Briefing Notes for the 16Th Session of Commission for Basic Systems, Item 7: Election

Briefing Notes for the 16th session of Commission for Basic Systems, Item 7: Election

Guangzhou, CHINA, November 23 – 29, 2016

Plenary Session

(Saturday, 26 November 2016)

Agenda item 7 – ELECTION OF OFFICERS

(BRIEFING NOTES FOR THE CHAIR PERSON OF ITME FOR ELECTIONS)

1. Introduction by the CBS president

CBS President: We are going to take up agenda item 7 which deals with the election of the officers of the Commission in accordance with WMO Regulation 80.

I kindly ask all the observers and invited experts leave the room.

Please refrain from use camers and recording devices

2. Presentation on the applicable rules and procedures

CBS President: Prior to the election, I would like to invite Dr. ZHANG, ASG as the representative of the Secretary-General, to present the relevant Regulations concerning election of officers of the Technical Commissions, procedures and eligibility for the election.

(Action: The representative of the Secretary-General: display on the screen and reads out the attached SUMMARY of Regulations: 57, 62, 63, 64(b), 80, 81, 82,83, 85, 87, 90 and 194 related to the election, (see attached)

3. Presentation of the report on Credentials

CBS President: In accordance with the WMO General Regulations 23 on the establishment of Credential Committee, as we did on the opening day of the session, now I would like to invite the chair of the credential committee, Mr T. Sutherland, to introduce the final report on Credentials.

Action: Chairperson of Credential Committee reads the final credential report

(note: To display on the screen and read full list for all the only Credential part, nothing to do with the voting rights at this moment: Display Credentials on Screen)

CBS President: I see no further comments, I invite the Commission to adopt the report on credentials. Thanks to the cerdential committee chair and members.

4.Quorum

CBS President: In accordance with General Regulation 194, I now request Dr ZHANG to ascertain whether the quorum is reached and request the Conference Officer to announce the list of Members eligible to vote.

(Action: The representative of the Secretary-General & Conference Officer:)

According to regulation 194

· the quorum requested is 44 (i.e. not be less than one third of the Members with voting rights which have designated experts to represent them permanently in the commission), aganist the total CBS member with voting rights : 130 (WMO Pub.5).

· the number of delegations of Member with credentials, have voting rights and who are present at the meeting is: 66

· Display and reads out the list of Members who have voting rights and who are present at the meeting (according to the checked list given by the Conference Officer)

So the Quorum required according to regulation 194 is obtained

CBS President: According to the information provided by ASG, then I delclare the Quorum is obtained

PART I: Election of President

5. Conduct of electionsof President

CBS President: In accordance with Regulations 85 separate elections shall be held for the officers of president and vice-president of the Commission, in that order.

5.1 Report of Nomination Committee

CBS President:In accordance with Regulation 26 I would like to invite the chairperson of the Nomination Committee (Name: Mr J. De Rezende, Brazil) to present his report on the candidate(s) for the office of the president (only) of the Commission, including to ascertain the eligibility of candidate(s) (e.g. country has voting rights, candidate has valid credentials, not held the office concerned for 2 consecutive terms, not occupies another office in the Organization).

Action: The chairperson of the Nomination Committee presents his report on the candidates for the office of the President only, including report on the eligibility of candidate(s)

5.2 Invitation of nomination from the floor and adopting the list of candidates

CBS President: According to the procedure, I now request the floor whether there are any other candidate(s) for the election of the office of president besides the name(s) listed in the report of the Nomination Committee.

Case I: With new nomination(s) from the floor, the following actions should be taken:

· asks the candidate(s) if they are willing to be included among the candidates for election,

· requests Nomination Committee to ascertain the eligibility of candidate(s) (e.g. country has voting rights, candidate has valid credentials, not held the office concerned for 2 consecutive terms, not occupies another office in the Organization). Nomination Committee works in the meeting room, all delegates stay at their places.

· The Chairperson of the Nomination Committee report to the Chairperson to ascertain the eligibility of candidate(s) nominated from floor.

Update of the list of candidates

Case II: No new nomination from the floor.

CBS President: According to the report of the Nomination Committee (and the nomination from the floor, if any), I announces the final list of the candidate(s) for the office of president of the Commission as follows:

Mr Michel Jean (Canada)

Dr/Mr/Mrs ………. (…………..),

CBS President: I declare the list of candidates closed.

5.3. Conduct the Election of the president of the Commission

Case I : (If there is only one candidate, the Chairperson will announce as follows:)

CBS President: As there is only one candidate in the list for election of the office of president , in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 82 (When there is only one condidate, he should be declared elected without a ballot), I declare Dr/Mr/Mrs ...... ….. elected president of the Commission for Basic Systems.

Applauds.....

Case II: If there is more than one candidate, the Chairperson will announce as follows:)

CBS President: For there is more than one candidate in the list, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 82, voting shall be conducted by secret ballot.

CBS President: According to the Regulation 62, two tellers selected from among the delegates present should be appointed to count the votes.

(Voting by secret ballot is conducted, more details should reference to Annex 1.)

CBS President: Prior to the election, I would like to invite Dr. ZHANG, to introduce the procedures for election by secret ballot, and Conference officer to conduct the secret ballot for the election.

Action: Dr Zhang display the procedures, and conference officer prepare the secret ballot process

Conduct the secret ballot according to the annex 2.

Declaration of the election decision

CBS President: In accordance with General Regulation 87 I declare Dr/Mr/Mrs ……...... ,who obtained a simple majority, as the president elect of Commission for Basic systems.

CBS President: According to the REGULATION 62, the voting slips shall be destroyed after the announcement of the result by the presiding officer and its acceptance by the meeting.

CBS President: The names of elected officers will be accordingly reflected in the draft which I suggest to approve...... Adopted.

CBS President: I would like to draw your attention in the sense that congratulations from the floor will be taken after the completion of the election of all offices of CBS.

PART II: Election of Vice President

6. Conduct of electionsof Vice- President

CBS President: In accordance with Regulations 85, we now go to through the procedure for the officer of vice-president of the Commission.

6.1 Report of Nomination Committee

CBS President: In accordance with Regulation 26 I would like to invite the chairperson of the Nomination Committee (Name: Mr J. De Rezende, Brazil) to present the report on the candidates for the office of the vice- president of the Commission, including to ascertain the eligibility of candidate(s) (e.g. country has voting rights, candidate has valid credentials, not held the office concerned for 2 consecutive terms, not occupies another office in the Organization).

(Action: The chair of the Nomination Committee presents the report)

6.2 Invitation of nomination from the floor and adopting the list of candidates

CBS President: Now I request the floor whether there are any other candidate(s) for the election of the office of Vice-president besides the name(s) listed in the report of the Nomination Committee.

Case I: With new nomination(s) from the floor: In case if new nomination(s) are suggested from the floor, then the Chairperson should take the following actions:

· asks the candidate(s) if they are willing to be included among the candidates for election,

· The Chairperson of the Nomination Committee report to the Chairperson to ascertain the eligibility of candidate(s) nominated from floor.

Case II: Without new nomination(s) from the floor, Then,

CBS President: According to the report of the Nomination Committee and the outcome of nomination from the floor, I announces the final list of the candidates for the office of vice- president of the Commission as follows:

Dr Jochen DIBBERN. (Germany.)

Ms Meiyan JIAO (China), Dr/Mr?Mrs. (…………..), and

CBS President: I declare the list of candidates closed.

6.3 Election process of vice-president of the Commission

Case I: If there is only one candidate, the Chairperson will announce as follows:

CBS President: As there is only one candidate in the list for election of the office of president , in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 82 I declare Dr/Mr/Mrs ...... ….. elected president of Commission for Basic Systems.

(After the election of the president, the chairperson follows the same procedure explained in section 5 for the election of the vice-president.)

Case II: If there is more than one candidate, the Chairperson will announce as follows:)

CBS President: For there is more than one candidate in the list, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 82, voting shall be conducted by secret ballot.

CBS President: According to the Regulation 62, two tellers selected from among the delegates present should be appointed to count the votes.

(Voting by secret ballot is conducted, more details should reference to Annex 1.)

Action: Dr Zhang display the procedures, and conference officer prepare the secret ballot process

Conduct the secret ballot according to the annex 2.

6.4 Declaration of the election decision

CBS President: In accordance with General Regulation 87 I declare Dr/Mr/Mrs ……...... ,who obtained a simple majority, elected vice-president of Commission for Basic systems.

CBS President: According to the REGULATION 62, the voting slips shall be destroyed after the announcement of the result by the presiding officer and its acceptance by the meeting.

CBS President: The names of elected officers will be accordingly reflected in the draft which I suggest to approve...... Adopted.

7. Conclusion

CBS President:

I would like to give the floor to the president elect......

I would like to give the floor to the vice-president elect......

I would like to open the floor for delegates ...... …….

Thanks to the Credential Committee, Nomination Committee, Tellers, Secretariat staff,..

This concludes the agenda item 7.

Annex 1: Attachments: Summary of Regulations

Elections during sessions

REGULATION 80

Elections for all offices and places which a constituent body is required to fill shall be held at each ordinary session of that constituent body.

REGULATION 81

Prior to each election for an office, place or group of places, a list of the candidates to be voted upon, comprising the proposals of the Nomination Committee, if any, and nominations from the floor, shall be compiled by the constituent body in session. This list shall include only the names of those persons who are eligible for the office or place(s) for which they are nominated and who have stated that they are willing to be included among the candidates for election.

REGULATION 82

In all elections, voting shall be by secret ballot. In voting, the provisions of Regulations 57, 62 and 63 shall apply. When there is only one candidate, he shall be declared elected without a ballot.

Voting at sessions

REGULATION 57

Each Member belonging to or represented in a constituent body shall have one vote. The principal delegate of a Member shall have the right to vote or to designate any other member of the same delegation to vote on his behalf. No person shall have more than one vote in sessions of constituent bodies.

REGULATION 62

In all votings by secret ballot, two tellers selected from among the delegates present shall be appointed to count the votes. The votes shall be counted in the presence of the constituent body immediately following the vote. The voting slips shall be destroyed after the announcement of the result by the presiding officer and its acceptance by the meeting.

REGULATION 63

In the case of votes made by secret ballot, the number of votes for and against and the number of abstentions shall be recorded in the minutes, or in a report to a plenary meeting, if no minutes are prepared at plenary meetings of a commission.

REGULATION 64 – simple majority

(b) For elections, the simple majority shall be the next integer immediately above the half of the voting slips received, excluding abstentions and blank or invalid voting slips.

REGULATION 83

A voting slip shall be invalid if it contains more names than the number of seats to be filled, or if it includes the name of any person not appearing in the list of candidates as established by the constituent body in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 81.

REGULATION 85

In associations and commissions, separate elections shall be held for the offices of president and vice-president, in that order.

REGULATION 87

In all elections other than those described in Regulation 86 (b) the candidate who obtains a simple majority as described in Regulation 64 (b) shall be declared elected. If, in the first ballot, no candidate obtains a simple majority, a second ballot, which shall be restricted to the two candidates who obtained the highest numbers of votes in the first ballot, shall be held. However, if any other candidate has obtained the same number of votes in the first ballot as the second candidate, he also shall be included in the list.