04. Electoral Regulations

Approved by the 1976 General Assembly and the 1977 Central Committee. Amended by the 1978, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2005 General Assemblies.

1. The Presidential Ticket

Nominations for the office of President, Deputy President, Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer and Continental Presidents must reach the FIDE Secretariat at least three months before the opening of the General Assembly. To be elected, each candidate shall be nominated by his federation. He should have been a member of his federation at least one year before the General Assembly.

The federation of the candidate shall send the letter of nomination to FIDE Secretariat by fax and by registered mail. FIDE Secretariat shall confirm receipt of this letter. (GA `93)

Nominees shall confirm at the same time to FIDE Secretariat their acceptance of the nomination.

All nominations for the offices of President, Deputy President, Vice President, General Secretary and Treasurer shall specify the proposed holders of all those offices on one combined ticket.

The FIDE Secretariat will insure that the listing of all nominees is included in the agenda sent to all member federations prior to the Congress.

The elections for the combined ticket of President, Deputy President, Vice President, General Secretary and Treasurer shall be held prior to the other elections. (GA ‘95)

On the day of the election, each Presidential candidate will have a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes on stage to present his program. The order of appearance shall be based on the drawing of lots.

2. Other elections

A defeated candidate from the Presidential ticket may accept nomination for any elected office, immediately following the election of the combined ticket.

The nomination and confirmation of the 2 appointed Vice Presidents shall be made in the General Assembly immediately after the election of the Continental Presidents.

After the appointment of the 2 Vice Presidents, the individual elections of 3 additional Vice Presidents take place.

Only candidates with written nominations made by FIDE delegates, Federation Presidents, Zonal Presidents, Executive Board members or Presidential Board members, are eligible to be elected.

The FIDE Auditor and the Verification Commission members, The Chairman of Ethics Committee and the Committee members and the Constitutional Committee members are all elected after the Vice Presidents.

3. Electoral process

To secure a fair and impartial electoral process, three scrutineers, a chairman and two members, shall be appointed for the elections.

Preceding the elections, there shall be a roll-call, in alphabetical order, to establish the number of votes possible. (GA `93)

Marked ballots shall be prepared for the elections, with the names of the candidates if there is more than one for a given office.

Each Presidential candidate is entitled to appoint one observer for the counting of the ballots. (GA ‘93)

In the elections the names of the federations shall be called. They are to put their ballots in a box with a slot in the order called.

Each ballot shall contain at the most as many names, as there are places to be filled in the FIDE office in question. Otherwise the ballot shall not be valid.

If possible, a list with the candidates for each office shall be circulated before the elections.

A majority of the votes cast, not counting abstentions, shall be required for the election of the officers individually and collectively where necessary. If three or more persons are nominated for the same offices or office, the candidates that receive 50% plus one of the votes cast, are elected on the first ballot.

Thereafter:

(a) The candidates receiving most votes on the second ballot are elected to the vacant number of offices. In case of a tie, a new ballot is held between the candidates that tied.

(b) The election procedure for the Continental offices, will follow the regulations in each Continent.

The election procedure for the Zonal Presidents will follow the regulations of each zone.

For the Executive Board, each Continent shall have the right to elect 4 members from the Continent.

All elected officials will enter on duty the last day of the General Assembly where elected or appointed, just after the minutes are approved. This will be the last item of the General Assembly minutes.

4. Election conditions

Eligibility for office pertains only to those persons who belong to a member-federation.

No person can be elected to a FIDE-office against the will of his national federation. This stipulation may be waived by the General Assembly only in exceptional cases. Federations that are against the nomination of one of their members for a FIDE office, should raise their objections to such a nomination before the election.

The first day of the General Assembly at which elections shall be held, shall be without adjournment until the elections are concluded (GA ’97).

Elections shall be held after the consideration of the report of the President and that of the Treasurer on the first day of the General Assembly (GA ’97).

Any elected or appointed officer in FIDE can be removed from his position for cause. Cause is defined as being contrary to the spirit and text of the statutes and regulations of their office. The action must have the agreement of the Ethics Committee and requires a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board or General Assembly.

In such cases the General Assembly or the Executive Board can set up a committee of three persons to investigate and examine an offence (or an act against the principles of FIDE); the committee shall report to the General Assembly or Executive Board.

All elections and appointments are valid for a period of 4 years unless otherwise specifically stated. If the FIDE Congress in the election year is held before or after the 4-year period expires, the term of office is equally shortened or prolonged.

All other positions that are not elected according to point 1 and 2 in the Electoral regulations or according to any other FIDE Regulations, are appointed by the FIDE President and approved by the General Assembly, the Executive Board or the Presidential Board.

Any change in the Electoral Regulations will come in to effect on the last day of the General Assembly or the Executive Board, after the closing of the meeting.


Clarifications made by the Executive Board in Dresden:

· A Federation is entitled to nominate only one candidate for one position

· Only one candidate may be elected from each Federation to the office of Vice President