How To Become A Board Member

Eligibility & Requirements

Candidate Qualifications

To be eligible to run for or serve on the SIEC Board of Directors for the county you reside within, a candidate must meet the following baseline requirements set by our cooperative bylaws:

Be a Member in Good Standing: You must be a bona fide active member of Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative (“cooperative”) who currently receives electric service from the cooperative.
Bona Fide Residency: You must be a bona fide resident living within the service area served by the cooperative.
No Conflicts of Interest:
- You cannot be employed by the cooperative.
- You cannot be employed by or have substantial interest in a competing enterprise.
- You cannot be an incumbent of or a candidate for an elective public office where a salary is paid.

How to Get on the Ballot

There are two official paths for an eligible member to be placed on the election ballot before the Annual Meeting:

Nomination by Committee
Each year, a Nominating Committee composed of cooperative members is formed to review potential candidates and officially nominate members to run for open director seats.
- To find out who is on the current Nominating Committee or learn how to submit your name for consideration, please contact the SIEC office directly.
Nomination by Petition
If you are not selected by the Nominating Committee, you can still petition to get your name on the ballot.
- Signature Requirement: You must gather the names, addresses, and signatures of at least 15 active SIEC members on an official nomination petition.
- Submission Deadline: Completed petitions must be officially filed and received at our headquarters ahead of the election to ensure your name is included on the printed voting ballot.

The Election Process

The final vote takes place every year at the SIEC Annual Meeting of Members.

Democratic Voting: Every active membership is entitled to one vote. In accordance with our bylaws, elections are decided by a majority vote of the members present in person at the meeting.
No Alternative Voting: To maintain direct community participation, the bylaws do not allow for alternative or proxy voting methods—your presence at the meeting ensures your voice is heard.

Bylaws

Article III Section 3. Nomination.

It shall be the duty of the President by and with the advice and consent of the members of the meeting of which directors are to be elected beginning with the year 1948 to appoint a committee on nominations for the coming year consisting of not less than five (5) nor more than eleven (11) regular members, and also an alternate member for each regular member appointed to such committee on nominations, who shall be selected so as to give equitable representation on the committee or the geographical areas served or to be served by the Cooperative. No officer or member of the board of directors shall be appointed a member of such committee. The committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Cooperative at least thirty (30) days before the meeting a list of nominations for directors, but fifteen (15) or more members may make other nominations in writing over their signatures not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the meeting and secretary shall post the same at the same place where the list of nominations made by the committee is posted. The secretary shall mail with the notice of the meeting a statement of the number of directors to be elected and showing separately the nominations made by the committee on nominations and the nominations made by petition, if any. No nominations from the floor will be accepted. The members may, at any meeting at which a director or directors shall be removed, as hereinbefore provided, elect a successor or successors thereto without compliance with the foregoing provision with respect to nominations. Notwithstanding anything in this section contained, failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall not affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any election of directors.

Article III Section 2. Qualifications and Tenure.

The persons named as directors in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Cooperative shall compose the board of directors until the first annual meeting or until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified. At the annual meeting of the members beginning with the year 1949, nine directors shall be elected by ballot, by and from the members, three of whom shall serve for one year, three for two years, and three for three years, to be determined by lot; and every year thereafter, three directors shall be elected for a term of three years, and provided that in order to insure geographical representation that only one director is to be elected from any one county within the Cooperative for the same year except to fill an unexpired term within said County. That all directors are to serve until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified, subject to the provision of these by-laws with respect to the removal of directors. That the word year shall mean from annual meeting to annual meeting. No member shall be eligible to become or remain a director, or to hold any position of trust in the Cooperative who is not a bona fide resident in the area served by the Cooperative, or who is in any way employed by or substantially interested in a competing enterprise, or who is an employee of the Cooperative, and no person shall take or hold office as a director who is the incumbent of or candidate for an elective public office in connection with which a salary is paid. When a membership is held jointly by a husband and wife, either one, but not both, may be elected a director, provided, however, that neither one shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold a position of trust in the Cooperative unless both shall meet the qualifications hereinabove set forth. Nothing in this section contained shall, or shall be construed to, affect in any manner whatsoever the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the board of directors.

Article II Section 5. Voting.

Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote and no more upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. At all meetings of the members at which a quorum is present, all questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of the members voting thereupon in person, except as otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation of the Cooperative, or these by-laws. If a husband and wife hold a joint membership, they shall jointly be entitled to one (1) vote and no more upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members.

Have Questions About Board Service?

If you are interested in running, need a petition form, or would like to be put in touch with a current board member to ask about the time commitment and responsibilities, please call our main office or contact us through our website form. We are always happy to help our member-owners get involved!