ABA Governance: Two Important Deadlines Approach

The American Booksellers Association is currently seeking the input of ABA member stores on two important governance matters: prospective candidates for the 2016 ABA Board elections and a change to the association’s bylaws.

ABA Board of Directors Nominations

October 19 is the deadline to submit nominations of qualified candidates for the 2016 ABA Board of Directors elections to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Jamie Fiocco of Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Any ABA member may nominate a qualified candidate via a simple online form.

Candidate qualifications are outlined in the “ABA Nomination and Election Guidelines.” Nominations should include as much information as possible about a prospective candidate. All information will be kept confidential.

The slate for the 2016 elections will be announced approximately 120 days prior to the next ABA Annual Membership Meeting, to be held in May 2016 in conjunction with BookExpo America in Chicago.

ABA Bylaws Amendment

October 26 is the voting deadline for a proposed bylaws amendment that would increase the number of ABA members serving on the Board of Directors from 10 to 11. The amendment, which was unanimously approved by ABA’s Board of Directors at its July 2015 meeting, must be approved by a majority vote of bookstore members, with at least 10 percent of the members voting. Only one vote per ABA member business is allowed.

If passed, the amendment would both increase the possibility for diversity among the directors and prevent tie votes on important ABA governance issues.

A link to the ballot was sent in a September 16 e-mail from ABA CEO Oren Teicher that bears the subject line “Voting Opens on Proposed ABA Bylaw Changes.” Stores that haven’t cast a ballot and cannot find the e-mail should contact ABA’s Member Relationship Managers.

Here’s more information about the proposed bylaws amendment.