Biannual Convention.
• Elections for Delegates to the AFSCME Biannual Convention are conducted by Local 1671 in the summer of even years.
• Elections for Delegates to the WFSE Biannual Convention are conducted by Local 1671 in the summer of odd years.

Local 1671 vacancies are filled by vote of the Executive Board pursuant to Article 4, Section 8 of our constitution.

• Elections for the Language Access Providers Bargaining Teams are conducted by AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) in the fall of every odd year. Vacancies are filled by appointment of the AFSCME Council 28 President. You will find more information about this election on this website under Bargaining.

INTERPRETERS UNITED

LOCAL 1671/AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)

Nominations and Elections Timeline & Procedure

Elections for positions on the Local 1671 Executive Board and Trustees will be by mail in ballot in accordance with the following AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) procedure:

1. Those eligible to nominate, be nominated, vote, and serve will be Local 1671 members in good standing. Members may self-nominate.

2. The following position(s) are up for election:

3. Candidates will be nominated and elected by Local 1671 members as follows:
   1. District Chairs can only be nominated by Local 1671 members residing in the same district.
   2. All other positions can be nominated by Local 1671 members regardless of where they reside.

4. Call for nominations will be emailed and mailed to all eligible Local 1671 members no later than October 25, 2023.

5. Nomination forms must include the nominator’s full name, phone, email address and the nominee’s full name and position for which the nomination is being made. Though not mandatory, nomination forms may include the nominee’s phone and email address. Members are encouraged to contact Local 1671 Secretary, WFSE Staff or the Elections Committee for missing information. Nominations received without the required information will not be accepted.

6. Information on the nomination form must be legible.

7. Nominations may be emailed to [email protected] no later than November 17, 2023 by 5 pm.

8. An attempt will be made to contact each nominee (unless self-nominated) to give him/her the opportunity to decline the nomination.  If the nominee declines the nomination, his/her name will not be placed on the ballot.  If they do not respond to the inquiry regarding the acceptance of the nomination, they will automatically be placed on the ballot.

9. Pursuant to Appendix D of the AFSCME International Constitution, any member who has been nominated for office or who announces an intention to run for office has the right to one mailing to the membership made through the union office before the election. This mailing is not to be made at the union’s expense. Note that the right is “the right to mail,” not “the right to print.” The candidate must prepare the materials to be mailed, furnish the envelopes, do the stuffing and sealing, and put on the stamps or furnish the money to pay for the mailing meter charge. The candidate must, in effect, furnish everything but the names and addresses. All the union is required to do is address and mail the material. Even here, if there is expense connected with the addressing, it must be borne by the candidate or the candidate’s supporters. Note also that the candidate is not entitled to a mailing list for the candidate’s own use. Candidates wishing to do the mailing must contact AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) and make the necessary arrangements with AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE).

10. Those eligible to vote will be the same as those eligible to nominate and be nominated.

11. If there are equal to or fewer nominees than a position to be filled is allowed, then no balloting will be required, and the nominees will be declared elected by acclamation.

12. If an election is required, it will be by mail ballot. Ballots will be mailed by AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) no later than December 7, 2023. The ballot will include the names of eligible nominees in alphabetical order.  Included in the mailing with the ballots will be a privacy envelope and a self-addressed postage paid envelope for their return.

13. All ballots need to be returned using the two envelopes provided. The inner “ballot” envelope ensures and maintains the confidentiality of the ballots while the outer “mailing” envelope allows for each person voting to be identified as eligible to vote. The outside envelope must bear the voter’s full name and address.

14. The election’s results shall be determined by the highest number of votes cast per nominee and shall not require a majority of the votes cast. Ties will be decided by run off.

15. Pursuant to Article 6.4 of the Local 1671 Constitution, all ballots must be received at AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) 1212 Jefferson Street SE #300 Olympia, WA 9850 no later than Wednesday December 27, 2023 by 5 pm.

16. Ballots will be counted at AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) 6363 7th Ave S, Ste 202, Seattle, WA 98108 no later than Sunday January 7, 2024.

17. Any nominee whose name is to appear on the ballot may have an official observer of his/her own choosing present in the location ballots bearing his/her name are to be counted.  Observers must be AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) members in good standing. The nominee shall notify Elections Committee by email at [email protected]  of his or her choice of observer no later than December 20, 2023 by 5 pm. 

18. Individuals elected without a run off will be notified in writing no later than December 6, 2023. The results of the elections will be published on the Interpreters United Local 1671 and AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) website.  Results will be available for inquiry at AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Headquarters.

19. Any protest concerning the conduct of the election must be received, in writing, at AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) Headquarters addressed to the Local 1671 Elections Committee by January 17, 2024 by 5 pm.

Disclaimer: Pursuant to AFSCME International Constitution, Appendix D, Section 2.B., no member of the Elections Committee may be a candidate for office.

ELECTIONS 2023

The table below shows the positions for which nominees either accepted or declined their nomination; who was elected by acclamation and who will have their name on the ballot.

Election by ballot. Only the position for President had more than one nominee: Barbara Robertson and Quan Tran. Accordingly, the names of these nominees were placed on a ballot. Pursuant to Article 6.4 of the Local 1671 Constitution, all regular elections shall be held by mail-in ballots due by the end of business on the last Wednesday of December in odd-numbered years. Per instructions included in the ballots, all ballots had to have been at AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) 1212 Jefferson Street SE, Olympia, WA 9850 no later than Wednesday December 27, 2023 by 5 pm. WFSE informed the Elections Committee that mail-in ballots were sent by WFSE on December 7^th, 2023.

Ballot counting. Local 1671 Elections Committee members met at the WFSE Seattle field office on January 6, 2024, at 8 am to count the ballots which had been received in Olympia and brought to Seattle. 

The results are as follows:

• Barbara Robertson       31 (37%)
• Quan Tran                   53 (63%)        ELECTED

Term in office. All Local 1671 officers are elected for a 2-year term except that Trustees are for a 3-year term. Pursuant to Article 6.2 of the Local 1671 Constitution, the term in office shall begin the first Tuesday of January of even-numbered years.

Elections Committee Report_Ballot Counting 2024-01-06_signed copy.pdf