Election FAQS

What are the eligibility requirements to run for state delegate?

Any NASP member (except Associate, Student Associate, Canadian, and International Members) may run for a NASP Delegate position. Candidates must be credentialed as a school psychologist (state credential or NCSP) or have completed a school psychology training program. Candidates are not required to have prior experience as elected or appointed leaders of NASP.

Delegate candidates must have their official NASP mailing address in the state they wish to represent. They must either live or work in this state. These positions will be elected by the NASP members from their state.

What are the eligibility requirements to run for an officer position?

As of September 15, 2021 (the deadline to declare as a candidate for the 2022 election cycle), the following qualifications are in effect.

To run for the office of President-Elect, an individual must:

  1. Be eligible for regular membership in NASP.
  2. Be a current NASP member.
  3. Have NASP Leadership Assembly leadership experience (i.e. Delegate, committee chair, strategic liaison, strategic planning coordinator, or elected officer) within the previous 7 years.

To run for the office of Treasurer, an individual must:

  1. Be eligible for regular membership in NASP.
  2. Be a current NASP member.
  3. Have NASP Leadership Assembly leadership experience (i.e. Delegate, committee chair, strategic liaison, strategic planning coordinator, or elected officer) within the previous 7 years.

The Board recommends that potential candidates for this office have professional or personal experiences relevant to the role of treasurer. However, such experience is not required.

To run for the office of Secretary, an individual must:

  1. Be eligible for regular membership in NASP.
  2. Be a current NASP member.
  3. 3. Have NASP Leadership Assembly leadership experience (i.e., Delegate, committee chair, strategic liaison, strategic planning coordinator, or elected officer) or other leadership roles (i.e., committee cochair, committee member, interest group coordinator), or state leadership position (i.e., state school psychology association elected Officer or board member) within the previous 10 years.

The qualifications for secretary are intentionally less restrictive than for president-elect or treasurer in order to open a pathway to an Officer’s position to those who have relevant leadership experiences outside of the Leadership Assembly.

How do I know what is allowed and not allowed as far as campaigning goes?

View the NASP Elections Campaigning Policy. It is also important that if you have ANY questions about a planned activity you contact Stephen Brock, the Elections Committee chair, at brock@csus.edu before you initiate that activity.

Do my supporters have to follow the NASP Campaigning Policies?

Yes. The campaign policies are written for everyone involved in the election.

How do I control/enforce what people who support me do?

We ask all candidates to inform their supporters of the campaign policies. If necessary copy the policies and give them to your supporters.

My opponent endorses a particular position/practice (e.g., full psychological evaluations) and I do not. May I point out these differences?

No. All campaigning is to be positive.

May I use the state listserv to get my name and positions out?

No. The use of Listservs, group e-mails, social networking (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), broadcast telephone message, and other communications sent to large groups to campaign is forbidden.

May I send an email to all of my coworkers at my school district using inter-school emails?

Candidates and their supporters may contact any member about the election. Individual contact is the preferred method of campaigning whether in person, by phone, or via email. However written communications may include more than one email address as long as the blind carbon copy (or “bcc”) option is used and recipients cannot see who else is copied on the email. It is important to mention that the bcc option also eliminates a “Reply All” as a response option. Additionally, the Chair of Nominations and Elections, and/or their specified designee, shall be included in the bcc. The Chair and/or their designee will check all such communications for factual accuracy and as indicated may require corrections to these communications be made.

May I post a statement on my Facebook page indicating that I am running for Delegate/Secretary/President-elect?

No. You may not use the Facebook page (or other Web pages) to campaign.  You may indicate positions and beliefs but not to indicate that you are running for a position in NASP.

My state is holding its state convention this fall.  May I have a table in the exhibition area to leave flyers and stickers announcing my candidacy?

No. The policy states "The use of flyers, bumper stickers, buttons, or other promotional materials to campaign is prohibited."

May I stop and greet fellow school psychologists and indicate my candidacy?

Yes. This is an individual contact and is permitted.

During our state membership meeting may I stand and announce my candidacy? What if I am running unopposed?

No. The key words here are "Membership Meeting." The policy states "Candidates should not make public statements promoting their candidacy unless it is within a public forum that includes all candidates." By public forum we mean a scheduled candidate event designed for members to get to know the candidates. This holds true even if you are running unopposed. If your state wants to include an announced "Public Forum" for all candidates in their general meeting then your announcement would be appropriate.

My state association wants to have a town hall meeting with my delegate opponent(s) and me at the state convention. Is it OK to do this?

Yes. State associations may sponsor a forum such as this as long as every candidate participates. If even one candidate cannot attend, the meeting should not take place.  The association may also do a Q&A interview with all candidates and publish it in the newsletter.

It happens that a candidate for an officer position is also from our state. May they participate as well?

No. Officer forums may not be held. They may do a Q&A with all candidates for the same office participating.

My state wants to print an article in our newsletter announcing my candidacy for an officer position. May they do that?

No. We ask state school psychology associations and other professional associations to refrain from endorsing any one candidate for a specific position, but instead are asked to promote the NASP election process and to encourage their eligible members to vote. For example, a state association may facilitate the dissemination of all candidate statements or the link to the NASP website.

I have lots of people who want to help me in my election. We want to send e-mails to as many members as we can.  May I give them access to the Leadership Tools so they can send e-mails to members?

No. The Web Use Policy forbids the sharing of login and password information. The Leadership Tools area is a restricted site designed for use by NASP leaders to help them conduct NASP business. We give access to that site because some candidates are currently NASP leaders with access to Tools and some are not.  In order to have a "level playing field" we allow non-leader candidates access. The candidate is the only one who may use that privilege.

If they cannot use Tools can they use the online membership directory available to all members?

Yes, candidates and their supporters may contact any member about the election. But remember that individual contact is the preferred method of campaigning whether in person, by phone, or via email. However written communications may include more than one email address as long as the blind carbon copy (or “bcc”) option is used and recipients cannot see who else is copied on the email. It is important to mention that the bcc option also eliminates a “Reply All” as a response option. Additionally, the Chair of Nominations and Elections, and/or their specified designee, shall be included in the bcc. The Chair and/or their designee will check all such communications for factual accuracy and as indicated may require corrections to these communications be made.

May I use the "send an email to this group using your own e-mail client" option on the Tools, online Membership Directory to email members in my state?

Yes, but remember that individual contact is the preferred method of campaigning whether in person, by phone, or via email. However written communications may include more than one email address as long as the blind carbon copy (or “bcc”) option is used and recipients cannot see who else is copied on the email. It is important to mention that the bcc option also eliminates a “Reply All” as a response option. Additionally, the Chair of Nominations and Elections, and/or their specified designee, shall be included in the bcc. The Chair and/or their designee will check all such communications for factual accuracy and as indicated may require corrections to these communications be made.

I want to send postcards to my colleagues reminding them to vote for me.  May I add the NASP logo on the postcard?

Two issues are involved here: (a) you may not use the NASP logo in your communication, and (b) rules specify that “[n]o expenditure of a candidate’s own funds or those of other individuals or organizations for campaigning is acceptable.

I have a personal web site through my university.  May I advertize this site in my campaign literature?  May I indicate that I am running for office on that site?

See next question and answer.

I don't have a website but want to create one. Is that OK? Can I hire a friend or relative to develop it?

Members are welcome to have personal web sites and that site may be referenced in your writings but NASP will not provide that reference as an active link. The site may not be used to campaign or reference the NASP election. A member may indicate their positions and beliefs on the website but reference to the NASP election or the candidacy is prohibited. The candidate may reference the NASP website in their writing. A candidate should be careful about spending too much to develop a site that will be used to outline positions or beliefs, but, since the site is a private site and not a campaigning site, NASP does not have much say about how you develop (or pay for) your personal site.

I have just realized that one of my supporters has posted a note on the state listserv endorsing me.  I realize this is a violation of the NASP Campaign Policies-what do I do?

Actually this has happened a number of times and in each case the candidate has informed the Elections Committee of the violation. We believe that each member (candidate or not) is a steward of the election process and we request that you let us know ASAP if you are aware of a campaign violation. Typically we will try to get the post removed as soon as we can, inform the poster of the violation, and educate the electorate about the NASP Campaigning Policies.

May I use my school psychologist intern to send campaigning e-mails for me?

Candidates are cautioned when using subordinates in a campaign role. NASP guidelines state "Candidates and supporters are also advised to use care and insure the NASP Ethical Principles and advisories issued by the Ethics Committee are followed when enlisting the support of graduate students, supervisees, coworkers, and others who may be in a subordinate role with the candidate."

How do I make a complaint regarding the election?

Only current NASP members may make election complaints. All problems, concerns, and discrepancies are to be reported in writing (via U.S. mail or email) and forwarded to the Nominations and Elections Chair with a copy to the Executive Director. In addition, the Nominations and Elections Committee itself may identify potential breaches. The committee, in consultation with the Executive Director, will act on the complaint or suspected breach in a timely manner and indicate the substance of the complaint and the action to be taken to the candidate and the complainant. Either the complainant or the offending party may appeal this decision to the Board of Directors. The BoD’s decision will be final and may not be appealed.

Are all NASP members eligible to vote?

For the January 2023 elections, you must be a NASP member by Friday, December 9 to be eligible to vote. In addition, Student Associate and Associate members are not eligible to vote. All other current members as of December 9 will be eligible to vote and receive an email with instructions to access their ballot.