The Sierra Club is the largest democratically run environmental organization in the world, with direct election of leaders at the national Board, state Chapter and local Group level each year. The Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group (HVG) is responsible for the administration and operation of the group. HVG members will be electing three ExCom members this fall, for two-year terms beginning in January 2021. The election process starts this Summer, with the actual voting taking place in the Fall. HVG is an all-volunteer organization which needs the talents of all its members to accomplish its environmental goals.
About the Executive Committee
The HVG Executive Committee (“Excom”) consists of 7 people from the HVG membership who are elected to two-year terms by the membership. They help define rules for the group, administer the group activities, and craft position statements. There are monthly committee meetings, generally on the first Thursday of the month. Excom members are also required to participate in one or two of our smaller committees (e.g. Membership Committee, Communications Committee, Conservation Committee, etc.). The time commitment for ExCom participation is roughly 10-12 hours a month.
Becoming a Candidate
Members interested in serving on ExCom are encouraged to attend one or more ExCom meetings to get a feel for what we do. Likewise, it’s helpful to reach out to current ExCom members for guidance. If you decide to make the commitment, please email Nominations Committee Chair Richard Barron (rmorleybarron@gmail.com) with your full name, phone number, member number, and a 500-word statement on why you wish to run for ExCom.
The Election Process
Members willing to serve can get on the ballot either through selection by the HVG Nominating Committee or by a petition signed by at least 15 group members. All potential candidates must be Sierra Club members at the time the Spring newsletter mailing list was extracted from the national member database.
The Nominating Committee consists of at least three HVG members, one or more of whom shall not be an ExCom member, and none of whom may be a candidate in the upcoming election. Candidates who have submitted their application materials will be notified on August 5th if they have been selected by the Nominations Committee. Interested members who did not seek or did not receive nomination from the committee can choose to submit a petition. Petitions must be submitted by the candidate to the
Nominations Committee no later than the September 21st Membership Meeting. Petitions must include the name, address, membership number and signature of the signers. No member may be nominated or elected against their will.
The HVG has a separate Election Committee that is responsible for production, mailing, receipt, and counting of ballots. It consists of at least three group members, one or more of whom shall not be an ExCom member, and none of whom may be a candidate in the upcoming election.
All Sierra Club members within the HVG territory at the time the mailing list for the Fall newsletter is generated are eligible to vote. The newsletter, with accompanying ballot, will be mailed at least 4 weeks before the closing date for the election. The ballots can be returned via mail or at the December HVG General Meeting per the instructions in the newsletter. An online ballot will be made available on the website during the same time period.
The HVG Election Committee will set a time and place to count the ballots, which will be held after the December HVG General Meeting and before December 31. Candidates or their representatives may observe the ballot counting. Ballots and nominating petitions will be preserved until all opportunities for appeals are exhausted.
The HVG bylaws and standing rules describe the schedule of events for each election can be viewed at www.sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley/about-us.