A Guide to Nominations Part 1: Getting the Nominations
The first challenge in the nominations process is finding and convincing members to run for positions within your organization. It’s vital to have competitive, contested elections in order to get your members engaged enough to vote, so keep that in mind as you evaluate your nominations process.
Get members involved in smaller ways first
Before you can convince members to run for positions, get them involved in ways that are a bit easier. That may start as just showing up at the annual meeting for some (making these a fun community event can help), and could evolve into them volunteering at events at your organizations. The more involved your members become, the more invested they feel in the direction of the organization. Invested members make great candidates.
Groom members for leadership roles
Sometimes, a more active search for members can be helpful. If your organization knows it is seeking board members with specific skills to bring to the board, make a real effort to seek them out. “Grooming” these targeted members by involving them in junior leadership roles is a good way to vet their capabilities and gives them a better idea of the responsibilities and expectations of the position.
Promote the concept of running to your members
Use your communication channels to promote the importance of elections and running for leadership positions. A cornerstone of member organizations like yours is that they are governed by members. Look to constantly send messaging to your members that shows the importance of their involvement in things like this.
Make the nomination process as easy for members as possible
A final key to actually getting candidates nominated is to make the process easy and convenient. Members may really want to nominate themselves or another member, but if they must jump through hoops to complete the nomination many will simply not follow through. Utilizing online nominations and petitions is a smart way to make the process faster and easier for everyone involved. Check out our DirectNominations™ service for some great tools to ensure your nominations process runs smoothly.