New ACWA Election Process Builds on Association Value by Dave Eggerton Jul 21, 2023 Voices on Water Two separate election processes are currently underway that will determine ACWA’s next President and Vice President, and region board leadership, for the 2024-’25 term. The process to elect ACWA’s Board President and Vice President was revamped and updated significantly by a vote of the membership last year, and now more closely aligns with the region election timeline. Separate ballots for each election were sent to members on July 17 with the deadline to vote Sept. 15. I encourage members to visit www.acwa.com/elections to better understand the process changes and to learn more about the candidates before voting. In addition, we hosted our first virtual Town Hall webinar on July 19 to give ACWA President and Vice President candidates a chance to virtually connect with members, a new feature that will enhance member engagement in the election process going forward. The webinar was recorded and is available to members on the election page of ACWA’s website. ACWA’s new Board Officers and region board leadership will be announced Sept. 27, then formally introduced during the 2023 ACWA Fall Conference & Expo in Indian Wells. Particularly in voting for the Board Officer positions, this marks a departure from past elections, which took place during a fall conference and limited voting to conference attendees. All of these changes were approved by a vote of the membership, based on recommendations from a Board of Directors’ task force intended to enhance efficiency and clarity in the process. While the changes originated from the Board task force, their implementation couldn’t have happened without the dedication and hard work of ACWA Senior Clerk of the Board Donna Pangborn, who worked closely with the task force and an Election Committee. I want to thank her and the other dedicated ACWA staff who have worked hard to make sure this election cycle is a success for our membership, including Katie Dahl, Heather Engel, Caroline Meade, Avon Alfaro and Katherine Causland. Revamping ACWA’s election system required close attention to myriad details. But the ultimate reason for doing so is simple. The more we hear from our diverse membership of urban, rural, suburban and agricultural water providers from throughout California, the better ACWA can fulfill its role as a unified voice representing their interests in Sacramento and Washington D.C. Also vital to this process is the role of ACWA’s 10 regional boards. They provide grassroots support to advance ACWA’s legislative and regulatory agenda, with chairs and vice chairs serving on ACWA’s Board of Directors. I’m excited to see how ACWA’s updated voting system will work and believe it will build on our existing value to member agencies. If your agency designated you as a voter, I strongly encourage you to participate. And for anyone wanting to learn more about the election process or candidates, please visit www.acwa.com/elections.
