ABA Announcements
2017 Regular State Delegate Election
The following jurisdictions will elect a State Delegate for a three-year term beginning at the adjournment of the 2017 Annual Meeting:
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- Oklahoma
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Washington
- Wyoming
PETITIONS
Nominating petitions for State Delegates to be elected in 2017 must be filed with the Board of Elections at Association headquarters not later than Monday, December 5, 2016. For each state in which more than one valid nominating petition is filed, the Board of Elections shall have the name of each nominee and the names of 25 signers of the nominating petition published in the February 2017 issue of the ABA Journal.
While it is desirable that more than the required minimum of twenty-five names of members of the Association appear on the nominating petitions, only twenty-five names of signers of any petition will be published as provided by §6.3(b) of the Association’s Constitution. Only signatures of lawyer members of the Association will be counted. Original signatures are required and can be scanned and submitted electronically. Each nominating petition must be accompanied by a typewritten list of names, addresses, and ABA member ID’s of the signers in the order in which they appear on the petition. A one-hundred-word biographical sketch of the nominee and a signed Statement of Expectations must also accompany the petitions. Forms for this purpose will be provided. The biographical sketch will be included in the ballot material sent to each Association member in the state in which the nominee is a candidate for the office of State Delegate.
A candidate for nominee and all signers must be lawyer members of the Association whose membership is accredited in the state where the election is being held. There is no limit to the number of candidates who may be nominated in any state, and the nominations are made only on the initiative of members themselves.
Each nominee in a contested State Delegate election is entitled to receive one list of the names and addresses of the Association members in his/her state. The list is to be made available only after the proper filing of nominating petitions, after the filing deadline, and upon written request. The nominee should allow up to fourteen days from receipt of the request until delivery of the list. In addition, ABA staff will send one email on behalf of the candidate to the ABA lawyer members in his/her contested state.
Nominating petitions may only be obtained from the Board of Elections at the headquarter office of the American Bar Association, c/o Leticia D. Spencer, 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60654-7598, ([email protected]; 312/988-5160), and also must be filed (via mail or electronically) at the headquarter location before the close of business at 5:00 p.m. (Central), Monday, December 5, 2016.
Ballots for contested elections will be sent to lawyer members in good standing accredited in the state in which elections are to be held, no later than Monday, January 16, 2017.
In accordance with §6.3(e) of the constitution, no ballots will be sent to members when a State Delegate election is uncontested. If only one valid nominating petition is filed, the Board of Elections will certify that the sole nominee is elected.
ABA BOARD OF ELECTIONS,
Hon. Carol Hunstein, Chair
Robert Blumberg
Denley Chew
2017 Board of Governors Election
At the 2017 Midyear Meeting, the Nominating Committee will announce nominations for district and at-large positions on the ABA Board of Governors for terms beginning at the conclusion of the 2017 Annual Meeting and ending at the conclusion of the 2020 Annual Meeting. Pursuant to §2.1 of the Association’s Constitution, the Committee will nominate individuals from the following states to represent the districts noted: Vermont (District 1), Michigan (District 2), Virginia (District 4), Georgia (District 6), Tennessee (District 12) and Iowa (District 19).
The Nominating Committee will also nominate members from the Section of Business Law, Section of International Law, and the Law Practice Division as Section Members-at-Large, and a young lawyer member who must be admitted to practice in his or her first bar within the past five years or be less than 36 years old at the beginning of the term to serve as a Young Lawyer Member-at-Large.
In addition, one Goal III member-at-large who is a minority, and one Goal III member-at-large who is a woman, shall be nominated pursuant to §26.1(d) of the Association’s Constitution. The nominations will be made notwithstanding the fact that minority members may be nominated for the district and at-large positions on the Board of Governors.
PETITIONS
To be eligible for nomination as a member of the Board of Governors by the Nominating Committee, a person must file a petition signed by 25 Association members. Nominating petitions must be filed with the Secretary at Association headquarters not later than Friday, January 6, 2017. Nominees for district representatives must be accredited to the state for which the nomination is being made and 25 Association members from the states within that district must sign the petition. While it is desirable that more than the required minimum of 25 names of members of the Association appear on the nominating petitions, only 25 names of signers of any petition will be included in the material provided to the Nominating Committee. Only signatures of lawyer members of the Association will be counted. Each nominating petition must be accompanied by a typewritten list of names, ABA member ID’s, and addresses of the signers in the order in which they appear on the petition. Petitions for nominations must specify which position the petitioner seeks; no person may petition for more than one position.
A 100-word biographical sketch of the nominee and a signed acknowledgement of the Role of a Member of the Board Governors also must accompany the petition. Forms for this purpose will be provided. The biographical sketch and a list of 25 signers from the nominating petitions will be sent to the members of the Nominating Committee prior to their meeting in February.
Nominating petitions may be obtained from the Secretary at the headquarters office of the American Bar Association, c/o Leticia D. Spencer, ([email protected]; 312/988-5160), 321 N. Clark Street, 21st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60654-7598.
Mary T. Torres
Secretary of the American Bar Association
