Short answer: Not under the current text. NALC's constitution for branches (as amended through the 2024 convention) names three methods for branch elections: voting at a meeting, voting at stations, or a secret mail ballot (Art. 5, Sec. 5(c)). Electronic voting is not mentioned. National contract ratification is by mail referendum.
| Verdict | Lists methods that don't include electronic voting |
| Ratification / strike votes | Lists specific methods; electronic not among them (national agreement ratification 'shall be a mail referendum vote', Art. 16, Sec. 1) |
| Confidence | High |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"The provisions of this Article shall govern the election for all Branch officers or other elected Branch positions."
"Election of officers shall take place at a time prescribed by the Branch by-laws. No less than 45 days before each election, the Secretary shall mail to every member notice of the election, stating the offices for which election shall be had and the time, place, manner for nomination and election."
"Elections shall be by secret ballot. ... The election may be held at a regular meeting of the Branch, or a Branch may provide in its by-laws that ballots may also be cast at each station not more than seven (7) days, nor less than one (1) day before the regular meeting, or that the election may be by a secret mail ballot."
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"Adequate safeguards to ensure a fair election shall be provided, including the right of any candidate to have an observer at the counting of the votes and at any polling place. The National Executive Council is hereby empowered to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the conduct of all elections in the Branches and State Associations which will provide such adequate safeguards."
"The proposed by-laws of all subordinate Branches and State Associations, except those fixing the time and place of meetings, and the amount of initiation fees, dues, and reinstatement fees, shall be submitted for approval by this Committee. If they do not conflict with the constitution or laws of this Association, such by-laws shall be approved. By-laws and subsequent alterations or amendments made thereto shall not take effect until so approved."
"Each Branch or State Association may make, alter, or rescind such by-laws, rules, and regulations from time to time as may be deemed most expedient, providing they do not in any way conflict with this Constitution."
Contract ratification and strike votes
"Ratification shall be a mail referendum vote, and the ballot shall be mailed only to regular members of the NALC, as defined in Article 2, Section 1(a), excluding retirees, OWCP departees, and non-letter carrier regular members... The ballot shall provide only for the acceptance or rejection of the entire proposed agreement."
"No national, state, or branch officer, or member, or group of members, acting individually or in concert, shall call a strike or other work stoppage unless and until such action has been approved by the NALC Executive Council and/or the NALC National President."
Open questions
Art. 5, Sec. 5(c) of the Branch constitution names meeting, station and secret-mail-ballot voting and does not expressly say the list is exclusive (counsel to confirm), and the National Executive Council's power to promulgate election rules (NALC Const. Art. 5, Sec. 5(c)) was not checked against any NEC-issued election regulations, none of which were found published.
Context
- Postal-sector union: NALC branches represent USPS letter carriers and are covered by the LMRDA (postal employees), not the CSRA.
- 74th Biennial Convention (Los Angeles, Aug. 3-7, 2026) may have amended the constitution; the posted text is 'as amended through' the 2024 convention and post-2026 changes 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 of the National Association of Letter Carriers (booklet including the Constitution for the Government of Subordinate and Federal Branches and the Constitution for the Government of State Associations) — As amended through the 73rd Biennial Convention, Boston, Massachusetts, August 5-9, 2024. https://www.nalc.org/union-administration/body/NALC-Constitution.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
- The Postal Record, July 2026 - proposed amendments for the 74th Biennial Convention (Los Angeles, Aug. 3-7, 2026) — July 2026. https://www.nalc.org/news/the-postal-record/2026/july-2026/document/Convention.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: Topic (b): a full-text search of the 2024 booklet for 'electron', 'internet', 'online', 'telephon', 'remote', 'digital', 'computer' and 'web' found no occurrence anywhere in the document; 'machine' does not occur in any election provision. The only ballot methods named for Branch elections are a regular meeting, station voting before the meeting, and 'a secret mail ballot'. No NALC election manual or NEC election regulations addressing electronic voting were found on nalc.org. Proposed 2026 amendments (July 2026 Postal Record) were text-searched for electronic/online/telephone voting with no hits; final convention outcomes not confirmed.
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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