Gearing up for NEA delegate elections
Missouri NEA is gearing up for elections and seeking delegates
for the national representative assembly.
The nation’s largest democratic body will meet in New
Orleans, LA July 1-6 for the 2010 NEA annual meeting. Delegates
will hear from lawmakers and national newsmakers, as well
as debate the Association’s business.
Open nominations are required in all elections, and secret-ballot
voting is required (except when the number of candidates equals
the number of positions to be filled). No dues money may be
used to promote candidates.
Minority involvement is an MNEA commitment. Minority members
are encouraged to seek election as NEA delegates at both the
sate and local levels. The Association’s goal is to
attain at least 16 percent minority representation in its
delegation.
ONLINE
VOTING
Missouri
NEA will again use online voting in its election of
state delegates. The system is completely secure,
will allow each member to vote only once and will
ensure that only members are allowed to vote. Information
will be disseminated through local presidents or directly
to the member in cases where the member is not associated
with a local affiliate. Each member will have a unique
username and password.
Online
voting for state delegates will begin in February
and will continue through March 15. Watch for information
from your local president regarding voting.
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State delegates
State delegates are elected by the entire MNEA membership,
based on a ratio of one delegate per 1,000 active members.
According to this formula, MNEA will be allocated 29 delegates
in 2010. State delegates are reimbursed up to $1,200 plus
super-saver airfare for expenses while attending the NEA R.A.
Additional expenses must be paid by individual delegates.
State delegates are elected in two categories. Category I
delegates are teachers, education support professionals and
other members not serving as administrators. Category II delegates
are administrators and others serving in supervisory positions
that include evaluation of employees. Missouri qualifies for
28 Category I delegates and one Category II delegate.
Members who wish to nominate themselves for state delegate
must submit a declaration of candidacy form, a 100-word statement
and a photo (printed photos only) to MNEA by Jan. 20, 2010.
The statement should take one of three forms: a summary of
biographical information and Association experience written
in the third person, a personal statement written in the first
person as a direct quotation, or a combination of the two.
Statements should be written as complete sentences.
The statements and photos will appear on the MNEA Web site.
Only the first 100 words of each statement will be published.
The president and NEA directors are automatically ex officio
delegates. Except for the MNEA vice president, the placement
of candidates’ names on the state ballot will be determined
by a drawing. The first name drawn will appear first on the
ballot after the vice president.
Local delegates
Local delegates are elected by the members of a local affiliate,
with one delegate per 150 members. Members should contact
their local presidents to learn the procedures, timelines
and reimbursement procedures for local delegates.
Cluster delegates
Cluster delegates are elected by members of several locals
who have networked to attain the minimum 76 members required
for delegate eligibility. Members interested in being elected
as cluster delegates should contact Beeb Gillis at (800) 392–0236.
Cluster delegate elections are conducted during March and
April.
Student NEA, NEA-Retired delegates
Student NEA members elect two delegates to the NEA R.A., and
MNEA-Retired members elect five delegates.
Only student members may nominate, vote for and serve as
student delegates. Likewise, only MNEA-Retired members may
nominate, vote for and serve as retired delegates.
NEA (Active) Life members retired from employment are eligible
for election as MNEA state delegates. Retired NEA Life members
who also hold NEA-Retired membership may stand for election
as both a state delegate and a retired delegate. Delegate
credentials, however, will be issued for only one of the positions
to which such members are elected.
MNEA student delegates will elect their NEA delegates at
MNEA’s spring representative assembly, April 24–25
at Tan-Tar-A. Election of the MNEA-Retired delegates will
be held at the MNEA-Retired annual meeting, April 23 at Tan-Tar-A.
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winter '09 |
