Policy G-01 H
Issued: 11 Jun 2010
Revised: 24 Apr 2021
Nominations and Elections
1.0 Purpose
This document defines policies and procedures for nomination, election, and succession of the ASNT Officers and Directors-at-large.
2.0 Scope
This policy applies to ASNT Officers and Directors-at-large.
3.0 Reference
3.1 ASNT Bylaws
3.2 Policy J-05.11 ASNT Leadership Development Committee
4.0 Responsibilities
4.1 The Leadership Development Committee shall be responsible for managing the nominations, election, and succession processes for Officers and Directors-at-large.
4.2 Candidates for Officer and Director positions are responsible for obtaining the support of their employers in accordance with Appendix 1 – Employer Support.
4.3 The Board of Directors shall be responsible for electing the Vice President and for nominating members for Director-at-large.
4.4 ASNT members shall be responsible for electing Directors-at-large.
4.5 ASNT staff shall be responsible for coordinating and communicating nominations and elections activities.
5.0 Vice President Nomination, Election, and Term
5.1 The Leadership Development Committee shall nominate one or more candidates for the position of Vice President no later than March 31st each year. Nominations shall contain candidate biographical information only.
5.2 To be eligible, candidates for Vice President must be members in good standing and serving on the Board of Directors at the time of nomination. Individuals who have previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors are ineligible.
5.3 The Secretary shall distribute ballots to the Board of Directors no later than April 15th each year. Ballots may be printed or digital at the discretion of the Secretary. Write-in candidates are not allowed.
5.4 Directors in office on April 1st shall be eligible to vote. Proxy voting is not allowed.
5.5 Completed ballots shall be submitted to the Secretary no later than April 30th each year. Ballots submitted late shall not be counted. The Secretary shall tally and report the votes to the Board of Directors within three (3) working days following the ballot closing. The candidate receiving the most votes shall be elected to the position of ASNT Vice President effective July 1st, for a term of one year.
6.0 President, Chair of the Board, and Immediate Past Chair Succession
6.1 The positions of President, Chair of the Board, and Immediate Past Chair of the Board are filled through a succession process. Ballots shall not be used.
6.2 The Vice President shall, upon completion of their term, assume the position of President for a term of one (1) year.
6.3 The President shall, upon completion of their term, assume the position of Chair of the Board for a term of one (1) year.
6.4 The Chair of the Board shall, upon completion of their term, assume the position of Immediate Past Chair of the Board for a term of one (1) year.
7.0 Director-At-Large Nominations, Elections, and Terms
7.1 The ASNT Bylaws requires the election of five (5) Directors-at-large each year to terms of three (3) years each beginning on July 1.
7.2 To be eligible for election, Director-at-large candidates shall be members in good standing as of the date of their nomination.
7.3 The Leadership Development Committee shall establish a list of desired qualifications for Director-at-large candidates based on the strategic requirements of the Society as provided by the Board of Directors. Qualifications may include education, technical, management and executive experience, industry segment, volunteer experience, specialized knowledge and skills, geographic location and cultural experience, and other factors at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
7.4 Call for Interest and Statements of Interest.
7.4.1 The Committee shall issue a Call for Interest for Director-at-large candidates to Society members no later than December 1st each year.
7.4.2 The Call for Interest shall be distributed through any media available to ensure the widest possible exposure to the members, including but not limited to social media, direct email, newsletters, websites, and print publications. It shall specify the desired qualifications for candidates and the process for submitting Statements of Interest to the Committee for consideration.
7.4.3 The Committee may solicit interest from any member who the Committee believes would make an effective Director-at-large and who satisfies the desired qualifications.
7.4.4 Candidates shall submit Statements of Interest to the Committee no later than January 1st. Statements received after that date may be considered at the Committee’s discretion.
7.4.5 The Committee may communicate with members to discuss their qualifications and interest.
7.5 Nominations.
7.5.1 The Committee shall recommend no fewer than five (5) candidates to the Board of Directors for nomination to be Director-at-large no later than January 31st.
7.5.2 Candidates shall be recommended based on the Committee’s assessment of the strategic needs of the Society, and in consideration of candidates’ qualifications and interest.
7.5.3 Prior to recommending candidates, the Committee shall conduct due diligence on each candidate. Due diligence shall include, but not be limited to, confirmation of membership status, volunteer history, and confirmation of employer support.
7.5.4 Committee recommendations shall be contained in a report to the Board of Directors that lists the candidates and their biographical information, which will be contained on the ballot. The report shall also detail the Committee’s actions, list all members considered, and the rationale for their recommendations.
7.5.5 The Board of Directors shall review the Committee’s recommendations and select candidates for nomination at its discretion. In the event the Board selects fewer than five (5) of the recommended nominees, the Committee shall reconvene to recommend additional candidates for the Board’s consideration.
7.5.6 The Director-at-large nomination process shall be completed by February 28th.
7.5.7 The Committee shall promptly notify all members who have submitted Statements of Interest of their nomination status once the nomination process is complete.
7.6 Ballots.
7.6.1 The Secretary shall ensure the ballot for election of Directors-at-large is published on the ASNT website no later than March 15th.
7.6.2 The ballot shall include candidate biographical information contained in the nomination.
7.6.3 The ballot shall remain open through April 15th.
7.6.4 Invitation to vote and reminders to vote shall be distributed through any media available to ensure the widest possible exposure to the members, including but not limited to social media, direct email, newsletters, websites, and print publications.
7.6.5 Only members in good standing as of March 1st shall be eligible to vote.
7.6.6 Voting shall be conducted online only; printed ballots will not be used.
7.6.7 Write-in candidates are not allowed.
7.6.8 Proxy voting is not allowed.
7.7 Notification.
7.7.1 The Secretary shall validate the election results and notify the Committee within three (3) days of the ballot closing.
7.7.2 The Committee shall notify nominees of the election results within seven (7) days of the ballot closing.
7.7.3 The election results shall be publicized promptly after all nominees have been notified of the election results. Announcements shall be distributed through any media available to ensure the widest possible exposure to the members, including but not limited to social media, direct email, newsletters, websites, and print publications.
Appendix 1 – Employer Support
A.1.1 Serving as an officer or director of the Society can be very time consuming and burdensome on volunteers and their employers. Requirements include attending Board of Directors and committee meetings, coordinating time-dependent activities, visiting sections, meeting with key stakeholders, and communicating extensively with staff, volunteers, and members.
A.1.2 Policy G-16 Requisite Travel describes ASNT’s travel reimbursement expense policies for officers and directors. Candidates shall acknowledge they have read and understand the policy and they will be personally responsible for all travel expenses incurred in excess of the limitations provided in Policy G-16. Candidates are encouraged to seek employer support of travel expenses as required.
A.1.3 To be eligible for election as an officer or director, each candidate shall provide from their employer written evidence of their employer’s support as follows:
A.1.3.1 A statement that they understand and support the candidate’s involvement in the Society as an officer or director.
A.1.3.2 Acknowledgement of the length of the candidate’s commitment, which is at least three (3) years for directors and four (4) years for officers.
A.1.3.3 Acknowledgement that the employee must attend meetings of the Board of Directors and committees at various times and locations throughout the year, either in person or virtually, and that these meetings may occur during the candidate’s workday.
A.1.3.4 Acknowledgement that the candidate will be allowed to travel on ASNT business periodically and specify the extent the employer will fund the candidate’s travel expenses.
A.1.3.5 Acknowledgement that the candidate will be allowed to use employer telephone, email, and computer systems in performing their volunteer duties.
A.1.4 Officer and director candidates who are self-employed or retired shall provide a written statement evidencing their personal commitment to the requirements provided in A.1.3.2 through A.1.3.5.
A.1.5 In the event of a job change, officers and directors shall seek the support of their new employer and provide written evidence of their employer’s support of the requirements provided in A.1.3.1 through A.1.3.5.