(a) Whenever, in accordance with regulations as may be prescribed by the board pursuant to chapter 91, a petition is filed by an employee organization to determine whether or by which organization employees desire to be represented for the purpose of collective bargaining, the board shall conduct an investigation and may conduct an election where appropriate as specified herein. A petition to decertify or to change the exclusive bargaining representative must be supported by fifty per cent of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit, through verifiable written proof of the names and signatures of employees. Signatures of employees supporting such a petition must be obtained within two months of the date of the petition to be valid with the board. In its investigation of the showing of interest, the board shall afford all interested parties a contested case hearing.(b) In any election where none of the choices on the ballot receives a majority of the votes cast, a runoff election shall be conducted with the ballot providing for a selection between the two choices receiving the largest number of valid votes cast in the election. The board shall certify the election results and the employee organization receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be certified as the exclusive representative of all employees in the appropriate bargaining unit for the purpose of collective bargaining. The employee organization shall remain certified as the exclusive representative until it is replaced by another employee organization, decertified, or dissolved.(c) No election shall be directed by the board in any appropriate bargaining unit within which: (1) A valid election has been held in the preceding twelve months; (2) A valid collective bargaining agreement is in force and effect; or(3) Any new bargaining unit is created when the created unit is composed of employees currently covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement and represented by the same exclusive representative.(d) The board shall adopt rules and regulations consistent with this section governing the conduct of elections to determine representation, including the time, place, manner of notification, and reporting the results of elections, and the manner for filing any petition for an election and decertification election or any petition concerning the results of an election. No mail ballots shall be permitted by the board except when for reasonable cause a specific individual would otherwise be unable to cast a ballot. No names, addresses or information regarding the work location of employees eligible to vote shall be provided to employee organizations involved in an election. The board shall have the final determination on any controversy concerning the eligibility of an employee to vote.Amended by L 2013, c 137,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2013.L 1970, c 171, pt of §2; am L 1988, c 399, §3; am L 2000, c 253, §97 Attorney General Opinions
Illegal and blank ballots are not counted in determining total number of votes cast. Att. Gen. Op. 71-8.