As longtime chair of the NYSUT Elections
Committee, Rod Sherman has extensive experience with ensuring democracy prevails.
"The challenge for us this time is
we've never had this many contested
races in our history," he said. "We've always
been careful, and this year we've redoubled
our efforts. Candidates need to
know they've been heard and delegates
need to know they are fully engaged in a
fair election process. It is a healthy process
that every union needs to be prepared for."
Ballots for Saturday's voting will contain
bar codes that will be scanned by
the American Arbitration Association. If
there is a question about whether a particular
box has been checked, the Elections
Committee will view an electronic
image of the boxes with no candidate
names attached, providing for decisions "without bias," Sherman said. NYSUT staff also assist with the process.
Candidates are permitted to have an
observer in the room while votes are counted. Certified results will be announced at Sunday's general session.
Sherman said candidates and staff
have been "incredibly respectful, understanding
and accommodating about
observing the rules. Fair elections help
ensure for all of us that come Monday,
NYSUT is still the strongest public employee union in the country."