Nominations and Elections Committee 

Mission and Goals

The Nominations and Elections Committee will plan, execute, and record the annual MARAC elections according to MARAC’s Bylaws.

Operations

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall create a slate of members in good standing for all open positions. The Committee shall be bound to nominate for an officer or member-at-large position a candidate named in a nominating petition signed by at least ten (10) percent of Conference members. Members of the Nominations and Elections Committee are ineligible for nomination to MARAC offices and positions.

Every year, the Committee solicits nominations from the membership for the offices of Chair-elect, Nominations and Elections Committee (3 members), Arline Custer Award Committee (2 members), Finding Aids Award Committee (2 members), Scholarship Committee (2 members), and Distinguished Service Award Committee (1 member). In addition:

• in even numbered years, the Committee also solicits nominations from the membership for the offices of Treasurer and State Caucus Representatives.
• in odd numbered years, the Committee also solicits nominations from the membership for the offices of Meetings Coordinator, Secretary, and Steering Representatives-at-Large.
• every third year, the Committee also solicits nominations from the membership for the Awards Committee Chair.

In soliciting nominations and preparing a slate of candidates, the Committee shall strive for balanced representation of race, gender and gender identity, geographical distribution, and professional experience to insure that MARAC elections reflect the diverse constituency of its membership.

The Committee will request a brief biographical statement from each candidate. Candidates for Chair-elect will be asked to respond to a question or questions posed by the Committee.

The Committee issues the official ballot at least seventy-five (75) days before the first meeting of the calendar year. Ballots shall include space for write-in candidates for each position. Ballots shall be submitted to the Nominations and Elections Committee no later than thirty (30) days after being issued.

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall tally the ballots and certify the results. A nominee receiving the highest number of votes for an office shall be elected to that office.

In the event of a tie vote, the Nominations and Elections Committee shall issue a second ballot containing only the names of the tied nominees within fifteen (15) days of the first tally. These ballots shall be submitted to the Nominations and Elections Committee within fifteen (15) days.

Following the final tally, the Nominations and Elections Committee Chair shall promptly notify the MARAC Chair, Chair-elect, and all the candidates of the results. The results of the election shall be formally announced through all regular communication channels once all the candidates – both those elected and those not elected – have been notified.

Membership

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Three (3) shall be elected by the membership. The MARAC Chair-elect shall appoint the other two (2), who shall be Steering Committee members completing their terms as of June 30 of that year. The Nominations and Elections Committee Chair shall be the elected member who receives the most votes.

Nominations and Elections Committee members shall serve one-year terms and may not succeed themselves. The term of office runs from July 1 through June 30.

Visit How to Get Involved to learn more about MARAC's organizational structure and position opportunities.  Anyone interested in running for an elected office should contact the Nominations and Elections Chair. 

Last revised July 2024