UPDATE: AFSCME International has overturned the election!

The Election Committee has dismissed all 11 protests made against the conduct of the 2023 Local 696 election. At the 04/20/2023 Special General Membership Meeting, the Election Committee violated rules of order to push through a coerced “Yea” vote from the membership. As a result, we have appealed their dismissals to the AFSCME Judicial Panel. The appeal is below, and below the appeal is the full text of all 11 protests, as well as the response from the Election Committee.

The AFSCME International Judicial Panel has responded: The first investigatory meeting was on May 10th, 2023. Sharon Thorpe, J. Matthew Catron, Evelyn Flint, Sterling Davis, Charles Payne, Amirah Shepard, and Marissa Wilk met on zoom with the Election Committee: Bobby Davis, Darlene Booker-Jones, and Ethel Funches. Together we were questioned by AFSCME Judicial Panel Member Denise Gilmore, who was accompanied by additional AFSCME Staff. The meeting was orderly and respectful. Denise Gilmore announced at the end she would present her decision as soon as she has it. We will update this page when we have her response- stay tuned!

Judicial Panel Appeal

The Rabble Rousers have submitted 10 protests to the Election Committee. They are as follows:

1. Candidate Sterling Davis was excluded from the election results
2. The Election Committee did not allow the Rabble Rousers to review the ballots before they were sent to distribution
3. Proper nomination protocol was not followed, preventing potential candidates from being nominated
4. Trustee candidates should not have been listed on the ballot
5. The slates on the ballot were printed in the wrong order
6. There was no option to drop off ballots at American Arbitration Association
7. The SBU utilized an email list that was obtained with Local 696 resources, and this list was not provided to the Rabble Rousers
8. New hires were unconstitutionally suppressed from voting
9. Candidates’ observers were not permitted to observe ballot preparation or distribution
10. SBU Candidate(s) used intimidation tactics in an attempt to prevent Rabble Rouser campaigning
11. The Election Committee used an improper mailing list, leading to members never receiving their ballots

Election Committee Response to Protests

As a result of these 11 protests, we have also submitted to Local 696 and to AFSCME International a petition signed by 109 members of Local 696 (names redacted). Former President Bobby Davis claims that many of the names on the petition were not members. He highlighted one “non-member” in particular- a library worker who was present at the meeting.

The protest window has closed. No further protests for the 2023 AFSCME Local 696 election can be filed. Thank you to all members of Local 696 for your patience, participation, endurance, and solidarity. The Rabble Rousers will continue to fight for your voices to be heard.