6.1 All elections or other matters set out in Rule 6.2 for decision by secret ballot at the Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Union shall be held under the authority of the Executive Committee or under the authority of an Election Committee appointed specifically for the purpose by the Executive Committee. Secret ballots can be taken by members casting their votes in person during the Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting or by posting or handing back the ballot forms in accordance with the requirements set out in Rule 6.4. Unless otherwise provided in the Trade Unions Ordinance, all decisions taken by secret ballot will be valid if passed by a majority vote.
6.2 All decisions in respect of the following items shall be taken by secret ballot in accordance with the Trade Unions Ordinance:
(i) election of the officers of the Union and the Executive Committee Members;
(ii) change in the name of the Union;
(iii) amalgamation of the Union with another trade union;
(iv) federation of the Union with any other trade union or trade union federation.;
(v) changes to the Constitution;
(vi) being or becoming a member of an organisation which is established in a foreign country;
(vii) establishing an electoral fund;
(viii) payment of any expenses of a kind mentioned in 33A(1) of the Trade Unions Ordinance.
6.3 The Honorary Secretary or other officer appointed for the purpose shall be responsible for issuing ballot forms. Ballot forms will be issued only to voting members with the restriction that no newly-qualified member shall be admitted to the electoral register within the period of four weeks prior to the General Meeting.
6.4 Ballot forms must not be signed by the person filling them in. They must be sealed in the envelopes provided by the Union and returned by post or by hand on or before a time and to a place determined by the Executive Committee and there placed in a sealed ballot box. The Executive Committee or Election Committee will appoint persons to supervise and safeguard the ballot box.
6.5 Two or more scrutineers shall be elected at the Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting from members. The scrutineers will be responsible under the Executive Committee or Election Committee for collecting ballot boxes and counting and checking ballot forms.