Short answer: It's up to the local's bylaws, which need International approval. The IUEC Constitution (revised October 2021) addresses only eligibility for local elections. An edition reflecting the 2026 convention was not yet posted.
| Verdict | Method left to local bylaws |
| Ratification / strike votes | Lists specific methods; electronic not among them - national agreements are ratified by the preceding Convention's delegates by non-weighted roll call vote at a national ratification meeting whose date and place the International Officers set (Art. XXV); strikes may be called by the International Officers and Labor Committee without a vote. Counsel to confirm whether the method is exclusive. |
| Confidence | Medium |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"No member shall be eligible to be nominated for office in any local union unless he/she is a member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the local union in good standing for at least a period of two (2) years immediately prior to the election."
"All delegates to the Convention shall be elected by secret ballot. ... (2) the notice shall also state the date, time and place of the secret ballot election of delegates and alternates to the Convention"
"A local union shall have the option of providing in its Local Union Constitution and By-Laws that one of the duties of specific local union officer(s) who are elected in a secret ballot election shall also include serving as a delegate to the International Union of Elevator Constructors Convention for his/her local union."
"nomination and election of the officers for said local union at such time and place as the trustee may designate, any other provisions of this Constitution or the Local Union's rules and By-Laws to the contrary notwithstanding"
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"Each Chartered and affiliated local union shall adopt a Constitution and By-Laws. ... New, revised, or amended local Constitutions and By-Laws or new, revised, or amended provisions thereof, under consideration by local unions, shall be submitted to the International for perusal and approval prior to their becoming effective."
"Each and every affiliated local union and all officers, representatives, and members thereof, are obligated to recognize, observe, and be governed by the specific provisions and requirements of this Constitution, and by decisions, interpretations, and established policies of the duly elected officers of this International Union to make effective and operative the provisions, requirements, purpose, and intent of this Constitution."
Contract ratification and strike votes
"Before the International Officers and the Labor Committee make any final national agreement with NEBA, ECA or other national employer or group of employers, they will submit the tentative agreement(s) back to the delegates to the immediately preceding General Convention for their ratification. ... Voting will be held at a national ratification meeting, the date and place of which shall be determined by the International Officers. Voting shall be by non-weighted roll call vote."
"While such ratification will be required, the International Officers and Labor Committee will have the power and discretion to call any strike against any employer or employers without any vote by the delegates and without regard to ratification"
Open questions
The constitution prescribes no ballot method for local officer elections (it addresses only eligibility and, for Convention delegates, a secret ballot with notice of "date, time and place"), so the method falls to local Constitutions and By-Laws, which require International approval; whether the International's "decisions, interpretations, and established policies" (Art. XII, Sec. 1) address voting method could not be verified.
Context
- Pending/recent convention not confirmed: IUEC held its 33rd Convention in 2026 (iuec.org leadership article dated Aug. 11, 2026); the latest constitution posted on iuec.org is the October 2021 revision, and any 2026 amendments could not be confirmed.
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 and By-Laws of the International Union of Elevator Constructors — Revised October 2021. https://www.iuec.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-Constitution-Bylaws.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: Keyword search found "electronic"/"electronically" only for resolution submission, monthly reports, incident reporting and the secured website - none for voting. No International-issued local election manual was found (iuec.org WordPress media search for "constitution" returned only the 2021 International document and individual local constitutions). Page cites give printed page and PDF page index (printed = PDF - 1).
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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