ARTICLE VII: ELECTIONS AND RETURNS

Section 1. Elections shall be held:

1. For all Officers not later than the third week of March in the year preceding the tenure of their offices, on dates that the Senate may establish following consultation with the law student Justices of the Honor Court.
2. For all second-year and third-year academic class Senators not later than the first week of April in the year preceding the tenure of their offices, on dates that the Senate may establish following consultation with the law student Justices of the Honor Court.
3. For all first-year academic class and graduate law program Senators not later than the final week of September in the year concurrent with the tenure of their offices, on dates that the Senate may establish following consultation with the law student Justices of the Honor Court.

Section 2. The Senate Counsel, together with the law student Justices of the Honor Court, shall constitute the Election Commission of the Student Bar Association, and shall in this capacity have the sole authority to count election returns.

1. Ballot counting shall complete within twelve hours of the final closing of election polls.
2. The Election Commission shall draft an election return report, which shall contain the vote totals of each candidate and the total number of ballots cast.
3. The Election Commission shall deliver such report within three working days following its tabulation to the Senate for its certification.

Section 3. The Senate shall meet and certify election returns not later than six working days following the election.

Section 4. All Officers and Senators shall be sworn into office immediately following the certification of their election.

Section 5. The Senate shall have the power to adopt election regulations and procedures not otherwise specified in this Constitution by appropriate legislation.