Section 2 – Referenda 

I. General 
A. 
Any issue decided by a referendum shall overrule any decision made at a GM, Council, 
Executive, or Committee level except in the case of Establishment committee. 
B. 
A referendum may be called by any of the following: 
1. 
a two thirds majority vote at an Executive Meeting; 
2. 
a two-thirds majority vote at Council; 
3. 
by petition of 4% of the members of the Union - the petition must list the names, 
departments and signatures of the members and be handed to the F&A Officer; 
4. 
acceptance by simple majority of a motion to a General Meeting. 
C. 
The Governance Committee will be charged with organising the referendum with the 
assistance of Elections Committee. 
D. 
The referendum will be held on a date not more than four term weeks after receiving the 
request. 
E. 
The Governance Committee shall determine the financial regulations for referenda subject to 
the approval of the Finance Committee with the proviso that all referenda within the same 
academic year receive the same funding. 
F. 
Quorum for a referendum shall be 10% of the members of the Union. When the quorum is not 
met, the matter shall be decided by a GM called specially to consider the matter. 
G. 
The referendum shall be conducted by means of a cross-campus ballot. 
H. 
Polling shall be on at least one day for at least six hours in the Union building at 25 Gordon 
Street and at the Hampstead and Whittington sites, as well as in other areas of the College as 
Governance Committee sees fit. 
I. 
At least three Open Meetings must be arranged prior to the referendum to debate the 
proposal. One of these meetings must be held on the day before the referendum is to be held. 
J. 
These Open Meetings shall: 
1. 
be publicised at least five working days in advance; 
2. 
be open to all members of the Union; 
3. 
be chaired by the General Secretary who shall endeavour to make sure equal numbers of 
speeches are heard for each side; in the absence of the General Secretary, a sabbatical 
officer shall chair the meeting; 
4. 
When the Chair feels the debate has reached its conclusion, he or she may ask for one 
final speaker against the proposal and then the proposer of the proposal may summate. 
II. Proposals, Motions and Amendments 
A. 
Any GM or Council motion or petition requesting a referendum must include the text of the 
proposal to be put to the membership. It must also include the names of two members of the 
Union who are prepared to act as proposer and seconder of the proposal. It may not include a 
date for the referendum - this must be decided by the Governance Committee. 
B. 
The proposal to be considered by the referendum must be displayed by the F & A Officer 
within one working day of receipt on the Official Union Notice board. 
C. 
Amendments to a referendum proposal may be made only if agreed by a two thirds vote of 
the originating body e.g. the Executive or the Council, or by a General Meeting in the case of 
a petition. 
D. 
Once submitted, a proposal can only be withdrawn by its proposer. 
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