Council Elections

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

• Holds a general certificate of registration for social work or social service work; a registrant is only eligible for nomination in the registration category in which the registrant holds a general certificate of registration;
• Is nominated in the electoral district where the registrant practises either social work or social service work, or, if the registrant is not practising or is not practising in Ontario, the registrant resides;
• Is not in default of payment of any fees;
• Has not had a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity against them in the three years preceding the date of nomination;
• Is not the subject of a disciplinary or incapacity proceeding;
• Is not the subject of a complaint in the form prescribed by the Bylaws, an investigation by the Registrar or a Committee, or an inquiry by the Registrar or a Committee unless the Chair of the Election Committee has otherwise determined the registrant is eligible for election;
• Holds a certificate of registration that has not been revoked or suspended in the six years before the date of nomination as a result of a professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity proceeding;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 and has not been an employee of such professional association or collective bargaining unit in the twelve months prior to the date of nomination;
• Is not a candidate for a position on, nor a member of, the provincial governing body (including any local chapter) of any professional association involving social work or social service work and has not been a member of such provincial governing body (including any local chapter) in the twelve months prior to the date of nomination;
• Is not a candidate for a position on, nor a member of, the executive of any collective bargaining unit involving social work or social service work and has not been a member of such executive in the twelve months prior to the date of nomination;
• Has not served as a Council member for more than nine years;
• is a Council member and, if re-elected, the Council member would be able to serve for the full term of office without the maximum permitted number of years of service expiring during that term;
• Is not a Council member who has previously been disqualified from sitting on Council;
• Has not previously been disqualified from sitting on a Committee;
• Has not been exempted in 2023 from payment of any portion of the registration fee as provided in Section 3.06 of the Fees By-law;¹ and
• Has not been exempted in 2023 from payment of any portion of the annual fee as provided in Section 4.07 of the Fees By-law.¹

¹Sections 3.06 and 4.07 of the Fees By-law provide an exemption from payment of a portion of the registration fee and a portion of the annual fee to a person who is a member of an out-of-province regulatory authority provided that, among other things, the person agrees to restrict their practice in Ontario exclusively to electronic social work practice to clients in Ontario delivered from outside Ontario.

120 days before the election date, the Registrar sends written notice to every registrant 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 registrant with a nomination form.

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

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

To elect a candidate to Council, eligible voters may cast a ballot (provided by the Registrar) either by mail or electronic means. The voting system is designed to be secure and to protect the confidentiality of registrant’s votes.