The election is now closed. You can find election results online here.
2017 Candidates & Bylaw Amendments
Candidate statements for the Chapter and Group Executive Committees, as well as language of bylaw amendments, are available 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 November 7th, 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 Fall issue of the Yodeler, the Chapter's quarterly newspaper. Ballots will also be emailed to every Bay Chapter member for whom we have an email address on file.
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 17th. All ballots must be submitted by 2 pm on Friday, December 15th.
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. You may also vote for or against bylaw amendments for the chapter and — if you are a member of the Northern Alameda County or West Contra Costa County groups — your group.
This year there are no candidates for the Delta Group Executive Committee, so if you are a member of that groups you may only vote for the Chapter Executive Committee and Chapter bylaw amendments.
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 most recent electronic ballot will be counted; If we receive both electronic and paper ballots for the same membership number, only the electronic 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 at 10 am on Saturday, December 16th, email elections@sfbaysc.org. or just come by!
What are Executive Committees?
Chapter and group Executive Committees represent Sierra Club members in deciding local conservation policy, endorsing political candidates, and administering programs and activities: essential functions that require a substantial, sustained commitment from our volunteer leadership.
Key responsibilities: Each Executive Committee member is expected to be actively involved in some aspect of the chapter or group’s work — from administration and conservation to fundraising. Executive Committee members at either level must attend regular meetings, determine Sierra Club positions on many critical environmental issues, and take an active part in making the chapter or group function well. A substantial time commitment between meetings is the norm. This is not an entry-level role; some knowledge of how the Sierra Club works is essential.
Chapter Executive Committee: The chapter-wide Executive Committee supervises essential functions from fundraising to conservation. It oversees a sizable annual budget and eight full- and part-time staff, as well as facilitating the work of hundreds of volunteers.
Group Executive Committees: Groups are the smallest geographic units of the Sierra Club, so group Executive Committees are important to making sure we keep an ear to the ground in our neighborhoods, parks, and streets.
2017 Chapter Election Calendar
(Note: the Northern Alameda County Group has a separate timeline. Please see their packet for thee timeline.)
Tuesday, July 11
Nomination period opens; petitions for candidacy available. Candidate packets available
Tuesday, August 8
Candidates must be registered as Sierra Club members.
Nomination Committee will begin to review candidates who have submitted their questionnaires
Tuesday, September 5
Nomination closes — Deadline for return of candidates’ questionnaires
Monday, September 25
Deadline for petition candidates
Friday, September 29, 5 pm
Deadline for statements and photos to Chapter Nominations Committee
Tuesday, November 7
Date by when you need to be a member in Club database to vote in election (Join online here!)
Friday, November 17
Election opens
Friday, December 15, 2 pm
Election closes; all ballots must be submitted
Saturday, December 16, 9 am
Chapter Office, ballots counted; candidates are contacted with ballot results over the weekend
January (exact date TBD)
Chapter Executive Committee meets and certifies election results at its January meeting
Please check back here for updates
Questions?
Email Nominations and Elections Committee chairs Matt Morrison and Becky Evans at elections@sfbaysc.org.