Message from Colin Everett, Election Officer for the Supporters Trust elections…
As you may be aware at this week’s Newport Association Football Club AGM a number of issues were raised which in part have led to speculation around the ongoing elections I am overseeing.
I wanted to reassure members that the process will continue and have outlined a few points below to support this position:
· Under election law and practice once an election has begun then the election cannot be suspended or cancelled. The only exception is where there is a death of a candidate during the election period. As you know I have applied normal election practice to the Trust elections to supplement the basic election procedures set down by the Trust with the advice of Supporters’ Trust.
· there is no procedural facility for a candidate to withdraw once the election has begun and following close of nominations.
· Once eight candidates are elected outright they then each have the right to either accept or decline the position. If they wish to decline they can do so at that point or thereafter. In other words, everyone remains a live candidate until the count has been held and the result declared. If a candidate were to choose to decline the position after the result has been declared then a new vacancy would arise - to be filled either through a later election or through co-option.
My position as elections scrutineer is that the election continues as would be the case with any other election. Anything else would be procedurally incorrect and improper.