Election season is upon us again, and there’s no better time to step up to support another year of the Bay Chapter’s advocacy and activism, or make your voice heard in November. The nomination period is open for seats on the Chapter Executive Committee and the Executive Committees of the Chapter’s constituent Groups. Please use this page as your reference for all election information this year.
2026 Election Guidelines and Committee
You can review the Chapter Election Guidelines, as recently amended, here.
You can contact the Nominations/Elections Committee at any time at this email address.
How to Apply
To apply for nomination as an Executive Committee candidate, whether for the Chapter or your local Group or both, please complete the application form here. The deadline for applications is August 21st, 2026.
As a change from last year, ballot statements and photos are also due on August 21st - you can find the form to upload those materials linked on the front page of the application form.
You can also find a copy of the application questions here.
We will not accept late applications under any circumstances.
Important Deadlines for Candidates:
Monday 7/13 - Nominations open, candidate packets available, announcement sent to members
Friday 8/21 - Nominations period closes. Candidate statements and photos are due at this time.
Monday 8/31 - candidates must be registered as Sierra Club members by this date.
Wednesday 9/2 (or before) - applicants are contacted to inform them of their nomination status.
Sunday, 9/13 - Final deadline for all ballot statements and candidate photos. Deadline for petition submissions.
Monday 9/21 - Petition candidates are informed whether their petition has been accepted.
Petition Candidates:
Individuals not nominated by the Chapter or Group Nominations Committee may file a petition to support their selection as a candidate. These petitions must be signed by a certain number of active Sierra Club members, depending on the Group, and electronic signatures are preferred, either as a list of signatories accompanied by member numbers and email addresses, or as individual emails from signatories. All petition submissions should go through this email. Please contact the Nominations Committee with any questions, or to arrange delivery of physical petition signatures. The Nominations Committee reserves the right to contact any petition signatory to verify their signature, if necessary.
The signature requirements are as follows:
SF Bay Chapter: 30
Marin Group: 15
Diablo Group: 15
Northern Alameda County Group: 20
San Francisco Group: 20
Southern Alameda County Group: 15
Tri-Valley Group: 15
West Contra Costa County Group: 15
All petition candidates should plan to submit a ballot statement and photo.
Complete 2026 Elections Calendar:
Monday 5/11 - ExCom approves elections calendar
Monday 7/6 - Deadline for groups to inform chapter NomCom of their choice whether to use a Group NomCom.
Monday 7/13 - Nominations open, candidate packets available, announcement sent to members
Friday 8/21 - Nominations period closes. Candidate statements and photos are due at this time.
Monday 8/31 - candidates must be registered as Sierra Club members by this date.
Wednesday 9/2 (or before) - applicants are contacted to inform them of their nomination status.
Sunday, 9/13 - Final deadline for all ballot statements and candidate photos. Deadline for petition submissions.
Monday 9/21 - Petition candidates are informed whether their petition has been accepted.
Sunday, 9/20 - Deadline to submit all materials to Chapter Comms for Yodeler.
Saturday 10/31 - Date for eligible voter list pull.
Week of 11/9 - Ballot goes live, Yodeler mailed, voting links sent.
Friday 12/11 - Election closes.
Weekend of 12/12-13 - Ballots counted.
Within 24 hours - Results announced.
Monday 1/11 - ExCom certifies results.