CIPR Election Regulations updated following independent panel review

NOTE - The election rules were updated in 2017 - any links to old versions of the rules have been removed from this document.

During the 2015 CIPR Election for President-Elect, a candidate lodged an appeal following a disqualification decision taken by the then Returning Officer, CIPR Chief Executive Alastair McCapra.

Following this appeal, the CIPR Board of Directors appointed an independent panel to consider the appeal made by the disqualification decision taken by the Returning Officer. The independent panel upheld the Returning Officer's decision to disqualify the candidate, but recommended a series of amendments to the CIPR's Election regulations.

The independent panel advised the CIPR to;

• specify that the process for handling complaints and appeals be confidential
   
• specify that all queries and complaints, and the Returning Officer’s responses to them, are to be issued in writing
   
• specify that the Returning Officer’s powers: ‘to act, including suspending or cancelling an election, disqualifying candidates and requiring candidates to take what steps of redress the Returning Officer considers to be necessary’ may be exercised whether or not a complaint has been made
   
• to appoint an independent Returning Officer

The CIPR Board and Council have listened to and acted upon the independent panel's recommendations, and have voted to update the CIPR Election Regulations (opens as PDF) which were approved at the last CIPR Council meeting.

CIPR members with any queries regarding the elections are invited to email CIPR CEO Alastair McCapra at AlastairM@cipr.co.uk.

Elections for senior volunteer CIPR positions - including Council and President Elect - will take place in Autumn 2016.