Nominating Committee Information

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1. Purpose: The Nominating Committee shall solicit and select candidates to run for elective office; compose the ballot; count returns, and report election results to the Executive Board and to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
2. Composition and Membership:
   1. The Past-President serves as chair of the Nominating Committee.
   2. The Committee is administered by the Chair and composed of two additional members that are elected by the membership. No currently serving member of the Executive Board, whether in an elected or appointed position, shall also be an elected member of the Nominating Committee.
   3. No member of the Committee may be a candidate for office in the elections managed by that committee.
3. Reporting Procedure:
   1. The Chair reports directly to the Executive Board.
4. Responsibilities:
   1. Selects a slate of candidates to present for membership vote.
   2. Provides information about the slate of candidates for the ballot.
   3. Prepares and mails the ballots to the SGA membership.
   4. Tallies the results of the election and reports the election results at the annual business meeting.
5. Procedures:
   1. Officers and Terms
      1. The Nominating Committee shall consider candidates for the following offices:
         1. Vice President (president elect) - to serve a one-year term as vice president, a one-year term as president, and a one-year term as past-president;
         2. Secretary - two-year term elected during even-numbered years;
         3. Treasurer – two-year term elected during odd numbered years;
         4. Archivist – two-year term elected during even-numbered years;
         5. Director - one director is elected each year to serve a two-year term; and
         6. Nominating committee members - two are elected each year, each to serve a one-year term.
      2. Criteria for Candidates
         1. All candidates must be members of the Society. This may be determined through consultation with the Administrative Assistant.
         2. The Nominating Committee shall have a goal of developing a ballot balanced in various aspects including lengths and types of Society experience, of geographic location, and of types of institutions represented
      3. Recommendations, Consultations, and Nominations
         1. The Nominating Committee shall solicit recommendations for nominees from the membership using such means as announcements at Society meetings and in the SGA Newsletter, listserv, and website.
         2. The chair shall establish a tentative timetable, working backwards from the date of the annual meeting; taking into account special events, postal holidays, and other things, which will affect the timetable; and consulting with the Administrative Assistant who will coordinate the mailing.
         3. The chair shall provide the committee members with copies of the Guidelines for the Nominating Committee, and tentative timetable for Nominating Committee activities.
         4. Nominating Committee members shall consult prior to contacting potential candidates, and shall consult regularly as candidates are contacted and nominations are accepted or declined. Each member of the committee shall be consulted in person, by phone, by electronic mail, etc.
         5. The Nominating Committee shall develop a list of possible candidates and shall discuss specific candidates for specific offices.
         6. Any member of the committee may contact a possible candidate with the prior agreement of the committee.
         7. Any candidate contacted must be fully informed of the duties of the office for which he or she is nominated and of the potential time and travel requirements for that office, including attending Executive Board meetings.
      4. Timetable for Ballots
         1. The ballot shall list the responsibilities for each office, at least two candidates for each office (four candidates for the two Nominating Committee positions), and space for write-ins.
         2. Ballots shall be mailed to the membership at least thirty days prior to the date on which the annual meeting begins.
         3. The Nominating Committee shall establish a deadline for the postmark of returned ballots, and this deadline shall be clearly noted on the ballot. Ballots postmarked after this deadline shall be considered invalid. Ballots shall be returned to the official address of the Society and forwarded promptly to the chair of the Nominating Committee.
      5. Counting of Ballots
         1. Ballots shall be counted by members of the Nominating Committee following the postmark deadline, allowing enough time to receive ballots postmarked on the deadline date. If all members of the Nominating Committee cannot participate in counting, they may designate counters. The counters must be members of the Society. The counters must not be members of the Executive Board and must not be candidates for office. At least one member of the Nominating Committee must participate in the counting of votes.
         2. A simple majority of votes cast for each office is required for election.
         3. If a ballot contains more than the allowable number of votes for any office, no votes shall be recorded for that office from that ballot.
         4. Any election difficulties or ties shall be resolved at the annual business meeting by a majority vote of the members present at that annual business meeting.
      6. Notifications and Announcements
         1. All Nominating Committee members shall be notified of the election results.
         2. Each candidate shall be contacted by a member of the Nominating Committee prior to the annual business meeting and informed of the results of the election for the office for which he or she was nominated.
         3. The chair or a member of the Nominating Committee shall make a report at the annual business meeting announcing the names of officers elected.
         4. The chair of the Nominating Committee shall provide the names and contact information of newly-elected officers to the Secretary.
         5. Names of newly elected officers shall be announced in the Winter (Issue 4) of the SGA Newsletter.
      7. Approved by the Board: November 7, 2001

Timetable

Note: Dates each year will need to be adjusted based on newsletter deadlines, annual meeting date, events like SAA annual meeting or postal holidays, Executive Board meeting dates, and schedules of individual committee members.