Elections Committee

BY SCOTT DeARMAN, CHAIR

VVA will conduct its election of all National Officer and Board positions during the 16th National Convention to be held August 13-17 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida.

Candidates who have not yet filed with the Elections Committee can still run from the floor. Those candidates need to go to the Elections Committee’s room at the Convention and complete a Declaration of Candidacy and Eligibility, and they must produce a DD-214 and sign an SF-180. They will receive petitions that need to be signed by delegates. The minimum number will be determined by the committee.

Once these signatures are obtained, the petitions will be returned to the committee, which will verify that the signatures are those of registered delegates. If candidates have gathered the requisite number of signatures, they will be certified.

Those who plan to run for an elected position from the floor cannot distribute any campaign materials or announce or campaign on any website, including their own, or accept any authorized contributions prior to being approved as a candidate by the Elections Committee at the Convention. Any violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

POSITIONS OPEN FOR ELECTION

All of the following positions are open: VVA National President, VVA National Vice President, VVA National Secretary, VVA National Treasurer, VVA National Board of Directors (At-Large) [all ten seats], VVA National Board of Directors (Regional) [all nine seats].

All National Officer and Board positions are for terms of two years, beginning at the close of the 2013 National Convention through the close of the 2015 Convention.

ELIGIBILITY

Candidates for all positions must be individual members of VVA in good standing. Candidates for any of the National Officer positions must meet the requirements in the VVA National Constitution under Article I, Section 5, Paragraph A, as revised August 18, 2011. To wit: “To qualify for election… to any of these offices a candidate must have been an individual member of the Corporation, in good standing, for a continuous period of not less than twelve months immediately preceding the opening of the National Convention at which such candidate seeks election… and such candidate must have held a position as an officer or board member at the National level or as an officer at the State Council or Chapter level, during any continuous period of twelve months prior to the date of the opening of the National Convention at which such candidate seeks election.”

Candidates for At-Large and Regional Board of Directors must meet similar requirements, as set down in the VVA National Constitution. Candidates for Regional Board positions must reside within the region they wish to represent.

CONDUCT OF CAMPAIGNS

Candidates may use the national flag of the United States, the VVA national logo, and the VVA national flag on their campaign materials. Any other flag or logo of a state council or chapter may not be used in or on a candidate’s campaign materials. Any kind of VVA, state council, or chapter letterhead may not be used. Campaign materials are considered to be (but are not limited to) buttons, pins, brochures, and the like. A photograph of a candidate wearing his or her VVA national, state council, or chapter lapel pin is acceptable. A photograph of a candidate wearing a coat, jacket, shirt, or hat that has a VVA national, state council, or chapter logo on it also is acceptable.

Candidates may not solicit or accept campaign contributions in any form from VVA or from any VVA state council or chapter. Candidates may not solicit or accept any campaign endorsement from VVA, any VVA state council or chapter, or VVA newsletters, newspapers, websites, or electronic mail sites.

Candidates may solicit and accept campaign contributions and endorsements from any member of VVA, provided that the contributions or endorsements are not in violation of rules and that any written endorsements are on the individual’s personal stationery. It is strictly prohibited for any person to use VVA national, state council, or chapter letterhead stationery, web, or electronic mail sites for the purposes of writing letters of endorsement.

A candidate’s own website or electronic mail may be used to campaign, but the restrictions mentioned above remain in effect. It is important to remember that use of these sites may not begin before you are registered and have been approved as a candidate.

It is not the wish, nor is it the intention, of the VVA Elections Committee to embroil prospective candidates in unnecessary red tape in order for them to have their names on the 2013 VVA National Election Ballot. There are, however, certain steps that must be followed by all candidates in order to keep the election process within the guidelines of the VVA National Constitution and to make the process fair and even. The failure of a candidate to play by the rules or meet the requirements of the VVA National Constitution and the Elections Committee may cause that candidate to be disqualified and his or her name removed from the ballot.

The VVA Elections Committee welcomes those members who are about to step forward and take part in a most important part of VVA: the election of Officers and Board Members who will guide VVA for the next two years.

To reiterate: Do not forget to bring a copy of your DD-214 to the Convention if you are considering going through the floor petition process. The committee looks forward to seeing you at the Convention.