MEA Elections

Special Election District I

A vacancy exists on the MEA Board of Directors for District I Director for the remainder of this year (until July 14, 2022). This position will be appointed and seated by a majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors at the February 5, 2022 meeting.

Interested candidates should complete the Notice of Intent and submit it by January 6, 2022.  If there is more than one candidate, interviews will be conducted by the Board of Directors on February 5, 2022. The appointed Board of Director will be expected to attend the Board meeting immediately following the appointment.

SUBMIT NOTICE OF INTENT

Board of Directors vacancies for election year 2022 exist in the following MEA Board of Directors Election Districts:

3-year terms:  B, D, H, J

2-year terms:  E

1-year terms: A, I

See Elections Resources forms below for a list of all local associations within each Board Election District, or the “MED” column on Attachment I, which lists the Board District.

The Board of Directors duties include:

• General interest of the Association.
• Carry into effect all orders and resolutions of the Association not otherwise provided for.
• Appoint and fix the salary of a full-time Executive Director.
• Provide input to the preparation of the Association budget.
• Manage the business and property affairs of this Association.
• Charter governance affiliates: censure, suspend, or expel a governance affiliate pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board; communicate with and report to their constituency policies and actions of the Board of Directors.
• Decide questions arising as to the interpretation of the provisions of this Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules.
• Attend meetings and the annual Board of Directors Retreat, ACT, Bargaining Council and Governance meetings within their district, MEA-sponsored conferences, the MEA Representative Assembly, and national governance meetings and training sessions as approved by the MEA President.
• Serve on various MEA and other committees as requested by the MEA President and shall attend meetings associated with those committees.

Experience in Association leadership is recommended. All candidates should have flexible schedules for evening and weekend meetings and be available to travel occasionally on weekends and during the summer. Public speaking and meeting facilitation experience are highly recommended.

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent                                                            
2. Biographical Sketch Form (part of the Notice of Intent) – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication  (OPTIONAL)
3. Submit a color or black and white photo – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication to mea-elections@maineea.org (OPTIONAL)
4. Candidate Campaign Statement (part of the Notice of Intent) – to be published on a separate sheet to accompany the ballot if there is more than one candidate.

Conduct of Elections

MEA will distribute the ballots to local presidents on February 4, 2022 if necessary. Unopposed candidates who seek election to the MEA Board of Directors will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee.

MEA-REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY (Elections conducted by MEA) – Statewide seats open for the following Associations

 MEA Representative Assembly Clusters – 1 delegate and 1 alternate seat for each cluster district

(see Attachment J to find local association cluster district)

                                                         Term Exp                       

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Candidate Campaign Statement -to be published on a separate sheet to accompany the ballot if there is more than one candidate.

Conduct of Elections

MEA will distribute the ballots to all members in their respective membership categories on February 4, 2022 if there is a contested election.  Unopposed candidates who seek election as MEA Representative Assembly delegates/alternates will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee and not have a ballot.

MEA-REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY (Elections conducted by Local Associations)

Vacancies for election year 2022 exist for local associations for MEA Representative Assembly delegates/alternates. Attachment I found below lists delegate/alternate allocations for all local associations, as well as the names of delegates/alternates whose terms have not expired.

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent (Locals K – 12) – submit this form to your local president by January 21, 2022

Conduct of Elections

The local association will distribute ballots to all members if the number of Notices of Intent received exceeds the number of vacancies allocated to the local association. Unopposed candidates who seek election as MEA Representative Assembly delegates/alternates will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee. Following the election, the local president must submit the Certificate of Election by March 5, 2022.

 Certificate of Election

NEA Representative Assembly District Delegates and Alternates (Election conducted by MEA)

NEA Representative Assembly District vacancies exist for delegates and alternates for Districts 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 for 2-year terms for election year 2022.

Candidates must be a member of a local association in the district which they are running for. For a list of all the local associations within a NEA district, see Attachment G – NEA Districts below, or use the “NED” column on Attachment I. All candidates interested in becoming a district delegate or alternate may run for a delegate or alternate seat. 

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Biographical Sketch Form (part of the Notice of Intent) – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication (OPTIONAL)
3. Submit a color or black and white photo – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication to mea-elections@maineea.org (OPTIONAL)
4. Candidate Campaign Statement – to be published on a separate sheet to accompany the ballot if there is more                                        than one candidate.

Conduct of Elections

MEA will distribute the ballots to local presidents on February 4, 2022 if necessary.  Unopposed candidates who seek election as NEA Representative Assembly At-Large Delegates and Alternates will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee

 Guidelines for funding state delegates to the NEA RA as follows:

1. Delegates are expected to arrive at the NEA Representative Assembly prior to the first Maine caucus and to remain throughout the entire
2. Delegates are expected to attend all Maine caucus meetings at the Representative Assembly.
3. Delegates are expected to be in attendance at all business sessions of the NEA Representative
4. Delegates are expected to inform themselves appropriately and to participate in the voting process at the NEA Representative
5. Delegates are encouraged to make an appropriate contribution to the NEA Fund for Children and Public
6. Delegates are expected to coordinate with the MEA Leadership Team to assist in coverage of the NEA Representative Assembly committee meetings that precede the opening session of the NEA Representative
7. Delegates may be excused from some sessions for official NEA-RA activities, illness, or other reason at the discretion of the Caucus

Adopted October 2007

NEA Representative Assembly At-large Delegates and Alternates (Election conducted by MEA)

NEA Representative Assembly At-large vacancies exist for 6 alternates for 1-year terms for election year 2022.

 To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Biographical Sketch Form (part of the Notice of Intent) – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication (OPTIONAL)
3. Submit a color or black and white photo – for publication in the Maine Educator or other official MEA publication to mea-elections@maineea.org (OPTIONAL)
4. Candidate Campaign Statement – to be published on a separate sheet to accompany the ballot if there is more than one candidate.

 Conduct of Elections

MEA will distribute the ballots to local presidents on February 4, 2022 if necessary.  Unopposed candidates who seek election as NEA Representative Assembly At-Large Delegates and Alternates will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee.  Runners up will become alternates. 

 Guidelines for funding state delegates to the NEA RA as follows

1. Delegates are expected to arrive at the NEA Representative Assembly prior to the first Maine caucus and to remain throughout the entire
2. Delegates are expected to attend all Maine caucus meetings at the Representative Assembly.
3. Delegates are expected to be in attendance at all business sessions of the NEA Representative
4. Delegates are expected to inform themselves appropriately and to participate in the voting process at the NEA Representative
5. Delegates are encouraged to make an appropriate contribution to the NEA Fund for Children and Public
6. Delegates are expected to coordinate with the MEA Leadership Team to assist in coverage of the NEA Representative Assembly committee meetings that precede the opening session of the NEA Representative
7. Delegates may be excused from some sessions for official NEA-RA activities, illness, or other reason at the discretion of the Caucus

MEA-Retired Representative Assembly

The following vacancies exist for retired members for delegates and alternates to the Maine Education Association Representative Assembly.

Delegates – 1 vacancy                                        Alternates – 10 vacancies             

(1) 3-year term                                                    (3) 3-year terms; (4) 2-year terms; and (3) 1-year term

Members of the MEA-Retired are eligible to file as candidates for delegate and/or alternate delegate seats.

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Biographical Sketch (part of the Notice of Intent) – will accompany the ballot.

Conduct of Elections:

MEA will distribute ballots to all retired members in February should an election be required.  Unopposed candidates who seek election for MEA Representative Assembly delegate/alternate delegate will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee.

NEA-Retired Representative Assembly

 Six (6) statewide vacancies exist for delegates to represent the MEA-Retired at the NEA Representative Assembly for one-year (1) terms.  Per the MEA-Retired By-Laws, two (2) vacancies for delegates are held by the MEA-Retired President and President-Elect.  Their alternates, in order, shall be the Secretary, Information Coordinator, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President.  

To become a candidate, the following must be completed by 4:30pm on January 21, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Biographical Sketch (part of the Notice of Intent) – will accompany the ballot. 

 Conduct of Elections:

MEA will distribute ballots to retired members in February should an election be required.  Candidates may run for delegate or alternate delegate positions. Delegates shall be ranked according to the highest number of votes received. If there is more than one candidate for a delegate position, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes becomes the delegate. The candidate receiving the second highest number of votes will become the first alternate delegate, and so on. A candidate may also run for an alternate seat only. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes becomes the first alternate, and so on. However, if there is more than one candidate for the delegate position, the candidates running for alternate seats would succeed a candidate who receives the second highest number of votes for the delegate position, and so on. Unopposed candidates who seek election for NEA Representative Assembly delegate/alternate delegate will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee. 

NEA Representative Assembly

The Maine Education Association has an opportunity for one student from Maine to participate in the National Education Association Representative Assembly as a delegate, and also to attend NEA’s Student Leadership Conference.  Any Student MEA member is eligible to become a candidate for delegate or alternate to represent the MEA students at the NEA Representative Assembly.  The elected student NEA RA delegate must plan to attend the NEA Student Leadership conference as well. The student delegate will also attend the NEA Representative Assembly along with the delegates from Maine.

To become a candidate complete the following by 4:30pm on March 15, 2022:

1. Notice of Intent
2. Candidate Campaign Statement (part of the Notice of Intent) – will accompany the ballot if there is more than one candidate.

If more than one candidate applies for either the delegate or alternate position to the NEA Representative Assembly, then a statewide election will be conducted by MEA among Student MEA members. MEA will distribute the ballots after the deadline. Unopposed candidates who seek election as an NEA Representative Assembly delegate or alternate will be declared elected by the MEA Elections Committee.