Council Elections

The College Council is comprised of seven social workers and seven social service workers who are elected by members of the College. Another seven Public members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. An election is held in a different district in May of each year.

To determine the areas from which representatives are elected, the province is divided into five electoral districts:

Electoral District One:

Elects one social work councillor and one social service work councillor
Composed of the geographic area within the territorial boundaries of the Districts of Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Sudbury, Algoma, Manitoulin, Parry Sound and Nipissing and the District Municipality of Muskoka.

Electoral District Two:

Elects one social work councillor and one social service work councillor
Composed of the geographic area within the territorial boundaries of the Counties of Hastings, Lanark and Renfrew, the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville, Lennox & Addington, Prescott & Russell, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, the County of Prince Edward, the Frontenac Management Board, the City of Kingston and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton.

Electoral District Three:

Elects two social work councillors and two social service work councillors
Composed of the geographic area within the territorial boundaries of the Counties of Haliburton, Victoria, Peterborough, Northumberland and Simcoe, the Regional Municipalities of Durham, York and Peel and the City of Toronto.

Electoral District Four:

Elects two social work councillors and two social service work councillors
Composed of the geographic area within the territorial boundaries of the Regional Municipalities of Halton, Hamilton-Wentworth, Niagara, Waterloo and Haldimand-Norfolk, the Counties of Dufferin and Wellington and the County of Brant.

Electoral District Five:

Elects one social work councillor and one social service work councillor
Composed of the geographic area within the territorial boundaries of the Counties of Grey, Bruce, Huron, Perth, Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Lambton and Essex and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

Eligibility for Election

A member is eligible for election as a Councillor if, on the date of nomination, the member:

• Holds a certificate of registration for social work or social service work (a member is only eligible for nomination in the membership category in which the member holds a certificate of registration).
• Is nominated in the electoral district where the member practises, or for non-practising members, where the member resides. 
• Is not in default of payment of fees. 
• Has not had a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity against him or her in the three years preceding the date of nomination. 
• Is not subject to any disciplinary or incapacity proceeding. 
• Holds a certificate of registration that has not been revoked or suspended in the six years before the date of nomination as a result of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity proceeding. 
• Holds a certificate of registration that is not subject to a term, condition or limitation arising from a professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity matter. 
• Is not an employee of the College and has not been an employee of the College in the twelve months prior to the date of nomination. 
• Is not an employee of any professional association involving social work or social service work or an employee of any collective bargaining unit involving social work or social service work.

A member who is registered in both membership categories may only run for election as either a Social Worker or a Social Service Worker.

Voting

A member who is a social worker may vote only for candidates who are social workers and a member who is a social service worker may vote only for candidates who are social service workers. In each case, a member in good standing (at least 60 days before the election) is entitled to vote at an election of Councillors. Additionally, a practising member may only vote in a district in which, at least 60 days before the election, the member principally practises or, for non-practising members, where the member principally resides.

A member who is both a social worker and a social service worker must, at least 60 days before each election, advise the Registrar of the membership category in which the member intends to vote at that election.

Term of office

The term of office for a Councillor is three years. A Councillor may serve for more than one consecutive term but no longer than ten consecutive years.

Nominations

120 days before the election date, the Registrar sends written notice to every member who is eligible to vote of the deadline for returning nominations to the College, the date of the election and the nomination procedure and provides each eligible member with a nomination form.

Elections

Voting for candidates for election to the Council are by secret ballot using the ballot forms supplied by the Registrar.