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Board Election

2023 Election

There are seven candidates running for six seats on the IRE Board of Directors and three candidates running for two seats on the IRE Contest Committee. All candidates will be on the same ballot, and the Contest Committee candidates’ information will also be available on the IRE website, but they do not participate in the board candidates forum. Contest Committee members serve one-year terms.

Meet the Candidates

About the Board of Directors

The board serves as the governing body of IRE and generally meets in person three times a year and several times virtually to discuss and vote on IRE business. Two of the in-person meetings are at the annual NICAR and IRE conferences. The third is at the annual board retreat.

Board members serve on committees and task forces made up of board members and appointed non-board IRE members.

The seats are for two-year terms, and incumbents may seek re-election to the board. A board position is unpaid; board members and their news organizations are expected to pay all, or a substantial amount, of travel expenses to in-person board meetings. IRE will provide limited help in cases of need.

Candidates must be IRE members in the professional or academic category.

Board members are expected to help raise funds and contribute financial or other resources to the organization.

Board members cannot enter their own work or the work they edit in IRE contests.

To learn more about serving on the IRE Board, please view the below Q&A from last year's election.

2023 Board Election Schedule

Six of the board’s 13 seats are up for election

  • April 3 – Period to declare candidacy for the IRE Board begins
  • May 9 – Deadline for candidates to file and submit election materials
  • May 12 – Deadline for staff to have all candidates’ materials posted online 
  • June 6 – Voting begins; ballot sent out first time
  • June 13 – Ballot sent out second time to those who haven’t voted, including new members
  • June 20 – Ballot sent out third time to those who haven’t voted, including new members
  • June 22 – Board candidates give brief statements in person at the IRE conference in Orlando; meet-and-greet with the candidates follows
  • June 24, Noon Eastern – deadline for joining or renewing to vote
  • June 24, 6 p.m. Eastern – deadline for voting
  • June 24 – Voting results are announced following membership meeting; newly elected board members take office immediately

How to Declare Candidacy

IRE Board of Directors

The submitted materials listed below were required of all candidates and are posted on the IRE website.

Membership requirements of candidates and nominators: All candidates and nominators must have a current membership through July 1, 2023.

  1. Board candidates submitted the following by email:
  • A photo
  • A candidacy statement or bio limited to 500 words. Statement or bio submissions exceeding 500 words will be cut at the 500-word limit. Candidacy statements should include answers to the following questions:
    • How would you work to improve diversity, equity and inclusion within IRE? If you are an incumbent, please also address your work on this as an existing board member.
    • Please describe a specific challenge you believe IRE faces and how you would address it if elected.
  • A separate list with the following information:
    • Current position
    • Prior experience
    • IRE experience, such as conferences and workshops attended and committee service
    • Expertise
    • Related links (optional)
    • Issues you would like to address as a board member 
  1. Each board candidate was nominated and seconded by current IRE members via email. Each person who nominated the candidate provided a short statement (up to 150 words) of support.
  2. Ahead of the polls opening, each candidate is encouraged to submit a candidate statement video of up to two minutes. The video should be submitted as a Vimeo or Youtube link, and IRE encourages closed captioning in video submissions. Interested candidates may view an onboarding webinar to better understand the responsibilities of a board member and the dos and don'ts of being a board member.
Contest Committee

See the above calendar for deadlines on candidate filing, posting candidate profiles online and voting. Please note that contest committee appointments are one-year terms. 

Contest Committee candidates submitted a photo and short bio. Nominations are not required to run for the Contest Committee.

Contest Committee candidates’ information is posted on the IRE website, but they will not participate in the forum for board candidates.

Contest Committee members cannot enter their own work or the work they edit in IRE contests.

Voting

Voting privileges are granted to the professional (including international), academic, student and retiree membership categories. Associate members do not have voting privileges. Your membership must be current through July 1 of the election year. Electronic ballots will be sent to the primary email as listed in your membership profile.

Election Q&A

When will voting open?

Voting will begin June 6.

When does voting close?

Voting ends on June 24 at 6 p.m. (Eastern).

How do I know who the candidates are?

Each candidate's profile will be posted to IRE's website within three days of receiving the candidate's materials. Since the filing deadline is May 9, all materials will be posted no later than May 12.

Will I get to meet the candidates?

At the conference, there will be an in-person meet-and-greet session on Thursday, June 22. Check the conference schedule for the time and location. It will start with each candidate giving a speech of 2-3 minutes, followed by an informal gathering where members can visit with the candidates, ask questions and chat.

Do nominators give speeches?

No. Nominators no longer will speak at the conference. They only are required to submit a statement to be published with the candidate’s information online. Only the candidates will speak at the meet-and-greet session at the conference.

Who can vote in this election?

Voting is open to members whose membership is current through July 1, 2023, and whose member type is Professional, Academic, Student or Retiree.  Associate members do not have voting privileges.

Where do I go online to vote?

Ballots will be sent to the primary email listed in your membership profile. For information on the email address on file, you can log into your member profile at www.ire.org, email ballots@ire.org or call 573-882-2042.

How do I know to what email address my ballot will be sent?

Current members will receive their ballot at their primary email address on file with IRE. For information on the email address on file, you can log into your member profile at www.ire.org, email ballots@ire.org or call 573-882-2042.

I can’t get that page to open/the link doesn’t work.

Please send an email to ballots@ire.org.

I did not get the email telling me it was time to vote, what do I do?

Please send an email to ballots@ire.org.

If I am joining or renewing, how soon will I receive my ballot?

​Starting June 6, new or returning members (Professional, Academic, ​Student ​or Retiree) will receive a ballot on the Tuesday following processing of the membership. Ballots will be sent out every Tuesday of the voting period: June 6, June 13 and June 20. If you do not receive your ballot, please email ballots@ire.org.

If I join or renew my membership during the original conference dates, when will I be able to vote?

Beginning June 21 until noon June 24, new or renewing members (Professional, Academic, Student or Retiree) will receive a ballot the day they join or renew. If you do not receive your ballot, please email ballots@ire.org.

What is the latest time I can join or renew and still receive a ballot?

Any new member or renewal applications must be submitted for processing by noon Eastern on Saturday, June 24, to be eligible for voting.

How do I know I voted?

Once you click the submit button on your ballot, you are asked to verify that your choices are correct. Then, you will receive a voting receipt.

I didn’t get a confirmation that my vote went through.

Ballot receipts are sent to the primary email as listed in your membership file.

If I can’t find it the email, can I submit a paper ballot?

No, all voting must be done electronically. Ballots will be sent to the primary email as listed in your membership profile.

What if I made a mistake and need to go back to the ballot?

You can only vote once; votes cannot be resubmitted or changed.

How do we know who won?

Winners will be announced after the IRE annual membership meeting Saturday, June 24. Results will be posted online and via social media later that evening.

When will officers be elected?

A meeting of the new board to elect officers will take place after the membership meeting. The board elects the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and at-large officer. Results will be posted online and via social media after the meeting.

I forgot to vote and now it says it’s closed; what do I do?

Unfortunately, it’s too late. Reminders will be sent to the primary email listed on your membership file. IRE is not responsible for undeliverable or bad email addresses.

Is it Mac friendly?

Yes! The voting platform is a web-based system. 

What happens if not enough people file by the deadline for the number of seats available?

This did not happen this year. But if it had happened, the rules state the board would have held a meeting to confirm the candidates who had filed by the deadline and those candidates would have been elected by acclamation. Staff would have notified the membership via email about the remaining open seats. Candidates would have had one week to file and submit the necessary materials. Candidates’ materials would have been posted on the IRE website as soon as possible but no later than a specified date. This election would then have followed the same schedule as outlined for the original election. 

109 Lee Hills Hall, Missouri School of Journalism   |   221 S. Eighth St., Columbia, MO 65201   |   573-882-2042   |   info@ire.org   |   Privacy Policy
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