Piedmont Electric Cooperative is your local electric co-op and we are guided by a board of directors made up of nine Piedmont Electric members from across our service area. These board members provide guidance, oversite and help craft the strategic direction of the cooperative along with cooperative staff. This process sets us apart from other types of utilities and helps ensure that the local needs of Piedmont Electric members are heard and met. Directors are elected on a three-year rotation and are nominated by a nominating committee of members and follow the requirements below.
The following is an excerpt from our bylaws pertaining to nominations.
SECTION 4.06. Nominations.
(A) NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
It shall be the duty of the Board to appoint a Nominations Committee consisting of nine (9) persons who are members but are not directors or close relatives of directors, and who are so selected that each of the Cooperative’s Directorate Districts shall have one representative thereon. The Committee shall meet and nominate candidates for each of the Cooperative’s Directorate Districts to be elected at the next annual meeting. The Committee shall nominate at least one (1) nominee for each such District and may nominate more than one (1) nominee for each such District. The Committee shall show clearly each nominee(s) and the Directorate District for which they are nominated. The Committee shall ensure that all members nominated meet the qualifications to serve as a director set forth in section 4.02. The Committee shall meet as necessary in order to complete its nominations no later than thirty days preceding the deadline for nomination by petition as is set forth in the following subsection to provide the opportunity for any qualified member who desires to be placed on the ballot at the upcoming annual meeting but not nominated by the Committee, to seek nomination by petition as set forth in the following subsection.
(B) NOMINATIONS BY PETITION
Any fifty (50) or more members of the Cooperative, acting together, may make additional nominations in writing over their signatures, in like manner listing the nominees separately with respect to the Directorate Districts from which they are nominated, on or before January 14 preceding the annual meeting at which such directors are to be elected. Any member nominated by petition as a candidate for any Directorate must meet the qualifications to serve as a director set forth in section 4.02 before the nominee’s name may be placed on the ballot for election at the annual meeting.
(C) PROVIDING NOTICE OF ELECTIONS
The Secretary shall communicate to the members through any publication routinely used by the Cooperative for communication with the membership on a monthly basis or by electronic means at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting, the names of all nominees for each such district, showing separately those nominated by the Committee and those nominated by petition, if any.
(D) POSTING OF NOMINATIONS
Once the signatures of the members on any petition and the qualifications to serve of the nominees are verified, the names of all nominees for each directorate district shall be posted at the principal office of the Cooperative. The Posted Notice of all nominees shall show the directorate for which each nominee seeks election as director and may indicate those nominated by the nominations committee and those nominated by petition.
Revised 9/19/22
Interested in Serving?
The Nominating Committee selects qualified candidates for the ballot from each directorate district in the next election cycle. If you are interested in being considered for nomination, first, check the qualifications to serve as a director in Section 4.02 of the bylaws. Piedmont Electric’s bylaws can be found at pemc.coop/bylaws. If you feel you meet these qualifications, email Piedmont.Board@pemc.coop with your name, address and interest in a director position to verify your membership and qualifications and determine if your directorate district is up for election this year. If your district is up for election, you will be provided with contact information for your member of the Nominations Committee. Or, if you are qualified, you can follow the instructions in the bylaws above to be nominated by petition. Again, you should email Piedmont.Board@pemc.coop to verify membership and to learn the particulars of the petition process.