Rules and Procedures for the 2025 Liberty Council Elections

    1. There are eighteen places on Liberty’s Policy Council to be filled by the 2025 election. These eighteen members will serve from the announcement of the result of the election until May 2027.
    2. Nominations must be received by 5pm on Friday 31 January 2025. Forms not properly completed by the stated deadline will be declared invalid.
    3. To be eligible to be nominated and elected to the Council a candidate must have been a member of Liberty for at least two months prior to the close of nominations. Candidates must therefore have joined by 30 November 2024. If a person nominated or elected ceases to be a Liberty member within their period of nomination or office, they cease to be eligible for Council.
    4. Candidates for election should submit a biography/manifesto in support of their nomination by the stated deadline (31 January 2025). This document must not exceed 200 words in length and any extra words after the 200th word will be disregarded. This statement must be in accordance with Liberty’s statement of values, which candidates must read and agree to abide by throughout their period of nomination and office when submitting their applications, or else forfeit their nomination/membership of council. A candidate’s nomination/membership of council may also be forfeited if they have failed to abide by Liberty’s statement of values prior to their application. Our values statement is as follows: “Liberty is an anti-racist, disability-positive, trans affirming organisation. We do not tolerate discrimination on any grounds, including class, economic status, religious belief, nationality, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, colour, ethnicity, age and disability. We recognise that discrimination can be direct or indirect and does not require intent. We take the side of the most marginalised, defend minoritised groups, challenge oppressive practices and fight for substantive equality.”
    5. The Executive Committee has the power to deem invalid any nomination that contains statements that it construes as inconsistent, in content and/or in manner of expression, with Liberty’s Objects or Values set out in clauses 2 and 3 of the Constitution. In the event that the Executive Committee decides to exercise this power, it will, before making a final decision, invite representations from the affected nominee and any other interested party. In reaching a decision, the Executive Committee shall have regard, among other considerations, to the principles of justice and fairness, the integrity of the elections and Annual General Meeting process and to any reputational injury to Liberty that might ensue as a result of a decision to deem the nomination invalid or a decision to allow the nomination to proceed.
    6. Proposing and seconding of persons for the Council vacancies referred to above shall be invited from individual members and/or affiliate members of Liberty and shall be submitted to the Returning Officer using the form on Liberty’s website or by email providing all the relevant information is included (please see libertyhumanrights.org.uk/agm for details). Nominations from affiliated organisations entitled to two or more votes in the Council ballot do not require a seconder.
    7. Those nominating and seconding must be fully paid-up Liberty members at the close of nominations on 31st January 2025.
    8. Candidates should submit details of their proposer and seconder using the online form and Liberty will then contact them to confirm the nomination. Nominations may also be sent separately by nominees, proposers and seconders. In this instance, nominees, proposers and seconders  should email agm@libertyhumanrights.org.uk to confirm the nomination by 31st January 2025. If you are unable to find a proposer and/or seconder, please leave these sections blank and we will try to match you with two other members. Please note that we are unable to guarantee this.
    9. A member of the Council may serve for a period of up to eight years (if re-elected), but thereafter shall not be eligible for re-election or reappointment until they have had at least one year out of office. A year is the period between two Annual General Meetings.
    10. Nominations will be declared invalid if a nominator’s membership is not fully paid up at the close of nominations. Late or incomplete nominations will be declared invalid.
    11. After the close of nominations, the Returning Officer will submit to the Director of Liberty a list of names and addresses of candidates and nominators in alphabetical order, and request confirmation that all the persons listed were fully paid-up members at the relevant date which are the 30th November for candidates and 31st January for nominators.
    12. In the event of there being any ambiguity or uncertainty in the relevant membership records, the Returning Officer shall write within ten working days of the close of nominations to those candidates or nominators. They will have ten working days from the despatch of the letter/email to clarify the ambiguity. Clarification shall not permit the clearing of subscriptions arrears to validate membership. Members are responsible for ensuring that their membership subscriptions are up to date before submitting the nomination. To check your membership status, please email membership@libertyhumanrights org.uk
    13. Once the validity of nominations has been confirmed or otherwise the Returning Officer shall arrange through the Director of Liberty for the ballot paper and manifestos to be distributed to members.
    14. The format of the ballot paper and the order of listing of candidates shall be decided by the Returning Officer after consultation with Civica Election Services. Candidates will normally be listed in alphabetical order.  Civica Election Services shall conduct the ballot count.
    15. In the event of a dispute over the conduct of the elections, the Executive Committee shall make a ruling. If an individual member or affiliate member does not accept this ruling, they shall have the right of appeal to the Conference and Appeals Committee whose decision in matters of elections shall be final.  Any appeal against a decision of the Executive Committee  shall be notified to the Executive Committee within ten working days of the written notification being received by the individual or affiliate member.
    16. It is the responsibility of candidates to ensure that they are available to receive any communications in February.
    17. All successful candidates will have their name published on the Liberty website. By nominating yourself for a position on the Council, you give consent for your name to be included in this list. To withdraw this consent, please email agm@libertyhumanrights.org.uk.
    18. Liberty uses STV voting methods through Civica which do not allow for the automatic selection of a runner up in the event that a Policy Council position falls vacant between AGMs. In the event of a vacancy, the results will be re-run to establish the next runner up. Re-running STV results following a vacancy can in some circumstances result in re-ordering of candidates. The results will be re-run in such a way that the positions of all elected candidates will be ‘guarded’ and no elected candidate will lose their position in the establishing of a runner up.