27.     Election of the Board

27.1     Directors on the Board will be elected or appointed as follows:

(a)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the North East Regional Council;

(b)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the East Regional Council;

(c)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the South West Regional Council;

(d)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the North West Regional Council;

(e)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the Mid West Regional Council;

(f)         one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the Central (East) Regional Council;

(g)        one Regional Councillor will be elected as a Director by the Central (West) Regional Council; and

 (i)        an independent Chairman may be appointed by the Board.

27.2     Where a director’s term of office will expire within the current calendar year, the relevant Regional Council shall hold a meeting between 1 May and 31 May in that year, to elect a director for a four year terms commencing immediately after the conclusion of the next VESA annual general meeting.

27.3     Nominations for election of director on the Board:

(a)        shall be made in writing, signed by two proposers who must be members of the respective Regional Council and include the written consent of the candidate (who must be member of the same Regional Council);

(b)        must be received by the respective Regional Council secretary, not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting referred to in rule 27.2; and

(c)        shall be circulated to all members of the respective Regional Council at least 14 days before the date of the meeting referred to in rule 27.2.

27.4     If insufficient nominations are received from a region to fill all vacancies assigned to that region, the regional candidate(s) nominated shall be deemed to be elected and further nominations shall be received at the meeting referred to in rule 27.2.

27.5     If the number of nominations received in respect of any region is equal to the number of vacancies to be filled in that region, the person(s) nominated shall be deemed to be elected.

27.6     If the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies assigned to that region, a ballot shall be held.

27.7     The ballot by each Regional Council for election of a Director on the Board shall be conducted by show of hands, unless the meeting first resolves to use a secret ballot.

27.8     If any Regional Council fails to elect a Director or Alternate Director as required by these Rules, the Board may appoint a member from the respective region to fill the vacancy.

27.9     A Regional Council cannot elect an employee of the Service to be a Director or Alternate Director.

27.10   Where an individual is nominated for election as director and alternate director, the nomination for election as alternate director shall lapse if the individual is elected as director.

27.11   Where an exceptional circumstance (necessitating the call out of multiple Local Units) exists on the day of the meeting referred to in rule 27.2, which prevent Regional Councillors from attending the meeting, the Secretary of the Regional Council may, with the prior approval of the Association Chairman:

(a)        postpone the meeting to another date, time or location; or

(b)        agree to accept a proxy on behalf of the Regional Councillor who, due to the exceptional circumstance, prevented from attending the meeting.

27.12   The secretary of every regional council must immediately convey the results of any elections to the Secretary of the Association.