Election Regulations

Part 1: General Provisions

The board is the governing body of the IUTA and represents the interests of the members externally and is responsible for the administration and organization of the association's activities and finances. The working language of the IUTA is English. In those regulations, the male form is always used for the sake of simplicity. The IUTA explicitly addresses all genders.

As the IUTA is based in Germany, the German Civil Code (BGB) is used as the basis for the board election. In addition, the IUTA statutes regulate the framework for this election. The IUTA constitution stipulates that board members are elected for a term of four years. Furthermore, members are not limited to the number of terms that they may be elected. The board consists of President, Vice-President, Treasurer & Secretary – a total of four responsible persons.

The complete process will be conducted online. An election will only be held if there are more than four candidates. In all other cases, the existing committee together with the candidates will decide on the composition of the future IUTA body. In addition, if there are no candidates for an election, the current committee has the right to dissolve the “International Ultra Triathlon Association”.

Furthermore, the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, which protects the members’ personal data. By using the active or passive voting right, the member agrees that the election commission and the IUTA committee may process his personal data to carry out all work in connection with the IUTA committee election.

The following timetable for the year of the board election is binding. All dates are to be understood as inclusive and refer to Central European Time (CET):

1	until Mid of January	Announcement of Election / Search for Election Commission and Board Candidates
2	Mid of January - 31st of March	Application Phase for Candidates for the Election Commission
3	1st - Mid of April	Foundation of the Election Commission
4	Mid of April - 31st of July	Application Phase for a Position on the IUTA Committee
5	End of August / Begin of September	Publication of all Candidates for a Position at the IUTA Committee
6	Mid of September - 21st of October	Election Phase for the new IUTA Committee
7	22nd of October - 5th of November	Ballot Counting Period / Appointment of new IUTA-Board
8	until 12th of November	Announcement of new IUTA-Board
9	13th - 27th of November	Objection Phase
10	December	Handover Period

Part 2: Candidates Phases

1. Announcement of Election / Search for Election Commission and Board Candidates
   In January of the year in which the election takes place, all members are informed that the statutory election of the body will take place, that an election commission will be formed and that each member can stand as a candidate in accordance with the specific regulations.
   
   The information should contain a brief overview of the requirements and the most important tasks. In addition, a reference (links to the website) to the current statutes and these election regulations must be provided.
   
   
2. Application Phase for Candidates for the Election Commission
   A possible candidate for the election commission is any current IUTA member at the announcement of the committee election (Point 1 of the Timetable) and have obtained membership or were already IUTA members at any time during the preceding five full calendar years.
   
   No member may run for the election commission and a position on the IUTA committee or as auditor at the same time.
   
   The deadline for applications is in accordance with the timetable.
   
   
3. Foundation of the Election Commission
   The IUTA appoints an election commission to ensure that the election is conducted transparently and independently. The election commission conducts its work in good faith. All persons of the election commission are members of the extended IUTA committee for the entire duration of the election, i.e. temporarily and limited in effect to the holding of the election.
   
   The IUTA appoints at least two persons from the candidates for the election commission in accordance with the timetable. Furthermore, the IUTA shall appoint the chairperson of the election commission in the following order according to defined criteria:
   a) Person has previously served (longest) in a position on the IUTA committee.
   b) Person who can prove that he has completed the most ultratriathlons plus organized the most ultratriathlon events.
   c) In the case of a tie between the two aforementioned criteria, the IUTA committee decides freely.
   
   The IUTA sets up an e-mail address for the election commission so that it can communicate freely with the IUTA members. It is mandatory for the IUTA to provide the members of the election commission with access data for this e-mail address. The members of the election commission undertake not to delete any emails so that any subsequent objections can be verified.
   
   The IUTA hands over a list of all members with their surnames, first names and e-mail addresses to the chairperson of the election commission. The entire election commission undertakes to use the e-mail addresses and names exclusively for the purposes of carrying out work directly related to the committee election. The entire election commission undertakes not to use any personal data, such as names or e-mail addresses, for private and/or commercial purposes.
   
   
4. Application Phase for a Position in the IUTA Committee / Independent Auditor
   Together with the IUTA, the election commission gives the go-ahead for the application phase for a position on the IUTA committee. The election commission provides that information via e-mail. The information should contain a brief overview of the requirements and the most important tasks. In addition, it should be stated that each candidate is applying for a position on the future IUTA committee, not for a specific position (President, Treasurer, etc.). However, every applicant is free to indicate a preferred position in their application.
   
   A possible candidate for a position at the IUTA committee is any current IUTA member at the announcement of the committee election (Point 1 of the Timetable) and have obtained membership or were already IUTA members at any time during the preceding five full calendar years.
   
   Members of the election commission may not additionally run for a position on the IUTA committee or as auditor.
   
   Honorary members do not have the right to stand for election.
   
   In addition to the new IUTA Committee members, at least one independent auditor will also be elected. The deadline for applications is according to the timetable.
   
   
5. Publication of all Candidates for a position at the IUTA Committee
   At the end of the application phase for a position on the IUTA committee, the election commission submits a list of all candidates with a picture (optional) and letter of application to the IUTA. The IUTA prepares the information provided on all candidates for publication in a neutral and favorable manner. The candidates are published in a password-protected area on the association's own website.
   
   The candidates are listed by surname and then by first name in ascending alphabetical order. Each candidate has the opportunity to submit exactly one photo in addition to an application text. For reasons of equal treatment, the application text will be shortened to 1000 characters in the overview of all candidates. A possible long version, i.e. an application text with more than 1000 characters, will follow after the presentation of all candidates on the same website.
   
   To enable all eligible voters to better assess the experience of each candidate, the IUTA will publish additional information as follows:
   a) Years and positions already held on the IUTA committee
   b) Number of ultratriathlons finished and the number of long distances in ultratriathlons finished
   c) Number of ultratriathlon events organized

Part 3: Election Phase & Results

6. Election Phase for the new IUTA Committee
   The election commission informs all members by email that the election is starting. The date of this e-mail is the official start date of the election. In this e-mail, the election commission must send the following modalities unchanged. In addition, the access data for the password-protected area of the candidate overview must be transmitted. The following modalities apply to the election:
   a) All members are actively eligible to vote who are current IUTA members at the official start of the election phase for the new IUTA committee (Point 6 of the timetable) and have obtained membership or were already IUTA members at any time during the preceding five full calendar years.
   Fictitious example: The board election officially starts on September 18, 2020, which means that all members who have been members of the IUTA for at least one day from September 17, 2020 retroactively until January 1 of the election year plus five full calendar years retroactively have the right to vote. In this fictitious example, the period is January 1, 2015 up to and including September 17, 2020.
   b) Honorary members do not have the right to vote.
   c) The votes of each member are weighted equally in accordance with the constitution of the IUTA.
   d) Event organizers vote as a unit or count as one member. An athlete's vote is not forfeited if he is also an organizer or participates in an organizing team.
   e) Each eligible voter receives four votes for the election to distribute them among their favorite candidates. An IUTA committee candidate may only receive one vote from an eligible voter, counting as one of their four available votes.
   If an eligible voter casts fewer than four votes, the ballot will be counted as valid, but all remaining votes will be forfeited. If an eligible voter casts more than 4 votes, the ballot will be deemed invalid in its entirety.
   f) Candidates for a position on the IUTA committee (passive voting rights) are also eligible to vote (active voting rights). However, they may not vote for themselves.
   g) All votes received in the period from the official start of this election to the official end, October 21, 2025, 23:59 CET, will be counted. Votes received by the election commission outside this period will not be taken into account. The date of receipt by the election commission is decisive.
   h) A cast vote is definitely counted as cast. A subsequent correction is not possible, even if the deadline is still running.
   i) Every eligible voter who has cast his vote(s) within the election period will receive a confirmation by e-mail from the election commission.
   
   
7. Ballot Counting Period / Appointment of new IUTA-Board and Auditor(s)
   The election commission counts the votes immediately after the end of the election period. More votes correspond to a higher ranking.
   
   If two or more candidates receive the same number of votes, the following order will be used to decide which candidate is placed higher:
   a) The higher sum of Ultratriathlons (UT) finished.
   b) The higher sum of long-distances in Ultratriathlons (UT) finished, whereby a Double Ultratriathlon corresponds to two long distances, a Triple UT to three long distances, ..., a Deca UT to ten long distances, etc.
   
   In order to represent the internationality of our organization internally and externally in as balanced a manner as possible, the candidates are also assigned according to nationality. If two or more candidates from one nation each occupy one of the first four places in the ranking, all candidates except the one with the most votes from this nation are placed in the last positions in the ranking. Only if this is no longer possible due to a lack of candidates and/or nations will the number of votes be decisive again.
   
   In cases of doubt, the election commission can ask the current IUTA committee for support.
   
   The final result is to be recorded in writing as a list of all candidates, sorted in descending order of the number of votes. The candidate with the most votes shall be placed first. The IUTA receives the list of all candidates and their number of votes from the election commission.
   
   The election commission asks the candidates individually, starting with the first-placed candidate in descending order, whether they accept the election. If four candidates answer this question in the affirmative, the election is deemed to be concluded.
   
   The four elected persons as well as the current IUTA committee will be informed of the result in writing by the election commission.
   
   If fewer than four candidates accept their election, the election commission returns the election to the IUTA for clarification. The current IUTA committee alone is now responsible for forming the new board together with the candidates who have accepted their election.
   
   The election commission asks all candidates who are not part of the newly elected IUTA committee whether they would like to act as auditor and informs the current IUTA committee of the result in writing.
   
   
8. Announcement of new IUTA-Board
   The IUTA informs all members of the outcome of the election, regardless of the result. IUTA provides all members with the list of all candidates. The association only publishes the number of votes for those candidates who have accepted their election. All other candidates are named without the number of votes.
   
   The IUTA also announces the period of the handover phase and draws attention to the possibility of objecting to the election and the objection deadline.
   
   
9. Objection Phase
   Every member has the right to lodge an objection to the election by the deadline specified in the official timetable. The objection must be made in writing via e-mail to the election address and/or the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The objection must contain a factual justification, which must also be supported by appropriate documents or witnesses.
   
   The election commission and the acting IUTA committee decide jointly on each objection.

Part 4: Handover Period

10. Handover
    During the handover phase, the formal introduction to the business of the IUTA takes place. In addition, all necessary documents and IUTA property must be handed over to the new committee. The outgoing committee must organize the discharge in accordance with the statutes of the association during this time. The business can only be handed over properly after the discharge.
    
    The outgoing board supports the new board in the following processes, - find/distribute their roles on the board (President, Treasurer, Secretary etc.)
    - find at least one auditor who independently checks the association's finances once a year.
    - organize a possible relocation of the association to another country
    - implement the transfer of the association's assets
    - implement the transfer of the internet domains
    
    A handover protocol must be drawn up to prove that the above conditions have been met. The protocol must be signed by both the outgoing and the incoming president. Both persons have the right to call in the head of the election commission as a mediator or witness.
    
    With effect from January 1 of the following year in which the election took place, the newly formed IUTA committee takes up its work. As a result, the old board is released from all obligations.