2018 ACLU-PA Board Elections

Pursuant to the bylaws of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, the board of directors consists of 12 members elected at-large by ACLU members from across Pennsylvania and 13 members elected by chapters. All terms are for three years. All are eligible for a second three-year term. After the completion of two full three-year terms, no director is eligible for election to the board for at least one year. Of those members elected by chapters, some are elected by chapters with at least 7.7 percent of the total state membership (higher membership chapters) and the balance are elected by members living in the geographic areas of chapters with less than 7.7 percent of the membership (known as lower membership chapters).

• This year, the members of the ACLU-PA will elect four at-large directors for three-year terms. At-large delegates do not represent specific regions, chapters or constituencies.
• Members of the lower membership chapters will vote to elect one director for a three-year term.
• All board members are expected to exercise their duties and responsibilities in the best interests of the ACLU-PA and its members.

Annual elections allow the organization to meet its commitment to diversity and equity and to elect candidates that possess the types of balanced skill sets that are needed to effectively run the organization. However, the overarching theme of the board election is a commitment to a diversity of representation:

• geographic diversity
• racial/ethnic diversity
• age
• persons with disabilities

In accordance with the by-laws, any 50 members of the ACLU-PA may by petition nominate a candidate for the board of directors. Petitions for candidates must include the signatures of 50 current ACLU-PA members.

• Petition form for at-large members

Signed petitions must be in the hands of the nominating committee by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018. Mail your petition to ACLU-PA Board Nominations, P.O. Box 23058
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or fax to 412-681-8707 or you can email scanned petitions to pghinfo@aclupa.org (if you email or fax, please mail the originals afterward).

The full slate of candidates – including both those selected by the nominating committee and those nominated by the petition – will be included on the final ballot.

In accordance with the bylaws amendment passed by the membership in Fall 2017, if the number of nominees does not exceed the number of Directors to be elected, the Board Secretary shall cast a unanimous ballot for the unopposed nominees, and they shall be declared to be elected. If the number of nominees exceeds the number of available seats (a contested election), members will receive a ballot via mail as an insert in the fall edition of the ACLU- PA newsletter.

In accordance with the bylaws, any 25 members of the ACLU-PA lower membership chapters (see list below) may nominate by petition a candidate to be placed on the ballot for representative from the lower membership chapters. Petitions for candidates for representative from the lower membership chapters to the board of trustees must include the signatures of 25 ACLU-PA members residing in the lower membership chapter areas.

• Petition form for lower membership chapter representative

Signed petitions must be in the hands of the Nominating Committee by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018. Mail your petition to ACLU-PA Board Nominations, P.O. Box 23058
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or fax to 412-681-8707 or you can email scanned petitions to pghinfo@aclupa.org (If you email or fax, please mail the originals afterward.)

For the seven “lower membership” chapters, which are listed below, there is one seat to be elected. The individual elected will represent ALL SEVEN lower membership chapters; not just his/her own chapter constituency.

The full slate of candidates – including both those selected by the nominating committee and those nominated by the petition – will be included on the final ballot.

In accordance with the bylaws amendment passed by the membership in Fall 2017, if the number of nominees does not exceed the number of Directors to be elected, the Board Secretary shall cast a unanimous ballot for the unopposed nominees, and they shall be declared to be elected. If the number of nominees exceeds the number of available seats (a contested election), members will receive a ballot via mail as an insert in the fall edition of the ACLU- PA newsletter.

You must live within the geographic boundaries of one of the following ACLU-PA chapters in order to be eligible to be nominated or to nominate a candidate for representative to the Board of Directors.

(Note: The three largest ACLU-PA chapters - Philadelphia, South Central, and Pittsburgh - elect their representatives directly and therefore those members are not eligible to participate in this election.)

• Northeast Chapter includes the counties of Susquehanna, Wyoming, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Carbon
• Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter includes the counties of Schuylkill, Lehigh, Northampton, and Berks
• Central Chapter includes the counties of Clearfield, Cameron, Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, and Clinton
• Williamsport Chapter includes the counties of Lycoming, Bradford, Tioga, Potter, and Sullivan
• Central Susquehanna Chapter includes the counties of Union, Snyder, Montour, Northumberland, and Columbia
• Keystone Chapter includes the counties of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, and Somerset
• Northwest Chapter includes the counties of Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Venango, and Warren