Electoral System

Elections to the ETCO Board

The ETCO Board is elected democratically by and from its members. All ordinary members are eligible candidates and have the right to vote. Ordinary members are transplant coordinators or health care professionals closely associated with the field and up-to-date with their membership fees.

Board positions are renewed every four years with the exception of vice-president and president which two years each, the vice-president automatically becoming president. Turn over normally occurs at the ETCO congress and results are announced at the General Assembly.

Elections are held by secret ballot every two years, half the Board being renewed each time. Since 2008, elections are held online. During elections years the following schedule is observed:

• In spring, members are informed of the positions becoming vacant the are invited to present themselves or another ETCO member as candidates over a period of at least 6 weeks
• Candidates are asked if they accept running for election.
• ETCO executive officer introduces the list of ordinary members and candidates to the voting program.
• Members are given the list of candidates, the web site address where they can vote, and a password to enter the program. All votes are secret, even to the administrator, and members can only vote once.
• Members are given at least six weeks to vote. At the end of this period, the voting program automatically counts the votes and gives the results.
• Members are given the results and the statistics of the election: how many people voted, percentage of total, number of votes for each candidate, percentage of total.

Elections for National Key Members (NKMs)

Initially, ordinary members maybe invited by the Board to be NKM for their country. When there are several members from that country, elections should be held between all members of that country up-to-date with their fees.

All eligible members must be informed of the election and invited to present their candidature or propose another member.

The list of candidates must be sent to all ordinary members of that country and their vote collected, preferable online in a secret ballot program.

Results of the election must be sent to the NKM chair, Tina Coco, and the ETCO Executive Officer who will inform the Board.

Elections should be held every four years.