V. Guidelines for Election

1. The Commission on Election

a. The Commission shall be composed of
i. the out-going Coordinator, who chairs the Commission
ii. a representative from the doctoral students, chosen by the CCR
iii. a representative from the religious Sisters, chosen by their Superior
iv. the PCF Spiritual Director, with no voting power within the Comelec

b. General Guidelines
i. It is tasked with carrying out the electoral process, and deciding on whatever questions that may arise in the conduct of Election, consulting the opinion of the community if necessary.
ii. It is tasked to provide practical needs such as printing of the ballots, selecting of the polling precinct, preparing the ballot box, and carrying out the canvassing process.
iii. All PCF residents (Priests, religious and lay personnel) can nominate and elect candidates to an office.

c. Qualified Candidates for Election
i. All student-priests, except those who will be doctoral students the following school year and those who will be leaving before the end of the incoming academic year, may be nominated to any office.
ii. Any elected Coordinator cannot be re-elected to any position.
iii. Immediate past officers, except the Coordinator, can be re-elected but not to the same position.

2. The Electoral Process is comprised of two phases

a. The first phase is for the Nomination (casting of votes on Day 1 from 6 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) and Election (casting of votes on Day 1, 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) of the key positions, i.e. Coordinator, Vice-Coordinator, Secretary and Treasurer.

b. The second phase is for the Nomination (Day 2, from 6 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) and Election (Day 2, 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) of the Commission Heads. Nominees not elected during the first phase are eligible to be nominated to the second phase.

3. The Nomination

a. The COMELEC distributes the official ballots with all eligible candidates at 8:30 p.m. on the eve of the day of nomination.

b. The voters are to cast their votes in the designated voting precinct from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm of the Nomination Phase.

c. The counting of votes may be done in private by the COMELEC. Any voter who wishes to witness the counting may do so.

d. The three nominees who obtain the highest number of votes for an office shall be the candidates to that office. In case of a tie among nominees to a position, the COMELEC decides on the final three names.

e. If one is nominated to more than one position,
i. the position where he has a higher rank takes precedence.
ii. in case one is equally ranked in more than one post, the post with the higher votes takes precedence.
iii. in case one is equally ranked and with the same number of votes in more than one position, the Comelec decides as to where he will be an official candidate.

4. The Election

a. The COMELEC distributes official ballots at 3:00 p.m. of the Election Phase.

b. The voters are to cast their votes in the designated voting precinct from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 pm.

c. The counting of votes shall be done in public at the end of the voting period.

d. The one who gets the highest number of votes to an office wins. In case of a tie, the COMELEC will decide the manner to break it, like toss coin or dice.

e. The one who gets the second highest number of votes for the office of Coordinator automatically becomes the Vice-Coordinator.

5. Declaration

a. The COMELEC shall release the official result of the Election which shall be duly attested to by the Rector.

b. The Induction into Office will be during Mass on the Saturday after the Elections.

6. Acceptance and Vacancy

a. The Election into office is an opportunity to serve, thus everyone is expected to generously accept the office. In case, after intense prayer and discernment, there is compelling reason not to accept the office, he must manifest it to the Rector.

b. In case of vacancy in an office during the semester, the Rector may consult the new council to fill the position.