Election Process

In broad outline and plain language, here's how MCN members become board members and officers. The canonical details are in our By-Laws.

With input from the general membership and the board, a Nominating Committee develops a ballot of candidates for the Board of Directors. Board members are elected to three-year terms in our general election, and each can serve up to two consecutive elected terms (plus, in some circumstances explained in the By-Laws, up to two years "ex officio").

The board has four officers: President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Secretary and Treasurer are elected within the board. The Vice President/President-Elect (VP/P-E), who eventually becomes President, is elected in the general election. A vote for VP/P-E is a vote for someone to be VP/P-E for one year and then President the year after that (thus the "President-Elect" part); so when a President takes office, she or he was voted into that position a year earlier. We try to find two viable candidates for VP/P-E (incoming President) each year; but as do many not-for-profit organizations led by all-volunteer boards, MCN often has only one prospective candidate who is prepared and able to stand for election to its leadership role on any given ballot.

Election voting procedures are announced via direct email to all MCN members. Election results are announced at the Annual Meeting held each year at the MCN Conference.