2024 SFWA Special Election
In accordance with SFWA’s bylaws, the Elections Committee announces a Special Election for the roles of President and Secretary. These two roles will be elected for the remainder of their current terms (that is, until June 30, 2025).
Election timeline, eligibility requirements, and role descriptions are listed below, followed by next steps for those interested in running for office.
Special Election Timeline
Official call for candidates: August 26, 2024
Platforms must be posted: September 24, 2024
Voting link posted & optional paper ballots mailed: October 9, 2024
Ballots counted after: October 23, 2024
Official Call for Candidates
SFWA is a 501(c)(3) public charity organization, and the Board of Directors is essential to the organization’s operations. The SFWA Board consists of the President, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, and five (5) Director-at-Large positions. Board roles and responsibilities are dictated by the SFWA bylaws, which you can find here (http://www.sfwa.org/member-links/by-laws/).
As noted above, in this Special Election the President and Secretary positions will be elected for the remainder of their current terms (that is, until June 30, 2025). All SFWA Full Members in good standing are encouraged to consider volunteering to guide SFWA into the future.
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled members are especially encouraged to run.
Eligibility requirements and role descriptions are listed below, followed by next steps for those interested in running for office.
President
Eligibility Requirements
• To be elected President, the member must have completed one full two-year term on the SFWA Board of Directors, or have completed a full term of at least two years on the Board of Directors of a 501(c)(3) public charity organization involved in the creative arts.
• Must be a Full Member who has maintained their membership in good standing for a period of at least two consecutive years at the start of their prospective term.
• Must have Internet access.
• Must be able to attend regular staff and board meetings throughout their service.
• May not be employed as a regular or contract employee with SFWA in any capacity, while serving or within two years thereafter, with the exception of SFWA Publications contractors.
• Must sign a limited confidentiality agreement before the start of term.
Role Description
• Attend all meetings of the Board.
• Represent SFWA and its interests in dealing with other corporations and persons.
• Receive quarterly reports from the Grievance Committee and the SFWA Ombudsman.
• Bestow the honors of the Damon Knight Grand Master, Kate Wilhelm Solstice, Infinity, and Kevin O’Donnell, Jr., Service to SFWA awards after discussion and agreement with the relevant SFWA stakeholders.
• Take immediate, temporary actions appropriate to protect the purposes and interests of SFWA when SFWA’s harassment and conduct policies are reported to be violated. Report such actions to the full Board to determine if further action is warranted.
• Act as an advisory, non-voting member of the Board for one year following the end of their term.
• General role requirements for all SFWA board members, as listed below.
Secretary
Eligibility Requirements
• Must be a Full Member who has maintained their membership in good standing for a period of at least two consecutive years at the start of their prospective term.
• Must have Internet access.
• Must be able to attend regular board meetings throughout their service.
• May not be employed as a regular or contract employee with SFWA in any capacity, while serving or within two years thereafter, with the exception of SFWA Publications contractors.
• Must sign a limited confidentiality agreement before the start of term.
Role Description
The SFWA Secretary duties are fairly light compared to the President, VP, and CFO roles, but requires a detail-oriented approach. This is a key role in ensuring smooth operations and a coherent paper trail that the board members and staff can count on.
• Collaborate with SFWA staff to file nonprofit legal paperwork for occasional bylaw changes
• At monthly online Board meetings and at the Nebula Conference Board meeting, ensure accurate minutes are taken (either by the Secretary directly or with the help of a volunteer), present the minutes to the Board for approval, and publish minutes to the Forum so they may be viewed by the membership
• Twice a year, compile the past six months of board votes and collaborate with the Communications Director to publish them in SFWA’s biannual Binary report
• Collaborate with SFWA staff to create the agenda for the annual SFWA business meeting.
• General role requirements for all SFWA board members, as listed below
General role requirements for all SFWA board members
• Familiarize themselves with SFWA’s Bylaws, Operating Policies and Procedures Manual (OPPM), mission statement, and the restrictions placed on 501(c)(3) public charity organizations.
• Perform fiduciary duties for SFWA, including reading, understanding, and approving the annual budget, basic financial statements, investment strategy, tax filings, and the use of SFWA’s resources.
• Facilitate communications with and represent concerns to the Board. To do this successfully, Directors should read SFWA Publications; participate in and/or monitor online discussions on the SFWA Forums, Discord, and outside of SFWA; and correspond with members and potential members when possible.
• Act as liaisons for committees, reporting to the Board and the membership on committee activity, and otherwise facilitating the committees’ work.
• Vote on issues in a timely manner; contribute to discussions and advise the President and Vice President on decisions, including appointing committee chairs and commissioners and hiring SFWA staff.
• Consider and propose potential changes to the membership requirements, if needed.
Next Steps
The next step in running for office is to email the Elections Committee at elections@sfwa.org and state your interest. They will confirm your eligibility and answer any further questions.
Once your eligibility has been confirmed, you will be asked to post your statement of intent and platform on the SFWA discussion boards. Members will be interested in your reasons for volunteering to serve on the board, along with your qualifications and priorities. Please provide specific details on what you’d like to see SFWA accomplish and how, if elected, you’ll pursue those goals.
Thank you for considering volunteering to serve on the SFWA board!
