Chapter and Group Elections

The Sierra Club is a democratic, grassroots, volunteer-driven, environmental advocacy organization. The San Francisco Bay Chapter, with more than 33,000 members, is a powerful voice for the environment in our region. The Chapter is made up of eight regional groups: Delta, Marin, Mount Diablo, Northern Alameda County, Southern Alameda County, San Francisco, Tri-Valley, and West Contra Costa County.

The Sierra Club is a unique national organization where members make key decisions. Our continued success depends on the strength of our membership.

Learn more about our Chapter Governance structure.

Chapter Elections Guidelines

Review our Election Rules and Guidelines.

Election Calendar

For the full Election Calendar, click here.

Key Dates

Saturday, August 31 - Candidates must be registered as Sierra Club members. (Join or renew your membership.)
Wednesday, September 4 - Nominations period closes (deadline for return of applicant-candidates’ questionnaires).
Monday, September 9 - All applicants are contacted to inform them whether they have been nominated by committee. Candidates not nominated will be informed that they can pursue the petition route. 
Thursday, October 31 - Date by when you need to be a member in Sierra Club database to vote in election 

• Join or renew your membership now!

Monday, November 11 - 

• Electronic ballot goes live on website. 
• Yodeler with printed ballot arrives in homes. 
• Link and appeal to vote will be emailed to all members for whom we have an address and who haven’t opted out of electronic communications. (Note: email send date may be +/- a few days due to email scheduling)

Wednesday, December 11 at 11:59pm - Election closes; all ballots must be received. 

Chapter Structure and Open Seats

Voting Instructions

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 1st, can — and are encouraged to — vote. Each Bay Chapter member can vote in the Chapter-wide Executive Committee election and in the election for the Executive Committee of their local group (see below for finding your group affiliation). All ballots must be received by Wednesday, December 11 at 11:59 pm. 

Questions? Contact the Chapter office at (510) 848-0800 or email the Elections Committee at elections@sfbaysc.org.

Vote by Mail:

You may choose to vote by paper ballot or online. If we receive both electronic and paper ballots for the same membership number, only the electronic ballot will be counted. 

Your paper ballot is in your Winter Yodeler. Once you have made your selections, cut out the page, place the ballot in a stamped envelope, and mail it to: Ballot Submission, Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter, P.O. Box 2663, Berkeley, CA 94702. Paper ballots sent by fax or email will not be counted. The mailing label printed on the reverse of your ballot, which includes your unique membership number, will indicate it’s valid. 

Vote Online:

The Chapter will also email a link to the online ballot to all members whose email addresses we have on file. If you do not receive this email but wish to vote electronically, vote here. 

What group do I belong to?

To determine which group you belong to, look at the mailing label on this Yodeler. 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 County; 107 = Southern Alameda County; 108 = Northern Alameda County; 109 = Tri-Valley.

What if I have a joint membership?

Just after your group number, your mailing label also indicates whether your household has a single (SNGL) membership or a joint (JNT) membership. Each section of the ballot has two columns for votes. If you have a single membership, mark only in the first column. For joint memberships, each member makes their selections in one column. Both members in a joint membership must vote in the same medium (either paper or electronic ballot).

What can “spoil” my ballot?

Your ballot will be considered spoiled and will not be counted if:

• you vote in the incorrect group election (spoils group vote);
• you vote for more candidates than the maximum indicated;
• your ballot is illegible; or
• you already cast your ballot online.