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Proposed Changes to ESA Nominations & Elections Procedures & Bylaws (2024)

At its May 2024 meeting, the ESA Governing Board endorsed a proposal by the Nominations Committee to shift to a “split ballot” for the 2025 election. This will require a change to the ESA Bylaws, to be voted on by the ESA Council in August, after which the Governing Board will develop changes to the Policies and Procedures.

As described in this joint memo by the Nominations Committee and Governance & Leadership Committee, this change is sought “to cultivate a leadership team that reflects the rich diversity of our membership and the broader ecological community. It will encourage a wider range of individuals to participate in leadership roles, foster innovation and inclusivity, and help advance our collective goals.”

In summary, the proposed change is to run candidates for officer positions — President-Elect, Secretary, Vice President for Finance — uncontested as a single slate of candidates. Members of the Governing Board will continue to be competitively elected.

This resource is created to allow members, including representatives on the ESA Council, to review the proposal in full prior to Council’s vote at the Annual Meeting. This notice fulfills the requirement of 60 days’ notice to members prior to a vote to the ESA Bylaws.

Members are encouraged to discuss with their respective section and/or chapter leadership, including the representative/s to Council.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes are being proposed to the ESA elections?

The Governing Board has endorsed a proposal from the Nominations Committee to shift to a “split ballot” for the 2025 elections:

  • Run officers—president-elect, secretary, and vice president for finance—uncontested, meaning that only one candidate for each position (single slate).
  • Run other Governing Board positions as competitive, with more candidates than the number of open positions.

Why are these changes recommended?

Identifying and recruiting twice as many board candidates as positions has become increasingly difficult each year and counterproductive in the long term. It is not easy to find candidates for President-elect, Secretary, and Vice President for Finance because of the responsibilities of the positions. To increase board diversity, the Nominations Committee tries to run two candidates with similar demographics against each other. Those not elected are often unlikely to run again, which in turn reduces the pool of interested prospects for future years.

How would the nominations and elections process change?

Nominations: An open call for nominations will still occur in the fall, with increased communications to encourage member-submitted nominations. The Nominations Committee will still seek multiple prospects for all open board positions, and candidates will still be asked to submit personal statements of interest. It will also a) continue to identify and recruit interested and qualified candidates who reflect a diversity of expertise and experience, b) more rigorously vet, interview, and evaluate all candidates, especially officers, and c) communicate more actively about leadership positions across various committees, sections, chapters, and Council, etc.

Elections: The elections process will remain the same, and only the ballot will change:

  • May: The Nominations Committee proposes a ballot to the Governing Board.
  • June: The ballot is announced to the membership.
  • August: Members may nominate candidates by petition before the end of the Annual Meeting.
  • September: Elections are conducted electronically.

What changes are being proposed to the Bylaws, and why?

The Bylaws need to be amended to change the elections procedures. Since they need to be revised, the Governance & Leadership Committee proposes some other minor changes to modernize ESA’s Bylaws:

  • Article VI, Section 3. Nominations Committee to revise the composition and structure given the increased importance of this committee
  • Article VI, Section 4. Nominations to allow for a split ballot for the Governing Board
  • Article VI, Section 5. Teller’s Committee and Article VII, Section 4. Secretary to eliminate a non-essential committee
  • Article V, Section 3.4 Transition Rules to remove language that is no longer relevant

What are the next steps?

The Council members and the general membership are being notified 60 days prior to the vote by the Council. The Council will vote on the Bylaws in August before the Annual Meeting.

This fall, the Nominations Committee and Governance & Leadership Committee will update their Policies and Procedures to make them more transparent and more rigorous. Then the Governing Board will review and approve the proposed changes.

In December 2024, the Nominations Committee will follow the new and improved procedures for recruiting, vetting, and nominating officers and board members for the 2025 ballot.

For more information, please see the joint memo from the Nominations Committee and Governance & Leadership Committees.