§ 2.21 Elections Committee and Board Sanctions

Codes > Florida Statutes > Rules Regulating > Standing Policies : 200 > 2.21

2.21. Elections Committee and Board Sanctions

    (a) General. There is hereby created an elections committee that shall observe the conduct of aspirants and candidates for election to the office of president-elect of The Florida Bar, member of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and member of the Board of Governors of the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar. The committee shall consist of 3-5 members of The Florida Bar in good standing, at least 1 of whom shall have had a contested election to the office of president-elect. The members of the committee shall be appointed by the president-elect to serve July 1--June 30 and shall serve 1-year terms.

    (b) Committee Authority. The committee shall be authorized to provide interpretation of bar elections policies, identify violations of campaign conduct requirements, investigate complaints and recommend sanctions to the board. Members of the committee shall remain neutral and shall not support a particular candidate for any office under the committee's authority.

    If the elections committee determines that an aspirant or a candidate has violated bar rules or policies related to the conduct of campaigns for the board of governors or the office of president-elect or this policy, it shall recommend that the board impose sanctions that may include any 1 or a combination of:

        (1) publication, at the individual's expense, of an apology to the members of the bar for any violation of the rules or this policy; or

        (2) withholding all or a portion of bar aid; or

        (3) restrictions on the type of campaign activities the individual may engage in or the length of time the individual may campaign; or

        (4) releasing the campaign opponents of the sanctioned individual from any restrictions on the type of campaign activities they may engage in or the length of time they may campaign; or

        (5) appropriate disciplinary action for any violation of the rules or contractual agreement pursuant to this policy.

    (c) Board Action on Sanctions. The board, by a majority vote of those members present and voting, may adopt, reject or modify the sanctions recommended by the elections committee. If the board modifies the sanctions imposed, the board shall be limited to the sanctions listed in subdivision (b), above.