Article X

Referenda

Section 1.

Initiation

Proposed actions, including actions of the Convention and amendment of the Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted to a referendum vote by order of a majority of the Executive Committee or by request of a majority of locals or by petition signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the members: provided, however, that in no case shall a referendum be held between June 1 and September 1; and provided that actions taken by the Executive Committee concerning:

1. actions of the Convention involving expenditures of funds.
2. the employment, re-employment or dismissal of officers, organizers, office employees, and other general employees who are appointed and whose salaries or other renumeration are fixed by the Executive Committee.
3. the power to interpret and enforce the Constitution and to make rules and by-laws not in conflict with the Constitution subject to report to succeeding the Convention for approval, rejection, or modification.
4. the power to appoint committees not inconsistent with the Constitution.
5. the time and place for the meetings of the Executive Committee and the expense involved therein.
6. the power to fill vacancies on the Executive Committee
7. the power to investigate locals shall not be the subject of referendum; and further provided that action taken by the Convention under authority of the By-Laws governing Nominations and Election procedures, shall not be subject of referendum except as otherwise specifically provided in this Constitution.

Section 2.

Voting

After receipt of order or request for referendum, it shall be the duty of the National Association President to transmit the question to be voted on to the locals within two (2) weeks of its receipt by him/her. Following this, there shall be a period of thirty (30) days during which the proponents and opponents shall be given opportunity to debate the issue through regular channels of the Union, at the end of which time the President shall send to the locals in good standing, ballots upon which the members shall cast their votes and shall also send to members-at-large ballots upon which the members-at-large shall cast their votes.

The President shall secure the ballots, set a date and time for counting and cause them to be counted in the presence of himself/herself and the Secretary-Treasurer. In the alternative, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, may engage an independent agency to conduct the balloting and to count the votes. In such event, agency shall count only those ballots received during the thirty day period following the mailing of the ballots to the members.

Ballots shall be sent out only to locals in good standing and to members-at-large in good standing. The votes shall not exceed in number the number of members and members-at-large for which per-capita was last paid prior to the date on which ballots cast were sent from the National Office. Should the number of ballots cast by any local exceed the number to which that local is entitled then the "ayes" and "nays" shall be reduced proportionately to come within the required number.

The President shall notify the locals of the results of the referendum as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks following the receipt of the count. The President shall also publish the results in the official publication of the National Association of Catholic School Teachers. Between Conventions, a referendum may be sent out only by vote of the Executive Committee.

National Association policy adopted by referendum shall not be considered by the first Convention following the referendum.