We’re very excited to announce the beginning of elections season and would like to issue you a warm welcome! The members of the OTW are entrusted with electing 3 new Board members yearly. In order to become a member, you can simply donate $10 or more to the OTW. This post will provide you with a basic overview of what the elections process will look like this year.
What Potential Candidates Need to Know
The Board handles strategic planning and decision making for OTW’s mission, budget, projects, and priorities. They monitor progress toward strategic goals and maintain OTW’s long-term focus. The Board also takes responsibility for organizational actions and ensures the organization’s legal compliance.
Board terms are three years long. There are nine Board seats, three of which are up for election every year. If there are three candidates or less, all candidates will be elected automatically. If four or more candidates step forward, the election will be contested, and members will be able to vote on who will take the open positions. In case of a contested election this year, voting will be held November 14-16, 2014.
Eligibility and Candidacy
In order to be eligible to run for Board, a candidate must:
- be a paid member of the OTW by 8 weeks prior to the election,
- be at least 18 years old by the time of the election,
- run under their legal name,
- be a current staffer on a standing committee in the OTW,
- not be a member of the Elections Committee during the year of candidacy (for 2014 elections, Jan 1, 2014 onward),
- have served as a staffer for a total of 9 months (excluding hiatus) as of November 1 of that election year.
The Elections Committee is now accepting candidacy declarations for 2014. Candidates must be a paid member by September 19, 2014, and they must declare their candidacy by September 26, 2014.
Getting to Know the Candidates
Candidates will provide a short biography summarizing their background in both their fandom and professional lives, aiming to show voters why they are suitable candidates for the Board. Candidates will also present a manifesto in the form of answers to a standard set of questions provided with the intent of expanding on what their relevant skills and experience are, as well as their vision for the OTW.
We will also be hosting a number of open chats, of which every candidate is required to attend at least one. These will be a chance for everyone to ask questions that may not have been answered in the bios or manifestos, as well as follow-up questions. The chats also allow voters to see how the candidates interact, both with each other and with the public. Transcripts of the chats will be posted for the benefit of those who could not make it.
Additionally, there will be a Q&A period. This will provide an opportunity for voters to follow up on questions from the manifestos or ask new questions that were not previously discussed, as well as allow the candidates to express their opinions in a situation that is not as immediate and high pressure as chats. Questions will be sent in over a set period of time and reviewed by the Elections Committee for repeats and similarities. The questions will be split into small batches of 3-5 questions, and each candidate can request a batch when they are sure they have the time to return the batch within 24 hours. The candidates will be given a certain amount of time to complete all the batches of questions, the length of which depends on the total number of questions.
We will be posting more information regarding eligibility to vote and the deadlines for the election period in a few weeks. In the meantime, you can direct any questions you might have to the Elections Committee. We are looking forward to a great elections season, and we hope that you are, too!