UAW members are closer to being able to directly vote for top union leadership in the future following a successful reform effort that supporters say shifts power back to the workers.

A news release from the union's court-appointed independent monitor said members "voted decisively to replace the union’s existing delegate voting system with a direct, 'one member, one vote' approach in future elections for top UAW leadership," according to unofficial results following the conclusion of ballot counting Thursday.

The vote count was completed by 2 p.m. on Thursday. According to the latest update posted on the monitor's website, "143,044 returned ballot packages were received, and 140,586 valid votes were counted. Out of those 140,586 votes, 50,971 members voted for the delegate voting system (36.3%), and 89,615 members voted for the direct voting system (63.7%)."

The result, if certified, means that members of the union's International Executive Board, would be selected by members in elections rather than by delegates at UAW conventions.

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"The monitor expects that the next election of the UAW’s president, secretary-treasurer, vice presidents, and regional directors — the first vote under the new system — will likely take place in the summer or fall of 2022," the news release said. "If the court certifies the result, the monitor will confer with the UAW and then draft amendments to the UAW Constitution to incorporate the direct voting system. The monitor will also develop the election rules and methods that will be used for the new direct election system."

Those who have been pushing for the change to elections by union membership were quick to celebrate.

The vote for change, if it is certified, means members of the union's International Executive Board, including the president, would be selected directly by UAW members.

“The membership of our great union has made clear that they want to change the direction of the UAW and return to our glory days of fighting for our members. I am so proud of the UAW membership and their willingness to step up and vote for change,” Chris Budnick, a member of UAW Local 862 at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant and recording secretary for Unite All Workers for Democracy, the key dissident group that has campaigned for direct elections, said in a news release.

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The UAW, in a statement, noted that not all members voted in the referendum.

"With just under 14% of total active and retiree membership participating in the vote, the UAW will seek to unify behind the new method of elections. It is time to move forward on behalf of the over 1 million members and retirees of the UAW in solidarity," according to the statement. "We are, and always will be, one union. We move forward together in solidarity."

The statement noted that the International Executive Board would "begin the process of working in unity with members, local unions and the monitor in drafting the constitutional changes, and implementing policies under this new method of direct election of officers and regional directors. Ultimately, all modifications to the UAW Constitution will be adopted by the delegates to the 38th UAW Constitutional Convention to be held July 25-28, 2022."

The current referendum election came about as a result of the agreement approved by a federal judge this year between the UAW and the federal government in the wake of a scandal that saw millions of dollars in worker training funds redirected to lavish goodies for union officials and the former lead labor negotiator for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

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The corruption scandal sent high-ranking former union officials and auto executives to prison. Allowing UAW members the chance to decide if they want direct elections of their top leaders — local union leadership is already selected this way — rather than a delegate system was one of offshoots of the agreement between the union and the government.

Supporters of change said the current delegate system allowed corruption to fester, while supporters of the status quo argued that the way leaders are picked doesn't lead to corruption.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: UAW monitor: Direct elections for top leaders passes