From Aiken Choral Society 1996 Bylaws

Article IV (1996)

Section 1. Annual Meeting. .....Election for one-third of the membership of the Board of Directors shall be conducted at each annual meeting, with terms of service on the Board of Directors for three years. Successors to unexpired terms, if any shall also be elected at the Annual Meeting.

Section 3. Quorum. A quorum for conducting the election shall consist of twenty percent (20%) of the Active Performing Membership of the Society, as shown by the records of the Membership Chairman.

Section 4. Nominations. Nominations for membership on the Board of Directors shall be submitted by the previous Board of Directors, and may also be accepted from the floor.

Section 5. Election. Election shall take place by secret ballot, with each voting member eligible to cast one vote for each board vacancy to be filled. Each ballot may register only one vote for any candidate. Nominees who receive votes on one-half (1/2) or more of the ballots cast will be declared elected. If the first ballot does not elect a board that meets the bylaws requirementsóa minimum of twelve (12) members with a minimum of one-third (1/3) being active performing membersóthen a runoff ballot will be taken at the same meeting.

Article VI (1996) contains other information related to the Board of Directors. Additional requirements for election and functioning of the board members are suggested below.
1. At least four months before elections are to take place, the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a nominating committee.
2. The nominating committee shall consist of a chair and at least two other members.
3. The chair should be a second-year or third-year member who is currently actively performing.
4. The other committee members shall include (1) a non-performing first-year or second-year board member and (2) an experienced performing member of ACS who is not a board member.
5. No person under contract with, or employed by, Aiken Choral Society, nor any member of that personís immediate family shall serve on the nominating committee.
6. The nominating committee shall construct a nominations form, for committee use, asking for qualifying information on each candidate.
7. At least three months before the election, all performing members and members of the Board of Directors shall be notified in writing of the upcoming elections. ACS members in good standing and Board members in good standing shall be given one month to submit nominees.
8. Each candidateís nomination shall be sent in writing to the chairperson of the nominating committee with the required paperwork by the required deadline.
9. Any performing member in good standing may volunteer to serve on the board and may nominate him or herself, following the same procedures as other candidates.
10. Anyone nominating a board candidate shall verify (in writing on the nominations form, #6) that he/she has obtained the approval of the candidate to suggest him/her.
11. When obtaining a candidates approval for nomination, the candidate should first be presented with materials prepared by the ACS Board which outline the duties of board members of the society.
12. Two months before the election is to take place, the nominating committee will select the most appropriate candidates and verify with them that they (1) have read the materials related to serving on the ACS board and (2) are willing to serve.
13. The Committee shall make sure the needed balance is present among the candidates as required by bylaws, and, if at all possible, shall present more than the required number of performing and non-performing candidates.
14. At least one month before the elections, the nominating committee shall present the slate to the existing Board of Directors for Board approval.
15. At that time, the Board of Directors may delete candidates and/or may suggest additional candidates, solicit their approval to run, and obtain the required paperwork from those candidates.
16. In the meantime, notices of the annual meeting for election will be sent to all members as required by bylaws.
17. Nominations from the floor will be allowed as outlined in the bylaws. However, anyone nominating from the floor must have obtained permission from the candidate prior to the meeting and must be prepared to give an oral summary of the candidateís qualifications.
18. The elections will be carried out at the annual meeting by secret ballot, following all requirements set forth in this policy and the bylaws.

The above suggestions are for regular elections only. The process for filling unexpected vacancies on the board are prescribed in Article VI, Section 4 of the bylaws (1996).