Central Electric Cooperative is governed by a board of trustees.
Board Qualifications
According to Article IV Trustees of the bylaws:
Section 3. Qualifications. No person shall be eligible to become or remain a Trustee of the Cooperative who:
(a) is not a Member and bona fide resident of the district he or she represents in the area serviced or to be served by the Cooperative; or
(b) is in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise or a business selling electric energy, or supplies to the Cooperative, or a business primarily engaged in selling electrical or plumbing appliances, fixtures, or supplies to the Members of the Cooperative; or
(c) is the incumbent of or candidate for an elected public office in connection with which a salary or compensation in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per annum is paid; or
(d) is an employee or former employee whose employment with the Cooperative was terminated less than three years prior to the date of the district meeting at which the Trustee election is held; or
(e) has been convicted of a felony; or
(f) is a close relative of any existing Trustee, other than an existing Trustee who will cease being a Trustee within one (1) year; or
(g) is an existing, or a close relative of an existing, non-trustee Cooperative Officer, employee, agent, or representative; or
(h) has not completed National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Credentialed Cooperative Director certification within three years of his or her first meeting as a Trustee; or
(i) has been absent from three consecutive regular board meetings without board consent.
Upon establishment of the fact that a Trustee is holding the office in violation of any of the foregoing provisions, the Board shall remove such Trustee from the office.
Nothing contained in this section shall affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the Board.
How to Run for the Board
According to Article IV Trustees of the bylaws:
Section 5. District Meetings. Prior to the cooperative’s annual meeting, the Board shall call a separate meeting of the Members of each district in which the terms of incumbent Trustees are due to expire for the purpose of electing one Trustee to represent the Members located within each of such districts. Such meetings shall be held anytime 30 to 60 days prior to the annual meeting. Only members of such districts will be able to vote for the Trustee.
All district meetings of the Members shall be held at a location within the geographic boundaries of the particular district as may be from time to time established by the Cooperative.
Section 6. Notice of District Meetings. Notice of the meeting shall be published to the membership a minimum of 30 days prior to the election. The notice will be emailed or mailed to all members within a district. Details shall include the place, date and hour of the meeting and should contain the names of all candidates to be voted on at said election. The failure of any Member to receive notice of the meeting shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the Members at any such meeting.
Section 7. Candidacy. A five-business day filing period shall be held a minimum of 60 days prior to the first district election. Any Member of the districts holding elections who wishes to become a candidate for the office of Trustee of his/her district, shall file a written notice of his/her candidacy and intention to stand for election. The candidate shall personally appear and file the written notice, on a form provided by the Cooperative, at the principal office of the Cooperative during normal business hours. Only those persons who have filed for election in compliance with this section of the bylaws shall be eligible for election.
(a) Provisions of this section of the bylaws shall be published to each members of said districts a minimum of 30 days before the first day of the filing period.
Board Elections
According to Article IV Trustees of the bylaws:
Section 8. Election. All Trustees shall be elected in the following manner:
(a) Five per centum (5%) of the Members of the district shall constitute a quorum at the district membership meeting. If less than a quorum is present at any district meeting, a majority of those present in person may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. In the event that a quorum is not present and the election, because of such, cannot be held, then and in that event the Trustee holding office from that district shall automatically remain in office for an additional three-year term provided he/she otherwise qualifies. In the event a vacancy exists at the time of the District Meeting and a quorum is not present at the District Meeting, the Board of Trustees shall appoint the Trustee for the three-year term. For the purpose of determining a quorum, the registration book shall be closed at the beginning of the meeting, and only those persons then registered or who may be present and available for registration may vote on the matters coming before the Members at such meeting, including the election of the Trustee of said district. If only one qualified applicant files for election, the board shall appoint the qualified applicant for the term.
(b) Each district Member in attendance at the district membership meeting shall be entitled to one vote, however, no individual may vote more than one (1) membership. Voting shall be by ballot or roll call. A candidate shall receive a majority vote of those voting to be declared elected. No Member at any district membership meeting shall be permitted to vote by proxy or by mail. The president, vice president, or secretary of the Cooperative may act as chairman and preside over any district membership meeting or a chairman may be selected from the Members present.
(c) A secretary for said meeting may be furnished by the Cooperative or selected by the Members present which secretary shall record the proceedings of said meeting. The minutes of such district meeting shall set forth, among other matters, the name of the person elected Trustee and the number of votes received by such person. A certified copy of the minutes, signed by the secretary and chairman of the district meeting shall be delivered to the secretary of the Cooperative within five days after such district meeting.
(d) The certification of the chairman and secretary of the election of the Trustee by any district membership meeting shall be taken by the Cooperative as conclusive of the election of such Trustee at such district membership meeting.
(e) Following the election of a Trustee, it shall be the responsibility of the existing Board of Trustees to establish the fact of qualification of said Trustee. That fact having been established, then the Trustee shall be officially seated on the Board and shall begin his/her term of office at the first meeting of the Board of Trustees following the annual meeting of the Members in the year elected.
(f) Should a Trustee move his/her place of residence from his/her voting district, a vacancy in his/her office shall be declared by the Board and a Trustee from said district to fill the unexpired term shall be named as is provided in and by these bylaws.
(g) Any error or omission in the giving of any notice or the holding of any meeting as herein provided shall not affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of the election of any Trustee.