Prep your nomination materials: officer elections are coming up!

Image credit: © Bethann Garramon Merkle, 2018

In 2018, we shifted the election period from August to March, with the intention of enabling newly elected officers to register for the annual meeting at early bird rates. At this year’s annual business meeting, which we held virtually on December 6, that is what we proposed to do again in 2019.

After the business meeting, we received feedback from section members who suggest another, earlier shift in the election cycle. Knowing election results prior to the deadline for submitting an annual meeting abstract could make a big difference in an elected officer’s decision and ability to attend that year’s ESA annual meeting. And, therefore, this shift could impact who even nominates themselves to be considered for an officer position.

Therefore, we will shift the Section’s elections schedule to the following:

• Jan 1-31: nomination period
• Feb 1-10: voting period
• Feb 10: announcement of elected officers
• Feb. 21, 2019: deadline for ESA contributed abstracts
• Annual meeting: transition from current to newly elected officers

Elected officers are encouraged to attend the annual meetings to: 1) support some of the Section’s major activities centered around the conference; 2) meet their fellow officers; 3) build/enhance relationships with C&E Section members; 4) build/enhance relationships with other ESA Sections’ leaders and members; 5) build/enhance relationships with ESA staff and leadership.

Stay tuned for a call for nominations in your inbox on January 1st!

And, in the meantime, happy year-end holidays to all our members and supporters. We wish you warmth and good health now and into 2019.