Nevada Library Association Handbook
Board of Trustees
Appointed Officers & Standing Committees
Elections Committee
HISTORY
A committee for elections was first established in 1973. The elections committee primarily conducts the elections for the Nevada Library Association's Executive Officers (President-Elect, Executive Secretary and Treasurer) and NLA's delegates to MPLA and ALA. The elections committee also conducts balloting on questions of NLA business requiring the approval of the entire membership, as needed.
OFFICERS
- 1973, Ruth Hoskins
- 1974, Rose Smith
- 1975-1976, Grace Whear, Douglas County Public Library
- 1977-1978, Pamela L. Godecke, Nevada State Library
- 1979, Pauline Hayes, Elko County Library
- 1980, Thomasine Carson, North Las Vegas Public Library
- 1981, Yoshi Hendricks, University of Nevada, Reno
- 1982, Merilyn Grosshans, Las Vegas High School
- 1983, Sue Kendall, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- 1984, Diane Brigham, Supreme Court Law Library, Carson City
- 1985, Mavis Kelly, Robison Jr. High, Las Vegas
- 1986, Pat Bourne, White Pine
- 1987, Ann Langevin, Clark County
- 1988, Cecile Nabors, Legislative Council Bureau
- 1989-1990, Jeff Marcinik, Humboldt County Library
- 1991, Sara Ashworth, Ormsby Public Library
- 1992, Theresa Feleciano, Huffaker Elementary, Reno
- 1993, Eunice Broadhead, Boulder City Library
- 1994, Ellen Muth, Elko County Library
- 1995, Jeanette Baker, Northern Nevada Community College, Elko
- 1996-1998, Sue Cole, Incline Branch Library
- 1999, Marie Cuglietta, West Charleston Library
- 2003-2006, Laura Golod, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
- 2007-2013, Theron Nissen, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
- 2014-2015, Jana MacMillan, Partnership Librarian, Washoe County
(Election Committee and Nominating Committee combined in 2014) - 2016 - 2017, Scott Harris, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
- 2017-2018, Tam Anderson, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
PURPOSE AND DUTIES
General
1. The election committee conducts annual and special elections under the direction of an elections chairperson, and reports their results. The chairperson of the elections committee appoints a minimum of two members to his/her committee by December 31st of the year preceding the year of appointment and reports the composition of the committee to the executive secretary.
2. The chairperson interprets the instructions of the board of trustees to the committee.
3. The chairperson supervises the work of the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.
4. Elective offices are president-elect, executive secretary, treasurer, MPLA delegate, and ALA delegate.
a. Only persons who are presently personal members of NLA are eligible for elective office.
b. Terms of office are as indicated in the NLA Bylaws.
c. The office of president shall become an elective office in the event it becomes vacant at the same time that the office of the president-elect becomes vacant, due to the removal or resignation of both office holders.
d. The ALA delegate is elected by a special ballot (see below) for a four-year term, and the name is reported to ALA once the results are tabulated. Only those members of NLA who are also members of ALA may vote in this special election.
e. The MPLA delegate is elected through the regular election process stated in the bylaws and serves a term of two years. The NLA membership as a whole votes for the MPLA delegate.
5. Before the close of the annual meeting, the elections committee receives a slate of nominees from the nominations committee, as well as the nomination consent forms from the candidates or their written consent and a biographical sketch with a brief statement of interest in the office.
6. The elections committee then carries out the election as follows:
a. Informs the executive secretary of the slate of candidates;
b. Designs the ballot, which includes a brief biography for each candidate and a brief statement as to why they are running and what they would like to accomplish. The ballot is to be printed on colored paper and each one stamped with the word "BALLOT" at the top in a different colored ink to prevent ballot stuffing. Ballots must state when they must be postmarked by to be counted.
c. Obtains mailing labels for members from the chairperson(s) of the Membership Committee;
d. Mails ballots to all personal members of NLA by first class mail;
e. Counts the ballots;
f. Declares as winners those who receive a majority or plurality of the legal votes cast;
g. Informs candidates and the executive secretary of the results of the election;
h. Notifies the NLA membership by submitting a report to the High Roller of the results of the election;
i. Forwards the nomination consent forms to the NLA archivist.
Special Elections 1. In the case of vacancy in any elective office except that of president or president-elect, if the president-elect is assuming the office of president, the elections committee will hold a new election within thirty days. This includes the ALA delegate but not the MPLA delegate.
2. The nominating and election process outlined in this handbook will be followed.
3. In the case of vacancy in the office of president, the president-elect assumes the office for the remainder of the unexpired term and the following full term. The office of president-elect then remains vacant until the next election.
Removal of officers
1. When a recall petition signed by one-third of the personal members in NLA is submitted to the elections committee, the committee must conduct an election within sixty days.
2. The elections committee sends a ballot to personal members of NLA, asking the membership to vote for or against removing the officer in question.
3. If two-thirds affirmative vote is received, the elections committee informs the officer in question, the NLA president, executive secretary, and the membership of the results of the election.
Voting by Mail
1. The elections committee is also responsible for conducting the balloting on questions of NLA business requiring the approval of the entire membership.
2. Mail ballots are authorized if there has been prior discussion of the question at a membership meeting or a district meeting.
3. The elections committee must complete balloting by mail within thirty days.
Forms
Nomination consent form
Sample ballot
|
NEVADA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
TO:____________________________________________________ (Nominee) SUBJECT:______________________________________________ (Office)
You have been selected for a Nevada Library Association office by the NLA Nominating Committee. We must receive your written consent before your name can be placed on the slate of candidates.
I hereby give my consent for my name to be placed in nomination for the NLA office of ____________________________________________.
I am currently a member of NLA: _______Yes or _______ No.
SIGNED:_______________________________________________
Please return this signed form to the Nominating Committee with a brief biographical sketch (100 words) of your professional credentials, experience, awards, previous office, etc.; and a short statement (50 words) about what you hope to accomplish or contribute to the office.
Nominating Committee Chairperson |
Annual Calendar for NLA Elections Chair
By March 1: contact District Chairs to approach their members about nominations for the following offices: president-elect, executive secretary, treasurer and MPLA delegate (every 2 years). The ALA delegate (every 4 years) is elected by a special ballot (deadline for this will be given by Elections Chair).
No later than April 15: prepare a call for nominations article and submit it to the NLA Newsletter Editor for inclusion in NLA's June newsletter.
By September 30: prepare slate of candidates for the October NLA meeting (Oct. 6-9, 2010)
*Elections must be held within 30 days of the annual NLA meeting, so, for 2010, all collection of candidates’ signed consent forms, biographical materials and statements of intent need to be submitted to the Election Chair and the NLA President no later than November 1 so the election can be held before November 9, 2010.
