Can TWU locals vote online?

Short answer: It's up to the local's bylaws, which take effect only on International Administrative Committee approval (2021 edition; an edition from the 2025 convention was not found).

Verdict	Method left to local bylaws
Ratification / strike votes	Constitution requires member ratification of agreements (Art. XXV, Sec. 2) and a majority strike vote of the direct participants (Art. XXVI, Sec. 1(a)) but names no voting method for either; closest category: Leaves the method to local bylaws (no express reference to bylaws for these votes).
Confidence	Medium
Last verified	21 October 2026

What the text says

How local officer elections are run

"Elections under this section shall be by a plurality of the secret ballot votes cast."

— Art. XV, Sec. 1, p. printed p. 40 (PDF p. 42), 2021 ed.

"Branch, section, and division officers in Local Unions shall be elected pursuant to the procedure set forth in the Local’s by-laws."

— Art. XV, Sec. 5, p. printed p. 41 (PDF p. 43), 2021 ed.

"Not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the election of local officers, notice of such election shall be mailed to each member of the Local Union at his/her last known home address. The members of the Local Union shall also be given a reasonable opportunity to nominate candidates for Local office. Failure to meet either of the requirements of this Section shall invalidate the election."

— Art. XV, Sec. 6, p. printed p. 41 (PDF p. 43), 2021 ed.

"Convention delegates, other than ex officio delegates, shall be elected by secret ballot after the members of the Local Union have had a reasonable opportunity to nominate candidates."

— Art. XI, Sec. 11, p. printed p. 24 (PDF p. 26), 2021 ed.

"The failure of a member, otherwise in good standing, to attend a reasonable number of the meetings ... may not be made the basis for disqualifying such member as a nominee for any elective position except Branch, section or division officer or officer of a Local Union whose membership is comprised entirely of public-sector employees."

— Art. XV, Sec. 7, p. printed pp. 41-42 (PDF pp. 43-44), 2021 ed.

Electronic, internet, phone or remote voting

"The referendum shall be conducted in such a manner as to ensure that the member expressing his/her choice with respect to the issue submitted cannot be identified with the choice expressed. ... The ballots shall be uniform and shall be mailed within a single twenty-four (24) hour period by the International Secretary-Treasurer to the members of the International Union in good standing."

— Art. XXVIII, Secs. 2-3 (Referendum), p. printed p. 65 (PDF p. 67), 2021 ed.

International approval of local bylaws or election rules

"Each Local Union shall adopt by-laws which shall prescribe its structure and procedures and embody the rules which shall govern the operation of the Local and the conduct of its members. The by-laws shall conform to the provisions and the principles of this Constitution and to the established policies of the International Union, and shall be effective only when approved by the International Administrative Committee. No amendment to the by-laws shall be effective until so approved."

— Art. XIV, Sec. 5, p. printed p. 36 (PDF p. 38), 2021 ed.

Contract ratification and strike votes

"Any proposed agreement shall be subject to ratification by the members covered by such proposed agreement."

— Art. XXV, Sec. 2, p. printed p. 62 (PDF p. 64), 2021 ed.

"Every collective bargaining agreement shall require the written approval of the International President before becoming a binding obligation on any member or on any Local Union."

— Art. XXV, Sec. 4(b), p. printed p. 63 (PDF p. 65), 2021 ed.

"[A strike of members of this Union shall not be authorized or approved except under the following conditions:] (a) A vote is taken among those members who would be direct participants in the strike and the strike action is approved by a majority of those voting."

— Art. XXVI, Sec. 1(a), p. printed p. 64 (PDF p. 66), 2021 ed.

Open questions

Local officer elections must be by secret ballot with mailed notice, but no ballot method (in person, mail, electronic) is stated; local by-laws, which set procedures, take effect only on International Administrative Committee approval. Confidence is Medium because the 27th Convention (September 2025) may have amended the text and no post-2025 edition was found.

Context

Mixed public/private membership: Art. XV, Sec. 7 refers to Local Unions 'whose membership is comprised entirely of public-sector employees'; the LMRDA covers only locals with private-sector (or postal) members.
Pending or recent amendment not confirmed: TWU held its 27th Constitutional Convention in September 2025; no 2025 edition of the constitution could be located (OLMS's newest filing is the 2017 edition).

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

26th Constitution, Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO – Constitutional Convention 2021 Edition (TWU-published booklet, hosted by TWU Local 556) — 2021 Edition (26th Constitutional Convention). https://media.twu556.org/2022/07/08144912/2021-Edition-TWU-Constitution.pdf (accessed 2026-10-21)
TWU Constitution filed with DOL OLMS (national HQ file no. 000-218), file '2017 Edition - TWU Constitution.pdf' — 2017 Edition (25th Constitutional Convention), received 2018-11-29; newest edition on file at OLMS; also at https://members.twu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2017-Edition-TWU-Constitution.pdf. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=15228&rptForm=attachment (accessed 2026-10-21)

Not verified: twu.org site search found no constitution PDF. The newest edition found is the 2021 (26th Convention) booklet, hosted on TWU Local 556's media server. The OLMS-filed 2017 edition has the same wording for the bylaw-approval, local-election-notice, ratification and strike-vote provisions quoted here. Full-text search of both editions found no mention of electronic, internet, online, telephone, remote, digital, computer or machine voting. No TWU local-election manual was found.

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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