As summer rolls along, it’s time to start looking ahead to one of the most important events on the Judge Foundry calendar: our Annual Meeting.
This year’s Annual Meeting will take place in September in the Seattle area. After considering our options, the Board has selected a venue that best matches our organization’s needs: the home of Judge Foundry board member Joe Klopchic.
While “a board member’s house” may not sound like the sort of venue that appears in glossy convention brochures, it turns out to be an excellent fit for our Annual Meeting. Historically, attendance has been modest, and reserving dedicated event space has been difficult to justify when compared to the number of members who ultimately attend. Hosting the meeting at Joe’s home allows us to make better use of the organization’s resources while still providing a comfortable space for the meeting and discussion. It also places the meeting in a convenient location for the westerners, as our previous two meetings have been closer to the East Coast.
Notably the meeting will still be available to members on Zoom, as that is how the majority of members choose to engage with the Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting remains an important opportunity to hear about the organization’s work over the past year, discuss its direction, and conduct the business required by our bylaws. We encourage all members who are able to attend to do so.
Board Elections
As in previous years, the election for Member Directors will be conducted by ballot outside of the Annual Meeting itself.
Voting will open several days before the meeting and will remain open for a period of 7 to 14 days, with the exact schedule to be announced by the Elections Committee. Voting concludes on the day of the Annual Meeting, no later than 30 minutes after the meeting is scheduled to begin, allowing members who have waited until the last minute (we know who you are) one final opportunity to cast their ballot.
Judge Foundry uses proportional ranked choice voting to elect Member Directors. Members will rank candidates in order of preference, and ballots will be counted according to the procedures established by our election rules.
To ensure a valid election:
- Only candidates appearing on the ballot may be elected; write-in candidates are not permitted.
- The number of ballots cast must meet the quorum requirements established in the bylaws.
- The Election Committee will announce the voting period, the number of ballots required for a valid election, and the deadline for ballot submission when voting opens.
Candidates for Member Director must be members in good standing who hold Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 certification and meet the other qualifications established in the bylaws. Directors elected this year will begin their one-year terms on October 1, following the Annual Meeting.
Regional Advocate Elections
Members will also vote for their Regional Advocate during the same election period. Like the Board election, Regional Advocate elections will open several days before the Annual Meeting and conclude no later than 30 minutes after the meeting begins.
Unlike the election for Member Directors, members vote only for the Regional Advocate representing their own region. Regional Advocates are elected using instant runoff voting (IRV), with members ranking candidates in order of preference. Only nominated candidates appearing on the ballot are eligible for election; write-in candidates are not permitted.
Regional Advocates serve as representatives for their communities, helping communicate regional concerns to the Board, supporting conferences and judge development, recognizing outstanding contributions, and assisting with other regional matters. They play an important role in ensuring that the needs and perspectives of judges across North America are represented within Judge Foundry.
Members interested in serving as a Regional Advocate may nominate themselves for the position in their region, provided they meet the eligibility requirements established in the bylaws. Additional information about nominations, candidates, and regional ballots will be provided as the election approaches.
We’ll share additional details, including the meeting schedule, candidate information, and election timeline, as they become available.
We hope to see many of you in Seattle this September—whether in person at the meeting or participating remotely by casting your ballot.