Short answer: Possibly, with International approval. The IAM Constitution (effective January 2025) names electronic voting only for non-constitutional offices and ratifications, with the General Vice President's approval (Art. D, Sec. 4). For constitutional local officers, balloting is in the Local room unless the bylaws provide other methods approved by the International President (Art. B, Sec. 4).
| Verdict | Electronic voting permitted with International approval |
| Ratification / strike votes | Ratifications: permits electronic voting with International approval ('Upon approval of the G.V.P.', Art. D, Sec. 4). Strike votes: secret ballot, two-thirds 'of those present and qualified to vote' (Art. XVI, Sec. 2); electronic not mentioned. |
| Confidence | Medium |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"At its 1st meeting in December (or 1st meeting in October at the option of the Local) every 3 years, each Local shall elect the aforesaid officers by secret ballot vote of its members in good standing, following the procedure required for such voting as set forth in Art. III."
"Balloting shall take place in the Local room where regular Local meetings are held, excepting in those Locals where circumstances require some other arrangement, the Local may, through its bylaws, provide other methods, subject to the approval of the I.P. When, in the I.P.’s sole judgment, extraordinary circumstances so require, the I.P. may review and modify Local election procedures as necessary to provide the membership of a Local, not working in a central geographic location, the ability to participate in such election."
Electronic, internet, phone or remote voting
"Upon approval of the G.V.P., and consistent with their By-Laws, Locals also may conduct elections for non-constitutional offices and ratifications electronically, where permitted by law. Again, special care must be taken to ensure that only members in good standing participate in these elections."
"Notwithstanding anything in this Article, the E.C. may at its discretion implement a system of electronic voting as a supplement to the voting as set out in SECS. 8-12 above, to the extent permitted by law."
"Upon approval of the G.V.P., and consistent with their By-Laws, Districts also may conduct elections for non-constitutional offices and ratifications electronically, where permitted by law."
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"Each Local may adopt its own bylaws, provided that nothing is contained therein which is contrary to the provisions of this Constitution, unlawful, or otherwise threatens the good and welfare of the local. The proposed bylaws of all Locals and all amendments thereafter proposed, except as to time and place of meetings, shall be submitted to the I.P. for examination, correction, and approval before being placed into effect."
Contract ratification and strike votes
"If a strike vote is to be taken, such vote shall be by secret ballot. In order to declare a strike, such vote must carry by a two-thirds majority of those present and qualified to vote."
Open questions
Art. D, Sec. 4 names electronic voting only for 'non-constitutional offices and ratifications' (with G.V.P. approval); for the constitutional Local officers listed in Art. B, Sec. 4 the text requires balloting in the Local room unless the Local's bylaws 'provide other methods, subject to the approval of the I.P.', which does not name electronic voting, so whether electronic voting is available for constitutional Local offices is not stated in the text (counsel to confirm).
Context
- Mixed jurisdiction: IAM has Canadian locals (Art. B, Sec. 4 exempts Locals in Canada from the mailed-notice requirement) and US private-sector (incl. RLA airline/rail) locals covered by the LMRDA; goiam.org news references an affiliated federal-sector unit (NFFE-IAM) whose locals would fall under the CSRA (29 CFR 458), not the LMRDA.
The federal rules still apply
Federal law sits on top of every constitution. For unions covered by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), officer elections must meet Title IV's secret-ballot, notice and observer requirements however members vote. The Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) addresses remote electronic voting in its Compliance Tip Electing Union Officers Using Remote Electronic Voting Systems (updated December 10, 2024). The Tip describes safeguards for secrecy, observation and records, says it "does not offer unions safe harbor," and says each system is evaluated case by case. Federal-sector unions follow 29 CFR Part 458, which applies the same standards; postal unions are covered by the LMRDA. Locals made up entirely of state or local government employees are generally outside Title IV and follow state law and their own rules. OLMS Compliance Tip
Sources
- Constitution of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers — January 1, 2025 (following the 41st Grand Lodge Convention, 2024). https://iamaw463.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025Constitution.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Constitution of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers — January 1, 2023. https://www.wabteccorp.com/IAM-constitution-2023 (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: No full constitution or local election manual is posted on goiam.org (site search for 'constitution' returned only news; guessed URLs returned 404); the 2025 text is from a local-lodge-hosted copy. No IAM local election manual addressing electronic voting was found. The definition of 'non-constitutional offices' was not located in the quoted text.
This page summarizes the published text of a union's governing documents. It is not legal advice and not an official interpretation by the union. Constitutions change at conventions, and locals' own bylaws matter. Confirm with your International and your counsel before changing how members vote. Spotted an error or a newer edition? Tell us at info@votem.com and we'll correct it.
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