The process

Nominations

How can I be nominated?
To be nominated for any of the positions, a fellow Chartered Architectural Technologist must nominate you in writing to the Head of Creative & Communications. Any Chartered Architectural Technologist is eligible to propose a candidate, although no nomination is permitted without obtaining the prior consent of the nominee. Any Chartered Architectural Technologist is able to stand for any position in these elections. No prior experience is required of the Institute – just a passion for Architectural Technology and the Institute.

What happens once I have been nominated?
Once a nomination has been received, you are then asked to formally accept or reject the nomination. You will then be asked to supply a manifesto. Once all the manifestos have been received, they will be issued to the Regional/Centre Committees for their review, consideration and action. It is then your responsibility to actively organise and carry out your election campaign (at your own cost) to all members and affiliates ;this will be via the Creative & Communications Department and direct liaison with Regional and Centre Committees. Your campaign can be by a variety of mediums which is for you to choose. We provide you with the contact details of the Regional/Centre Committees. Hustings are also held.

You will need to prepare a full manifesto for publication and distribution via the Institute’s media channels; details of what we would be looking for in the manifesto will be included in the election section of the website and information pack. It will also be featured in the spring issue of AT Journal.

We will provide further clarification on the election process and information required.

Over the election process, and the lead up to the elections in September, we will be issuing some election special e-alerts providing reminders and updates together with profiles of the candidates standing for the positions etc.

Promoting your candidacy

If I stand how do I promote my candidacy?
There are a number of ways in which you can put yourself in front of the members and affiliates during your election campaign.

There is the traditional manifesto which will outline your policies, thoughts and aspirations for both the role you are nominated for and the Institute. This should not be a CV but a formal written document which grasps your key objectives and aims. Alongside this, you can create a profile which showcases you as a person, captures your personality and strengths and puts across the real you to people who do not know you and want to know more about the person seeking election.

In this technological and social media focused world, you can create LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter) accounts, videos, podcasts, blogs or a series of short films which support your manifesto and profile. You can get your message across simply and they can all be easily accessed.

You could arrange for a Q&A with members and affiliates at a location and venue that is accessible and could have visits to Regional and Centre Committees and meet with Council, those who will be voting on the day. There are a number of different mechanisms which will be covered in the information pack.

Voting

What is the voting procedure?

• Regional/Centre Committees are encouraged to meet and discuss their preferred candidate, in an open forum which takes into account feedback from the members and affiliates in the Region/Centre;
• It may be that you wish to proactively engage with the Regional/Centre Committees to present your manifesto and respond to questions.
• Regional/Centre Committees advise their Councillor of their preferred candidate; and
• the Councillor is expected to vote in accordance with their Region/Centre’s decision; however there may be exceptions where they may change their vote as per their Committee’s instructions. These could be based upon the candidate’s response at the autumn Council meeting or other factors, for example, if the candidate withdraws from the election at very short notice that would not allow a Councillor reasonable time to refer back to their Regional/Centre Committee.

How is the vote taken?
Elections are held at the autumn Council meeting:

• All candidates are invited to attend the autumn Council meeting to respond to questions brought by Councillor from their Regional/Centre Committee or to debate a particular issue in relation to their manifesto
• Council confirms and agrees the method of the election – which has traditionally been by secret ballot;
• Councillors represent their Region/ Centre – either using their agreed Committee’s vote or changing their vote as per their Committee’s instructions based upon the candidate’s presentation or other factors;
• Honorary Officer members of Council have a free vote according to their preference (as Trustee) and considering the best interests of the Institute and its Strategic Plan; 

• Council votes on the candidate and/or candidates and the election takes place;

• Council policy is that a candidate who is also a serving member on Council may not vote if there are other Candidates standing who do not sit on Council – this includes Honorary officers;

• Council policy is that Regions/Centres do not have the right to send a proxy vote if their Councillor is standing for a position.

• It is the Councillor who carries the vote, or their deputy, in their absence. A serving Honorary Officer who is standing against a candidate who is not a member of Council forfeits their vote. This ensures equity and fairness;

• the President, as Chair, has the casting vote if there is a tie;

• the elected Chartered Architectural Technologist assumes the Officer position from the close of that year’s AGM (normally in November), unless an Officer resigns from their position early, in which case the assumption is either immediate or from the date of resignation if later; and

• the results are then reported to the members and affiliates via the weekly ebulletin, AT Weekly and Regional/Centre Committee.