Questions & Answers from the Returning Officers webinar on 18 March 2013 at 11:30am
Question:If one parent has a new live-in partner - do mum dad and new partner get a vote?
Answer: Yes, natural parents always get a vote and there is the ability for one person to get an immediate caregiver vote and mum/dad’s spouse or partner qualifies for this.. See page 4 of the RO Handbook
Question:To clarify your response to the previous question, a maximum of three voting papers could be sent out for one student - if the criteria apply?
Answer:No, there has been changes to the definition of "parent". There is now no maximum number of votes as the definition now includes "legal guardian". So a student could have natural parents, legal guardians and an immediate caregiver voting. The maximum so far that we know about is 5 votes.
Question:RO Fee payment. Our auditor said this needs to go through Novopay for Tax purposes etc...Is this correct - and if so, what guarantee is there that this will be correct?
Answer:It does not normally go through Novopay. The only time this would happen is if it was part of your normal pay as an employee. We advise the returning officer puts in an invoice for the agreed amount and is paid on this invoice.
Question:If both parents have new partners/or remarried and the student spends week at each family do you choose who to give the additional vote to or not give either step parent a vote?
Answer:If the student spends approximately equal time in two or more households then there is no immediate caregiver vote.
Question:Do we have to advertise in the local paper or just our school newsletter - costs are expensive.
Answer:It is a requirement to advertise in a newspaper circulating in the area of the school. The election funding should cover these costs.
Question:Do we have to put postage on the return envelopes?
Answer:There is no legal requirement to put postage on the return envelopes but this can be done if the board wishes.
Question:If you get paid your fee on an invoice, does this then get added to your end of year tax papers?
Answer:The payment does attract tax and will need to be declared at tax time.
Question:How does the school get their BOT funding from the MOE?
Answer:For triennial elections your board will have received 70% of the total election grant in your operational grant. The remaining 30% is sent to the school once the RO has completed Appendix F and submitted to the MoE. This 30% is only paid however if there is a voting election.
Question:In regards to putting a newspaper advert in advising that nominations are now open, is there a specific date that this should be advertised. With the nominations opening on Monday 15th April - should this advert go in just a few days prior to this date?
Answer:If using 30 May as the election day, nominations must be called for (ad in paper and posting to each person on roll) by 2 May. We suggest this is done earlier before the end of term (week beginning 15 April).
Question: Should we be encouraging boards to consider the rotation of parent reps so there are some being replaced every 18months or 3 years?
Answer: This is completely up to the board to decide. There are pros and cons of each and the chair may like to contact the NZSTA Election Advice Line to discuss.
Question:Can election and vote papers be sent electronically?
Answer:No, they cannot. They must be posted or personally delivered.
Question:How many staff members should there be on the board?
Answer:There is provision in legislation for one staff representative and the principal to be on a board. A person can be on the board as a parent representative/coopted if they have fixed term employment. This situation, however, often requires a call to the helpdesk to talk the issue through.
Question:What to do if a parent is on the main roll, main roll is closed on 30/4 and then the student leaves, before the election?
Answer:If the main roll closes and then the student leaves the school, leave the parents on the roll and include them in the election process.
Question:With shared custody - do both step parents have a vote?
Answer:In this situation look at where the student lives. If 50% with mum, 50% with dad, only mum and dad get to vote. If the student lives mostly with mum and mum's partner, mum, mum's partner, and dad would get to vote (not dad's partner).
Question:How far do we need to go to track down birth parents? I have one family where there is protection orders (and caregiver family won't disclose/know of whereabouts) and 1 family where whereabouts unknown?
Answer:You need to make a reasonable effort...say by asking the parent that you do have the details for if they know the details of the other parent. Where protection orders or court orders are in place I would suggest you always check with the Election Advice Line first. 0800 353 284
Question:If parents do not live in the same house & several attempts have been made to obtain an unknown address of one of the parents - what are my obligations if I can't get the address?
Answer:You do not have to go to extreme lengths to find the address of an absent parent. That is why the roll is available for viewing, so someone can check whether they are on the roll. If you have attempted to find the address and have had no luck, they cannot be included.
Question:So the amount of votes a person has = the number of vacancies on the board (clarification)?
Answer:If the returning officer calls for nominations for five positions, voters can vote for up to five candidates. Each voter gets one voting paper. Let me know if I have not understood your question correctly.
Question:What if one of the parents lives overseas - are they eligible?
Answer:They do get a vote. In reality they will probably not have enough time to receive it and send it back in time but the regulations state that they must be sent.
Question:What is the reason for the five day 'delay' after the 30/5?
Answer:This is to allow for mail that has been date-stamped the day before Election Day, but has been delayed in delivery, to reach the returning officer. I am sure in some areas of New Zealand, mail does not reach the recipient the day after posting!
Question:If we have 3 parents for 18 month and 3 for 3 year, when do they determine what term they want to stand for?
Answer:If the board is opting in for the first time, the returning officer will use a specific form and a candidate will indicate on this form whether they are standing for 3 years or 18 months. If a board has already opted in to the mid terms, the returning officer will use the normal nomination form
Question: As I could not park in webinar - assure me that with split partners that I send forms to 4 guardians that share the children
Answer: Natural parents get a vote and the spouse or partner of the parent in the household that the student spends most time in, also gets a vote. If the student spends equal time in both households then neither partner gets a vote.
Question:Do you have an actual print out/list with the actual dates for 30th May elections for those particulars timelines eg 36 days is the ?? etc
Answer:There is an election calculator on the election website under "election planning" which will give you a print out of the significant dates in the election process
Question:Are two voting papers in one return envelope valid?
Answer:No, they are not
Question:So does that need to be explained to voters?
Answer:The voting paper has instructions on it at the bottom that state these instructions.
Question:Do we need to check for validity of the nominations?
Answer:Each candidate must sign the nomination paper to say they are eligible. The onus is on them.
Question:Publicity regarding the upcoming elections (little stories in the newsletters, information on the school website, posters around the school etc.) is not the responsibility of the RO?
Answer:No it is not. The returning officer is appointed to run the election. The board should have organised who will be doing the election promotion.
Question:Just going back to the question re promotion of the election, it is still the ROs job to place the newspaper ad in callingfor nominations though isn’t it?
Answer: Yes, the returning officer is responsible for placing the ad in the newspaper. This is part of the election process. (If it's in the regulations beginning on page 28 of the returning officers' handbook, it will be the responsibility of the returning officer.)
Question:If we struggle to get three parent nominations (very small school) is it correct that a current parent board member can nominate a member in the community to fill the position?
Answer: You do not have to be a parent to be a parent representative. Anyone in your community, if eligible, can be nominated by someone on the roll.
Question:Can we get emailed these questions and answers?
Answer:You can get the questions and answers from the NZSTA website for this session as well as from other sessions (which will also be of use to you)
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