<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 10.44.29.04" title_num="10" subtitle_num="44" chapter_num="29" heading="Notice to Fill Vacancies for Dental Hygienist Board Members.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>General. If there are one or more dental hygienist vacancies on the Board, the Board shall hold an annual election to elect nominees to fill the dental hygienist vacancies.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Notice.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The Board shall send notice of the election referred to in §A of this regulation by regular mail to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Each dental hygienist to the last known address on file with the Board; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Each properly registered State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization, to the address known to the Board.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The notice referred to in §B(1) of this regulation shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Advise the recipient of the:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Number of vacancies that exist on the Board; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Terms of office for each vacancy;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Solicit nominations for each vacancy;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>State that a nomination petition form may be requested from the Board;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>State the date by which the completed nomination petition form shall be returned to the Board;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>State that a dental hygienist may vote for a single candidate in the election;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>State the dates at which time voting by e-mail shall be permitted;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>State that in lieu of an e-mail ballot a dental hygienist may request a paper ballot from the Board which shall be completed and submitted by a certain date; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>Advise the recipient that the results of the balloting will be posted on the Board's website.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>In addition to the notice mailed by regular mail described in §B of this regulation, the Board or its designee may send an e-mail notice of the election to each dental hygienist to the last known e-mail address on file with the Board.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>The e-mail notice described in §C of this regulation shall contain the information described in §B(2) of this regulation.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Nominations-Criteria.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Candidates.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A candidate's name may appear on the ballot only once.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization shall only nominate a candidate who is a member of the organization.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Dental Hygienist.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A dental hygienist may not nominate more than one candidate.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A dental hygienist may be both a petitioner and a candidate.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A dental hygienist who is a petitioner but not a candidate is counted as one of the ten dental hygienists who support the nomination.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>A dental hygienist who is a petitioner and a candidate is not counted as one of the ten dental hygienists who support the nomination.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Dental Hygienists and a State Dental Hygienist Organization Affiliated with a National Organization.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A dental hygienist and a State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization may nominate a candidate to fill a dental hygienist vacancy on the Board.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A dental hygienist or a State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization may not nominate more than one candidate.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>If a dental hygienist or State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization nominates more than one candidate, each Board-approved nomination petition form submitted by the dental hygienist or State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization is invalid.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Nomination Petition Form. The Board-approved nomination petition form referred to in §B(2)(d) of this regulation shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Include:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The candidate's name;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The candidate's address on file with the Board;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The candidate's license number on file with the Board;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>The names of the petitioners; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>The license numbers of the petitioners on file with the Board;</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Be signed:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>By the candidate;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>By the petitioner;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>If the petitioner is a State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization, by its:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>President;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Executive director; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Administrator; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>By ten dental hygienists who support the nomination; and</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Include on separate pages, not greater than 8-1/2 inches wide by 11 inches in length, and not exceeding two pages of 12-point type:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The candidate's biographical information;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The candidate's resume; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The candidate's curriculum vitae.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Board-approved nomination petition forms for dental hygienists and dental hygienist organizations affiliated with a national organization shall be available from the Board upon request.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="H.">
    <text>Filing of Nomination Petition Form.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The petitioner shall deliver the original nomination petition form and supporting documents to the offices of the Board:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>On or before the date specified in the notice; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>During normal business hours.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The Board may not accept the filing of any document by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Electronic facsimile transmittal; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>E-mail.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A nomination petition form is invalid if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>It is received by the Board after the date specified in the Board's notice, regardless of the date of postmark; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>It does not otherwise meet the requirements of this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="I.">
    <text>A State dental hygienist organization affiliated with a national organization shall be properly registered with the Board to nominate a candidate.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="J.">
    <text>Posting of Candidates.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The Board shall post the names and the biographical information, resumes, or curriculum vitae of the candidates on its website.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Biographical information, resumes, or curriculum vitae that do not meet the requirements of §F(3) of this regulation may not be posted on the Board's website.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>