As an electric cooperative governed by a Board of Directors, Clarke Electric abides by one of seven cooperatives principles shared by cooperatives around the world, “Democratic Member Control.” This means that your Board of Directors is elected by, and from, the membership of Clarke Electric Cooperative.
Being a director for Clarke Electric is a great opportunity to learn more about your cooperative, work with local legislators and give back to your community. It’s important that each director commits to attending monthly board meetings or other special industry meetings and to participate in educational opportunities to help stay informed of cooperative governance and utility industry issues.
At the Annual Meeting Sept. 13, three board seats will be up for election. They are:
District 6: Kyle Kelso
At Large (1): Larry Keller and Randy Rouse
We encourage all our members to exercise their role in the democratic election process by attending the annual meeting and voting in the election. Anyone who is interested in serving as a board member can find out more information by calling (800) 362-2154.
The following are excerpts from the Clarke Electric Cooperative Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation regarding director elections:
Article III, Section 2. Qualifications and Tenure. From and after the annual meeting in 2014, “No member shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold any position of trust in the Cooperative, whose primary residence is not served by the Cooperative, or who is in any way employed by or who is married to an employee of the Cooperative or who has been an employee or married to an employee of the Cooperative within the past three years or who is financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy or supplies to the Cooperative.”
Article III, Section 3. Nomination and Election of Directors. (a) Nomination of Directors. It shall be the duty of the board to appoint, not less than 60 days and not more than 90 days before the date for the meeting of members at which directors are to be elected, a committee on nominations … Said committee shall consist of two members from each of the districts where the terms are to expire following the annual meeting. A director of the Cooperative, who is ineligible to be a candidate because of tenure, may be appointed to the nominating committee. The committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the cooperative, at least 45 days before the meeting a list of the nominees for directors. The committee shall be encouraged, but shall not be required, to nominate not less than two candidates for each district for which a director is to be elected. 5-15-01-00
Any fifteen or more members acting together may make other nominations by petition not less than 45 days prior to the meeting and the secretary shall post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations made by the committee is posted, providing that said nominations made by petition shall be limited to members from the district for which a director is to be elected and the petitioners must also be from said district.
(b) Election of Directors. Election of directors shall be by printed ballot. The ballot shall list the candidates nominated by the committee on nominations and by petition, if any, arranged by the districts. The secretary shall mail a ballot marked “Ballot for Election of Directors” and a statement of the number of directors to be elected and showing separately the nominations made by the committee and those made by petition. The statement shall also contain and inform the members of the manner in which they may vote by mail for directors as provided in this section.