How to Conduct an Election of Board Members
Concerning the Election of Board Members
Elections ensure that your organization has the best and most innovative leaders working on your behalf. These elections also help your members connect with your nonprofit’s leadership and gain trust that their voice and needs for governance are being met. While you don’t need hold a board member election each time a new post becomes vacant it is essential to regularly vote on board membership.
Your organizational bylaws will outline the voting procedure for your board, such as the number of votes required to establish a quorum and other guidelines. Your board may use different methods to document the results of each vote, but it is best to follow the rules of a reputable organization to keep your board accountable.
During the nomination process it is essential to conduct an in-depth interview with candidates and have them submit an expression of interest describing their experiences and how they think they can contribute to the work of the board. It is also beneficial to allow write-ins so that voters who don’t agree with the candidates‘ choices can still have their say in the election.
Another method of improving the process of deciding who to vote for is by using preferential nominations on your vote. This technique allows voters to indicate their top preference for each candidate, giving you an exact picture of what your constituents consider about the candidates you’ve chosen. It’s also a great option for multiple-winner elections like when you have more candidates than positions.