Short answer: Not under the current text. IUPAT locals elect officers by secret ballot at the last meeting in June, with tellers, polls and observers (Secs. 208 and 211, January 2025 printing). Contract ratification is by secret ballot at a special meeting. The Election Guide and Model Bylaws the constitution refers to are not public.
| Verdict | Lists methods that don't include electronic voting |
| Ratification / strike votes | Lists specific methods; electronic not among them - ratification is by "secret ballot conducted in the regular manner at a special meeting called for that purpose" (Sec. 232(b)); the list may be read as exclusive - counsel to confirm. |
| Confidence | Medium |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"The election of Local Union Officers, Local Union Executive Board Members, Delegates to central bodies, and District Councils shall be held on the last meeting in June and nominations for the same shall be held on the last meeting in May. ... Such notices shall clearly state the date, time, place, and purpose of these meetings."
"Each Local Union shall elect its Officers and Delegates to central bodies by secret ballot for a term of three (3) years, and shall elect Delegates to the District Council by secret ballot for a term of four (4) years."
"At elections the presiding Officer shall appoint two (2) tellers and one (1) judge who shall constitute the election committee. The presiding Officer shall then announce the names of the candidates in rotation and a vote shall be taken. (b) Voting shall be conducted by secret ballot among the members in good standing. Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote. There shall be no proxy vote. There shall be no write-in candidates."
"After voting is complete, the tellers shall collect the ballots and the Election Committee shall count the ballots. Each candidate shall have the right to have an observer present at the polls and at the counting of the ballots."
"Elections of the District Council Business Manager/Secretary- Treasurer and Business Representatives shall be held in June of each election year at such times and locations as shall be established by the District Council Election Committee. The Election Committee shall choose date, times, and locations that provide all members a reasonable opportunity to vote while at the same time avoiding undue and unnecessary cost to the District Council."
Electronic, internet, phone or remote voting
"The Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer of a District Council shall have the authority to use, at his/her discretion, electronic conferencing as a means to conduct the meetings of the District Council. ... Remote or virtual meetings are permitted at the Discretion of the Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer where exclusively in-person meetings are not practical."
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"All Local Union Bylaws shall conform to the Model Bylaws for Local Unions promulgated by the General Executive Board. All Bylaws shall be submitted for approval to the District Council with which the Local Union is affiliated. Once approved by the District Council, the Bylaws shall be submitted for approval to the General Executive Board ... Bylaws or changes thereto are not effective, and may not be printed or enforced prior to approval by the General Executive Board."
"All District Council Bylaws shall conform to the Model Bylaws for District Councils published by the General Executive Board. All Bylaws shall be submitted for approval to the General Executive Board in a manner and on a template established by the General Secretary-Treasurer."
Contract ratification and strike votes
"All Collective Bargaining Agreements negotiated by District Councils or an unaffiliated Local Union shall be subject to ratification through a referendum vote of the members working under the agreement. In every case the referendum vote shall be by a secret ballot conducted in the regular manner at a special meeting called for that purpose."
International election manual or guidelines
"This Committee shall adopt rules governing the election, which rules shall be consistent with the Election Guide published by the General Executive Board, and it shall supervise the election of Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer and Business Representatives in accordance with the District Council Bylaws and this Constitution."
Open questions
Local elections are prescribed as a secret ballot taken at the election meeting (last meeting in June) with tellers, polls and observers, and electronic voting is not mentioned; the text does not say "in person" in so many words and the GEB-published Election Guide and Model Bylaws (not located) could bear on method, so whether this list is exclusive is for counsel.
Context
- Possible later amendments not confirmed: the edition reviewed is "Issued January 1, 2025, First Printing"; it does not itself state which General Convention adopted it, and no later edition was found on iupat.org.
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 Union of Painters and Allied Trades and Laws Governing Subordinate Bodies Under Its Jurisdiction — Issued January 1, 2025, First Printing. https://www.iupat.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IUPAT-Constitution-2025_English.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: The constitution references an "Election Guide published by the General Executive Board" (Sec. 156(a)) and "Model Bylaws for Local Unions" (Sec. 166(a)); neither was found publicly on iupat.org (site links and WordPress media search) or via web search, so their content on voting method is unverified. Keyword search found "electronic" only for District Council meeting conferencing, Journal format, payments and records - not for voting. 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.
Running an election under these rules? Talk through your next election — 15 minutes.