AAPA 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS GENERAL ELECTION & HOUSE OF DELEGATES ELECTION PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR CANDIDATES

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1 AAPA 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS GENERAL ELECTION & HOUSE OF DELEGATES ELECTION PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR CANDIDATES Introduction This document contains critical information and technical procedures regarding the 2019 AAPA elections timeline, application process, expectations for candidates, communication and campaigning guidelines. The Governance Commission has made numerous revisions to these Guidelines in order to provide greater transparency and ensure parity for all candidates seeking AAPA elected office. For the purpose of this document candidates refers to all those seeking election, regardless of the stage of their candidacy (prospective candidates, applicants, and those slated on the official ballot as of May 1). Therefore, all candidates (BOD, HOD, NWG) are expected to adhere to the procedures and guidelines contained in this document. Student election guidelines can be found on the Student Elections webpage. If you have any questions, please contact the Governance Commission at GENERAL INFORMATION Important Dates The dates below reflect important milestones pertinent to both the Board of Directors (BOD) General Election and the House of Delegates (HOD) Election. Items in red are specific to the BOD General Election. Items in blue pertain only to the HOD Election. Date(s) Friday, March 15 Thursday, April 11 Tuesday, April 16 Thursday, April 25 Monday, April 29 Wednesday, May 1 Tuesday, May 7 Sunday, May 19 Monday, May 20 Action(s) Candidate applications available online for the Board of Directors (BOD) General Election, and House Officer and Nominating Work Group Elections (HOD Election). Deadline to file BOD General Election and HOD Election applications and all supplemental/supporting documents. Nominating Work Group (NWG) conducts candidate interviews. Candidates informed of their NWG endorsement status. Announcement of the 2019 BOD General Election and HOD Election slate of candidates (NWG-endorsed & self-declared). Deadline for eligible voters in the BOD General Election to be current AAPA fellow members. HOD Election Meet the Candidates event at AAPA Annual Conference in Denver. (Time TBD) HOD Election voting occurs during the 2019 House of Delegates Meeting at AAPA Annual Conference. 3/6/19

2 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 2 Tuesday, May 21 Wednesday, May 22 Monday, June 3 Tuesday, June 4 Monday, July 1 BOD General Election Meet the Candidates event at AAPA Annual Conference in Denver. (Morning time TBD) BOD General Election voting opens. (9:00 a.m. EDT) BOD General Election voting closes. (5:00 p.m. EDT) BOD General Election results announced Leadership year begins. At the time of publication, the specific times of the two Meet the Candidates forums have not been finalized. Once confirmed, the information will be posted to the AAPA elections webpage and distributed to all candidates. AAPA Promotion of Elections To increase visibility for the campaign, AAPA has created an election landing page within the AAPA website ( This webpage will house all information pertaining to the elections, including links to individual candidate pages, and will be continually updated as current information warrants. Candidates and voters are encouraged to visit this site regularly for announcements and/or new information. The page will include: General information about all 2019 AAPA elections Secondary pages featuring specific information on the Board General Election, House Officer Election, Student Academy Election, and Nominating Work Group Election. Once the slates of candidates are determined, each candidate in the AAPA Board General Election and the House Officer Election will have an individual candidate page. These individual pages will contain information gathered during the application and endorsement (if applicable) process, including candidate s: o Photograph o CV o Video platform statement o Answers to application questions o Contact information, including up to three personal social media platform links o NWG interview audio recording (if the candidate has opted to participate in the NWG process) Materials submitted as part of the application and/or endorsement process are considered final and may not be edited, amended, or altered in any way. Candidate Professionalism As prospective leaders of the American Academy of PAs, all candidates are expected to conduct their campaign in a manner that is professional, issues-oriented, and honest. Candidates are expected to treat their fellow candidates, members, and staff respectfully. Violating AAPA election policies or procedures including those found in this document are grounds for dismissal from the election process or forfeiture of office.

3 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 3 ELECTION PROCEDURES BOARD GENERAL ELECTION AAPA s Board General Election is conducted via online voting by a third-party, independent vendor. The vendor manages the distribution of secure electronic ballots to eligible voters. Eligible voters are those fellow members as of May 7, 2019 for whom AAPA has a current address. Candidate names will appear in a random order on the ballot each time the electronic ballot is accessed by a voter. Write-in candidates are permitted. Should a write-in candidate receive enough votes to win the election, AAPA staff will confirm the individual has met all eligibility requirements. Misspelling of names does not invalidate a vote/ballot if the intent of the voter is clear. Ballots are tabulated and results are certified by AAPA s independent vendor. At the close of the election period, a tabulation memo is received from the vendor accounting for all ballots cast. The Chair of AAPA's Governance Commission will contact each candidate to inform them of their individual results the evening of June 3 and full results will be made public on June 4. In the case of a tie vote, the House of Delegates shall vote to decide the election from among the candidates who tied. ELECTION PROCEDURES HOUSE OFFICER ELECTION AAPA s House Officers Election is conducted in the House of Delegates by paper ballot under the direction of the House Elections Committee (HEC). The HEC is comprised of the Chair of the AAPA Governance Commission, the Chair of the HOD Tellers Committee, and one member of the House of Delegates. Ballots are collected in lockboxes and taken to an undisclosed location for tabulation by members of the HEC. Write-in candidates are permitted. Should a write-in candidate receive enough votes to win the election, AAPA staff will confirm the individual eligibility requirements. Misspelling of names does not invalidate a vote/ballot if the intent of the voter is clear. Ballots must clearly display the voter s choice for ONE candidate per position. Ballots are tabulated by the HEC. The chair of the HEC reports the results to the House of Delegates at a time to be determined during the House proceedings on the day of the election. If no majority is obtained by a House officer candidate, a run-off ballot will be between the two candidates receiving the highest plurality of votes. Write-in candidates are not permitted.

4 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 4 CAMPAIGNING Prospective candidates are not limited in discussing their plans to run for office. Thus, candidates may make their intentions known and begin campaigning at any time. There is no policy restricting prospective candidates from campaigning until the official slate of candidates is officially announced. Prospective candidates are, however, cautioned that those who campaign prior to the release of the official slate of candidates do so at their own risk. AAPA is not responsible if the applicant fails to meet eligibility requirements, submits an incomplete application, or is not endorsed by the Nominating Work Group and decides not to self-declare. Campaign Materials A copy of all campaign materials sent to voters must also be sent to AAPAelections@aapa.org. All information must be truthful, accurate, and reflect a professional business tone. The penalty for falsification of campaign information disseminated by candidates will be disqualification from the election, or forfeiture of office if elected. A mailing address request form and instructions are available on the last page of this communication. However, past voter surveys indicate that receiving individual mailings from candidates did little to influence voter decisions. Candidate information posted on AAPA s website has been the most influential and effective communication vehicle. ing Voters Due to legal restrictions and IT governance policies, AAPA may not provide a list of member addresses to candidates. Furthermore, candidates are prohibited from utilizing current AAPA group lists to send any election-related communications. On May 1, an will be sent to all AAPA members announcing the official slate of candidates for this year s elections. This will contain a link to individual candidate webpages on AAPA s website so that members may learn about the candidates and their positions on various issues. When sending an , candidates are encouraged to consider etiquette. It is specifically recommended that those candidates who choose to personal contacts use the BCC fuction when ing multiple contacts at once. Using the BCC function will prevent the inadvertent sharing of addresses and overloading of inboxes with reply all responses. Meeting Attendance/Duties of Current Board Members & Leaders As candidates, current Academy leaders are not restricted from performing their official duties while running for office. However, when on official AAPA-funded business, candidates are prohibited from campaigning except when attending AAPA s Leadership and Advocacy Summit (LAS) and Annual Conference. For example, a current Academy leader may campaign during LAS and Annual Conference at official candidate events, in private conversations, and during their personal time. They may not make public remarks related to their campaign when speaking in their official capacity.

5 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 5 Appearance in AAPA Publications Currently existing AAPA publications and web postings will not be altered or removed specifically because of an individual s candidacy. However, once a candidate has publicly declared their intention to seek office, no new content associated with that candidate will be added with the exception of individual candidate web pages and other official election-related postings. Social Media and Online Presence Candidates are encouraged to engage personal social media platforms to promote their candidacy. Each candidate may provide up to three personal platforms to appear on their AAPA candidate web page. Please note the following expectations apply, regardless of the format or platform and regardless of whether the platform is personal or managed by AAPA or another organization: o Professionalism is expected when responding to any comments/posts you may receive. o The focus of your postings should be on your candidacy and your platform. o Candidates should refrain from commenting on or referencing other candidate posts/platforms in their messaging. AAPA Facebook Once the official slate of candidates has been announced on May 1, candidates may use AAPA s Facebook page to promote their candidacy. This is the ONLY AAPA social media platform candidates may engage. They are permitted to post to AAPA s Facebook page one time each Thursday between May 1 and June 3. Please keep posts relatively short in length and direct interested members to your candidate page on the AAPA website and/or to any personal platforms you have established for more information on your candidacy. AAPA reserves the right to remove any posts to its Facebook page deemed unprofessional or inappropriate. Posts to other AAPA social media sites or online communities will be removed. Repeated offenses will be grounds for disqualification from the election. AAPA Huddle In 2019, there will be no campaigning or other election-specific discussions allowed on the Huddle. This includes, but is not limited to, promotion of or information about a specific campaign, questions to candidates, the election generally, or any call to action by candidates or voters. Read the Huddle post by the Chair of the Governance Commission announcing this change.

6 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 6 Any post relating to a candidate or the election will be removed by the moderators and redirected to the AAPA election website where the poster may find contact information for the candidates ( or personal social media platforms). Repeated attempts to post by a candidate will be grounds for disqualification from the election by the Governance Commission. Repeated attempts to post by a non-candidate will be grounds for a complaint by the Governance Commission to the Judicial Affairs Commission. To be clear, candidates are NOT restricted from participating in Huddle discussions during their candidacy. Candidates may continue to initiate or contribute to the many valuable substantive discussions occurring regarding clinical issues, advocacy, research, career advice, and more. The intention of restricting campaigning on Huddle is to preclude divisive electioneering and unnecessary distractions. The Governance Commission recognizes and appreciates the invaluable contributions of members and leaders on Huddle. Meet the Candidates Sessions Annually, the House of Delegates conducts a Meet the Candidates session for those running for House Officer and Nominating Work Group positions. This year, the session will be held in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Centennial Ballroom A-E, (HOD meeting room) on Sunday, May 19. The time of the event has not yet been finalized. Candidates will be provided details once they are finalized. The information will be available on both the elections webpage and the House of Delegates meeting schedule. This year, the Governance Commission will also host a Meet the Candidates session for candidates running in the BOD General Election. The session will occur in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Centennial Ballroom A-E, on the morning of Tuesday, May 21. The time of the event has not yet been finalized. Candidates will be provided details once they are finalized. The information will be available on both the elections webpage and the Annual Conference online schedule. While not required to attend, candidates are strongly encouraged to participate in their respective Meet the Candidates session. Annual Meeting Attendance The AAPA Annual Conference is the premiere CME and membership event of the organization. In addition to world-class education, the conference is the center of AAPA governance, policy development, and member engagement. While it is not required that a candidate attend AAPA 2019, candidate attendance is strongly encouraged in order to engage with voters and take advantage of opportunities to attend the Spring Board Meeting (May 17) and the House of Delegates Meeting (May 18-20).

7 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 7 CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS Nominating Work Group All candidates for Board positions have the option of seeking endorsement from the Nominating Work Group (NWG) or self-declaring. The NWG endorsement process includes a review of the candidate s application materials and a telephone interview. All telephone interviews are recorded for two purposes: to inform NWG members who may be unable to join an interview; and, to inform voters as they educate themselves about the various candidates. A link to the recorded telephone interview is posted on the candidate s AAPA webpage. Constituent Organizations Candidates may solicit and/or accept endorsements from COs (chapter, specialty organization, caucus, or special interest group). These endorsements are expected to be positive, professional, and transparent. To that end, AAPA has developed the following guidelines for any AAPA constituent organization choosing to endorse one or more election candidates: An endorsement should focus on the positive attributes of the candidate, not any perceived shortcomings of other candidates. Endorsements should never attack. Endorsements are informational; they should not incentivize or pressure members into action. COs that endorse candidates should have defined criteria for endorsement. Criteria for endorsement should be made publicly available. Ideally, the criteria should be posted on the CO s website, but should also be made available upon request. Any written, printed, or electronic communication regarding the endorsement of a candidate should include the criteria itself or language that articulates where readers may view the criteria. Any written, printed, or electronic communication regarding the endorsement of a candidate should either contain the CO logo or the signature of a CO-designated spokesperson. Other PA Organizations Voting is a privilege of AAPA membership and should not be influenced by the goals or objectives of another organization. At the request of the Governance Commission, AAPA requested that ARC-PA, NCCPA, and PAEA refrain from endorsing any candidate(s). We appreciate their respect for the voice of our members and encourage candidates to work with their supporters to adhere to these guidelines. The Governance Commission appreciates the efforts of all candidates who take the time to step forward to participate in AAPA s elections. We welcome questions about these Guidelines or the election at AAPAelection@aapa.org

8 2019 AAPA Election Procedures & Guidelines Page 8 MAILING ADDRESS ORDER FORM 2019 AAPA ELECTIONS AAPA will provide you mailing address lists in a Microsoft Excel chart for eligible voters upon request. Allow up to 5 business days for fulfillment of your request. Before receiving the file(s), you must complete and return a data usage agreement declaring you will delete the list after one use and not share the list. Please note that any violation of this data usage agreement will disqualify your candidacy. You are responsible for the adherence to this policy by any independent contractor you use. There is no charge for this service, but you will be responsible for the security and proper use of the list(s) at all times, printing the labels, and/or securing a vendor for mailing if desired, postage, or any other costs associated with your mail campaign. Before you incur the cost of a mailing, keep in mind that there are several other vehicles for promoting your candidacy. addresses are not available. Please check the list(s) you wish to receive. Candidates in the HOD Election are only eligible to receive the Delegates to the 2019 HOD list. Contact AAPAelections@aapa.org if you would like approximate member counts for lists you are considering or have any other questions on the process. Leadership Lists Constituent Organization (chapter, specialty organization, and caucus) Officers (president, president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, secretary/treasurer) Volunteer Leadership (combination of AAPA Board, PA Foundation Board, Commission/Work Group Chairs and Members, Delegates to the 2019 HOD) By State (Please indicate states) By Specialty (Please indicate specialties) * *Only those members who have designated their specialty to AAPA will be included in the addresses you receive. Only those members who have consented to receive mail from AAPA will be included in the addresses you receive. Please indicate if you want the above lists grouped (one document). You will not be able to tell what position that individual holds, but there will be no duplication of names. Duplication occurs if the lists are sent separately; each list will be labeled "constituent organization officers," "volunteer leadership," etc. Group the above lists Don t group