General Circular No. 001334

To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors

Subject: Election Of Employee Commission Member

Issue Date: November 24, 1998

The term of the present elected employee member of the State Civil Service Commission will expire on April 30, 1999. Revised Statute 42:1351 et seq. provides for the election process to fill this office.

The classified employee member of the State Civil Service Commission shall be a full time, permanent employee in the classified state service for a period of at least one year prior to the date on which the employee qualifies as a candidate. The term is for six years which shall commence on May 1, 1999.

In accordance with state law, the call for this election shall be issued by the Director of State Civil Service on January 4, 1999. Nomination as a candidate for the office of employee member of the Commission shall be by petition of at least one hundred (100) permanent employees in the state classified service. The petition shall be filed with the Director of the Department of State Civil Service not later than close of business, January 13, 1999. Nomination petitions will not be accepted prior to January 4, 1999. The official business hours of the Department of State Civil Service conclude at 4:30 p.m. each working day. A nomination petition form and a candidate information form are attached to this circular for candidate use. Please photocopy the second page of the petition form for use in obtaining additional signatures. Any attack upon the eligibility of a candidate must be done in accordance with State election law.

On February 10, 1999, the ballots will be delivered to each agency appointing authority or his/her designee(s) for immediate distribution to eligible, classified employee voters. To be eligible to vote in the election, a classified employee must have attained permanent status by close of business, December 5, 1998. Inside the distribution envelope for each eligible voter will be one official ballot, one signature slip which contains information under law for eligibility verification, one official ballot envelope, and one postage paid return envelope that is preprinted addressed to the Department of Civil Service. After voting in accordance with the instructions on the ballot, the voter shall (1) place the ballot in the envelope marked "for ballot only," (2) seal the envelope, (3) complete the signature slip by writing and printing his/her name and social security number, (4) place both the sealed ballot envelope and the signature slip in the return envelope, and (5) return it to the Department of State Civil Service. The final date for return of ballots to the Department of State Civil Service shall be no later than close of business, February 24, 1999. Ballots physically received in the main office of the Department of State Civil Service in Baton Rouge after 4:30 p.m., February 24, 1999, shall not be counted.

By law, the counting of ballots will be completed no later than close of business March 1, 1999. In the event no candidate receives at least 35 percent of the valid votes cast in the election, the candidates who receive the two highest numbers of votes cast in the election shall qualify as candidates in a runoff election, which will be held immediately after the results are known in this primary election.

In this election process, it is essential that there be maximum assistance and cooperation between the agency appointing authorities and the Department of State Civil Service. The timely and accurate distribution of ballots to agency appointing authorities is a major undertaking for the Department, and the further, immediate distribution of the ballots to eligible voters requires special efforts by the agencies, particularly those departments with employees located throughout the state. While the Department is going to deliver ballots to agencies located outside of Baton Rouge, agencies which are located within the Baton Rouge area are encouraged to pick up the ballots for their agencies at the main office of the Department of State Civil Service. If possible, this should include departments taking responsibility for picking up the ballots for further, immediate distribution to their offices statewide. This cooperation and assistance from the agencies not only will expedite the delivery of ballots to eligible voters but will reduce the cost of the distribution process. Please indicate on the attached Ballot Delivery Information Form your willingness to pick up your ballots. Appointing authorities are also requested to use this form to designate that person or those persons to receive the ballots for further distribution within their agency.

Since private delivery services (e.g. UPS, Federal Express, etc.) will be utilized for delivery of those ballots which will not be picked up by agencies, it is necessary to have accurate delivery addresses (i.e. physical locations) of all agencies. Our current agency address files contain primarily post office box numbers, which cannot be used by delivery services. Please use the Ballot Delivery Information Form to furnish the requested information. The form should be returned to Ms. Rosemary Hannie, Commissioner Election Coordinator, P.O. Box 94111, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9111, by December 11, 1998.

Since this election will be of vital importance to all permanent classified employees, please make the widest possible distribution of this General Circular as soon as possible. The conduct of the election will be under the general supervision of Ms. Hannie. If further information is needed, please contact her at (225)342-0640, e-mail address: rhannie@dscs.state.la.us, or FAX number (225)342-8058.

Sincerely,

Allen H. Reynolds

Director