It’s an election year for NASW as well, members! While only Professional Members may vote, there will be opportunities for all NASW members to meet candidates and get to know these colleagues ready to volunteer their energy and time to govern our organization.
Below is a timeline for our election to select the 2024-26 NASW Board of Directors, along with explanations for various terminology.
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Thursday, August 15, 2024
Online Proxy System Opens
To make it as convenient for as many members as possible to register their choices for candidates, we use an online proxy system that is available over the course of several weeks. All current Professional members will receive an unique URL via personalized email invitation to make their candidate selections online. The email will be sent via eBallot.com with the subject line: "Make your 2024 NASW Election choices by Sept. 19." You will have until Sept. 19, 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT to complete your selection. Periodic email reminders will be sent until you have submitted your selection. Please participate.
Friday, August 23, 2024
NASW Virtual Networking Social: Meet Your Board Candidates!
https://www.nasw.org/events/nasw-science-writers-nominating-committee-virtual-event-august-2024-board-candidates-sciwrisocial
Open to all NASW members. Come hear candidates give a brief self-introduction. Then stick around to mingle and network with colleagues new and familiar among Zoom breakout rooms! Event starts at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
NASW Elections Special Meeting
https://www.nasw.org/events/nasw-science-writers-elections-special-meeting-september-2024
Open to all members, though only Professional members may vote. This is another opportunity for all members to meet the candidates and satisfies NASW bylaws as our official meeting for this election process. Event starts at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Online Proxy Closes 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT
Professional members must use the unique URL provided in their personalized email invitation to cast their proxy no later than 2:00 PM ET today. (Election results will be announced in late September or early October, once all votes have been tallied and confirmed.)
October 17-18, 2024
November 8-11, 2024
ScienceWriters2024 Conference
https://www.sciencewriters2024.org
Come say hello to your new NASW Board of Directors in person at ScienceWriters2024 Early Access online in October or in-person at ScienceWriters2024 in Raleigh in November!
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
NASW Annual Membership Meeting
https://www.nasw.org/events/nasw-science-writers-annual-member-meeting-november-2024
Open to all NASW members (Professional, Student, Affiliate). This virtual event serves as our annual membership meeting, where volunteer awards are given out, and other business reports are shared by the Board of Directors and NASW staff. Stick around for more networking with fellow members! Event starts at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do NASW board candidates campaign?
Candidates can reach out to members by participating in the virtual events being hosted on Aug. 23 and Sept. 19. In addition, candidates may use NASW email discussion lists or their own social media accounts to discuss their candidacy and interact with NASW members and the public.
Candidates shall not spend money or pay for gifts; shall refrain from negative campaigning; shall promote collegiality among candidates; and are expected to abide by NASW Operating Principles, Code of Ethics, and Meeting Code of Conduct at all times.
What is the “online proxy” referring to?
Per our NASW bylaws and the laws in the State of New York (where NASW is incorporated), votes of members or the board may only be taken at a meeting. A “meeting” is defined as a space where participants can hear each other — which qualifies a Zoom Meeting or a very large conference call in addition to an in-person event. This is the purpose of our Sept. 19 virtual event.
Still, not every voting member is able to attend such a meeting. Thus, NASW uses a proxy system to allow people to cast their choices for elections (and any other matters that may come before the membership, such as bylaw changes). NASW members with voting privileges receive an electronic proxy that for all intents and purposes functions like an electronic vote.
But technically, your selection is not a vote until the NASW Secretary or whomever you have designated as your proxy, appears at the meeting and delivers everyone’s selections to the Executive Director (in our case, this all happens electronically). So to be technically accurate, we refer to your candidate selection process as an “electronic proxy system in which members are registering their choices” or “proxy” — rather than “your vote” or “your ballot”.
And this is also why in your online proxy form, you will see the option to select the NASW Secretary as your proxy or designate another individual. In this case, “proxy” refers to the person delivering your selection on your behalf, regardless of whether you attend the Sept. 19 meeting. If you name an alternate proxy, just make sure it’s someone who actually plans to attend the meeting, as they must be present for your selections to be entered into the record.
Founded in 1934 with a mission to fight for the free flow of science news, NASW is an organization of ~2,400 professional journalists, authors, editors, producers, public information officers, students and people who write and produce material intended to inform the public about science, health, engineering, and technology. To learn more, visit www.nasw.org and follow NASW on LinkedIn and Bluesky. And join us in celebrating #NASW90th.
Per NASW bylaws, a board vice president is voted in as president-elect. Thus, the vice president of the previous board term is the de facto candidate for president in each election. The vice president of each term is also asked to serve as chair of the NASW Programs Committee, curating the NASW workshops lineup for the annual ScienceWriters national conference.
In 2021, NASW bylaws were amended to include Affiliate Memberships. This new category was created to support those exploring or returning to science writing careers after a pause. Although Affiliate members hold non-voting status, they can apply for Professional Membership upon meeting that category’s requirements.
