2015 Chapter Elections

The 2015 Chapter elections are now closed. Find election results here.

The Sierra Club is grassroots, volunteer-driven environmental advocacy organization. Support the process at the local level by running for the San Francisco Bay Chapter Executive Committee or one of its local Group Executive Committees.

Executive Committees are the Chapter's decision-making boards, overseeing budgets, administering activities, deciding local conservation policy, and endorsing political candidates.

2015 Candidates

Find candidate statements for the Chapter Executive Committee and the Group Executive Committees here.

Voting Instructions

Who is eligible to vote? All members of the Sierra Club who live in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, or Marin Counties, and who were registered as a member of record in the Club database as of October 27th, are eligible to vote.

Where do I get my ballot? In late November, members of the Sierra Club who are part of the San Francisco Bay Chapter will receive a paper ballot in the December-January issue of the Yodeler, the Chapter's bi-monthly newspaper. Ballots will also be emailed to every Bay Chapter member (for whom we have an email address on file) on November 23rd and December 9th.

You may choose to vote online or with the paper ballot. If we receive both electronic and paper ballots for the same membership number, only the electronic ballot will be counted. Instructions for correctly submitting your paper ballot are included with the Yodeler election supplement.

When can I vote? The Chapter election opens on November 20th. All ballots must be submitted by 2 pm on Friday, December 18th. The election is now closed.

What am I voting for? Each member can vote for the Executive Committee leaders for the San Francisco Bay Chapter and the Executive Committee for their local group.

This year there are no candidates for the Delta, West Contra Costa County, and Mount Diablo Group Executive Committees, so if you are a member of one of those groups you may only vote for the Chapter Executive Committee. The Tri-Valley Group also has fewer candidates than vacancies. If you are a member of one of these groups, contact your group chair to inquire about procedures to fill vacancies after the election.

How do I find out what group I'm a member of? A map with approximate group boundaries can be found here. The mailing label on your print Yodeler can also tell you what group you belong to; if you are a Bay Chapter member, a three-digit number beginning with “10” should appear in the line above your name, following your eight-digit membership number. This number designates your local group: 100 = No group membership; 102 = Marin; 103 = Mount Diablo; 104 = San Francisco; 105 = Delta; 106 = West Contra Costa; 107 = Southern Alameda County; 108 = Northern Alameda County; 109 = TriValley. If you're still not sure what your group affiliation is, call the chapter office at (510)848-0800.

What is my membership number? You can find your eight-digit membership number on your membership card or on the mailing label of your print Yodeler newsletter. If you don't have a Yodeler on hand, your membership number is also printed on the mailing label of your Sierra magazine — instructions for finding it are here. If you're still not sure what your member number is, contact the Sierra Club membership office at (415)977-5653 or membership.services@sierraclub.org.

What if I have a Joint membership? Both members in a Joint membership can vote, but both members must vote in the same medium (either paper or electronic ballot). The mailing label on your print Yodeler newsletter will indicate whether your household has a single ("SNGL") or joint ("JNT") membership. If you need help finding out if you have a single or joint membership, contact the Sierra Club membership office at (415)977-5653 or membership.services@sierraclub.org.

What counts as a “spoiled” ballot? Your ballot will be considered spoiled and will not be counted if:

  • You vote in the incorrect Group Executive Committee election (see above for instructions on finding your group affiliation);
  • You vote for more candidates than the maximum indicated on the ballot (the ballot will tell you how many candidates you can vote for in each case);
  • Your (paper) ballot is illegible; or
  • You have already cast your ballot (only your first ballot will be counted; for Joint membership voting rules, see above).

What if I still have questions? If you have any questions, contact the Chapter office at (510)848-0800 between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 10 am to 2 pm on Fridays, or email the Elections Committee at elections@sfbaysc.org.

Volunteer!

We always need help counting the ballots. To volunteer to help at the ballot-counting party at the Chapter office in Berkeley, beginning at 10 am on Saturday, December 19th, contact Committee Chair Maritessa Bravo at elections@sfbaysc.org.

2015 Chapter Election Calendar

August 6
Deadline for candidates to be registered as Sierra Club members

September 7
End of nomination period
Deadline for return of candidate questionnaires

September 28
Deadline for petition candidates

September 29
Deadline for submission of candidate statements and photos

October 27
Date by when you need to be a member in the Club database to vote in election. Note: in order to become a member of record in the database, memberships need to be processed by our membership services center which could take up to a few weeks. Please ensure ample time for mail and processing. We strongly recommend joining by this date.

November 18
Mailout of paper ballots in December/January issue of the Yodeler

December 18
Closing date for acceptance of ballots at Chapter office (2 pm)

December 19-20
Ballots counted
Candidates contacted with election results

January 11
Chapter Executive Committee certifies election results

Questions?

Email Nominations and Elections Committee Chair Maritessa Bravo at elections@sfbaysc.org.