Elections for Speaker from the General Assembly
Elections will take place at the 10/18/22 GPSG meeting (6:30-8:30pm)!
Nominees:
- Vinoo Venkatesh
- Chris Miraglia
- Vivian Osinowo
- Thomas Crowe-Allbritton
- Rhythm Maheshwari
Nomination Form: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9mKA7TDuLRCqBka
-
10/14/2022, 5pm deadline for nominations
- Nominations are also allowed on the floor the night of the elections
Position Descriptions
Speaker of the Assembly: The Speaker is the head, and formal voice, of the legislative assembly. The Speaker collaborates closely with the GPSG President to advocate for the student body. The Speaker leads the GPSG Secretariat and promotes an effective legislative agenda for the Assembly. Formal duties of the Speaker can be found on page 7 of the GPSG Bylaws.
Stipends
- Speaker of the Assembly
- Fall stipend: $375
- Spring stipend: $375
- Discretionary grant: $2,250
Q&A
How do nominations work? Can I run?
In the period prior to the October 18th GA meeting, Duke graduate or professional students can use this form to nominate themself or a peer for the Speaker and/or Chief of Staff positions. Any current Duke graduate or professional student can be nominated. Those nominated must accept their nomination during the October 18th meeting and may provide a slide or information for a one to two minute presentation, depending on number of applicants.
Can I run for this position if I cannot attend all/some in-person meetings?
Yes, General Assembly meetings will have a virtual meeting option. However, Speaker and Chief of Staff must be available to attend all General Assembly meetings held Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30pm.
What is the structure of elections?
During the meeting, nominees for each position will be invited to speak briefly about their interest and qualifications. Any individual present may ask questions of the nominee within the allotted time and contribute to discussion. The nominees will be asked to briefly leave the meeting for discussion and formal voting, and will be invited back in for the next set of prepared remarks by candidates.
Who can vote during elections?
Per our Bylaws, only individuals who have attended a minimum of three meetings including the April 12th session or those who are formally appointed representatives of their program, school, or department may vote. This means that any department representative can vote starting from the first meeting, as can current secretariat members. Folks that are not department affiliated cannot vote until after attending 3 meetings in the year, which is after this election will be over. If you are unsure if you qualify to vote, or have questions about which representative(s) speak for your constituency, contact Brittany Forniotis.
Voting for these elections is by instant run-off. Briefly, this means that each individual submits a ballot with all nominees ranked. If no top choice has a clear majority vote at that point, the candidate who is the top pick of the fewest voters is eliminated from the pool. The ballots are then re-tallied with the second choice for members whose top pick was eliminated. This process continues until a majority vote is established for a single candidate. Winners for each election will be declared before the meeting concludes.
