Article II

Elections and Filling Vacancies
The officers of this VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center”, excluding the immediate past president, shall be elected as follows:
Section 1. ANNUAL ELECTION. Subject to the provisions of Sections 7 and 8 of this Article, all officers and members of the board, other than directors, shall be elected annually and shall take office on July 1st, and shall hold office for one year from that date, or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified. The Secretary shall promptly report the newly elected officers to the International Office within 15 days of the election.
Section 2. DIRECTORS ELECTION. One-half of the directors shall be elected annually and shall take office on the July 1st next following their election, and shall hold office for two (2) years from that time, or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified, with the exception that at the first election held after the adoption of this constitution and by-laws, one-half of the directors shall be elected for two year terms and the other one-half of the directors shall be elected for one year terms.
Section 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE. No person shall be eligible to hold office in this VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” unless he/she is an active member in good standing.
Section 4. NOMINATING COMMITTEE. The president shall appoint a nominating committee which shall submit the names of candidates for the various VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” offices to the VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” at the nomination meeting. At this meeting, nominations for all offices to be filled in the succeeding year may also be made from the floor.
Section 5. NOMINATION MEETING. A nomination meeting shall be held in March of each year or as determined by the board of directors, with the date and place of such meeting to be determined by the board of directors. Notice of the meeting shall be published by regular post or electronic means or by personal delivery to each member of this VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the date of the meeting.
Section 6. ELECTION. An election shall be held in April or as determined by the board of directors, at a time and place determined by the board of directors. Notice of the election shall be published by regular post or electronic means or by personal delivery to each member of the VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior the date of the election. Such notice shall include the names of all nominees approved at the preceding nomination meeting, and, subject to Section 3 above, a statement that these nominees will be voted upon at this election. No nominations may be made from the floor at the election.
Section 7. BALLOT. The election shall be conducted by a secret written ballot by those present and qualified to vote.
Section 8. VOTES REQUIRED. The officer candidate is required to secure a majority of the votes cast by the VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” members present and voting in order to be declared elected; for purpose of such election, a majority is defined as a number more than one-half of the total valid votes cast excluding blanks and abstentions. If, on the first ballot, and subsequent ballots, no candidate receives a majority, the candidate or tied candidates receiving the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated and balloting shall continue until one candidate receives a majority. In case of a tie on any ballot, balloting shall continue on the tied candidates until one is elected.
Section 9. NOMINEE UNABLE TO SERVE. If in the interim between the nomination meeting and the election meeting any nominee is unable for any reason to serve in the office to which he/she was nominated and for which office there was no other nominee, the nominating committee shall submit, at the election meeting, names of additional nominees for that office.
Section 10. VACANCY. If the office of president or of any vice president shall become vacant for any reason, the vice presidents shall advance in office, according to their rank. In the event such provision for advancement shall fail to fill the office of president, or any office of vice president, the board of directors shall thereon call a special election, giving each member in good standing prior fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice of the time and place, which time and place shall be determined by said board, and such office shall be filled at said election meeting.
In the event of a vacancy in any other office, the board of directors shall appoint a member to fill the unexpired term.
In the event vacancies shall be of such number as to reduce the number of directors to less than the number required for a quorum, the membership of the VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” shall have power to fill such vacancies by an election held at any regular meeting of the VISHWA SINDHI SEVA SANGAM “Center” upon prior notice, and in the manner, specified in Section 11 hereinafter. Such notice may be given by any remaining officer or director, but if none, then by any member.
Section 11. REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS-ELECT. In the event any officer-elect, before his/her term of office commences, is unable or refuses for any reason to serve therein, the president may call a special nomination and election meeting to elect a replacement for such officer elect. Fourteen (14) calendar days prior notice of such meeting, setting forth the purpose, time and place shall be given to each member, by mail or personal delivery. The election shall be held immediately after nominations have been closed and a plurality vote shall be necessary for election.