2024 Interim Meeting of the HOD: July 18 Speakers' Update

The election committee met recently to review two items passed at A-24:

• Resolution 609 - Standardization of the Endorsement Process
• Resolve 3 of CCB Report 03 - AMA Bylaws—Removal of Officers, Council Members, Committee Members and Section Governing Council Members (D-610.997)

As directed by 2024 Annual Meeting resolution 609, the endorsement process will be implemented for elections beginning with the 2026 Annual Meeting election cycle. The following is a synopsis of the process as delineated by the speakers in their previous communications.

Groups wishing to endorse candidates must submit their endorsement process, endorsement eligibility criteria and the group’s responsible party’s contact information via the group endorsement form, due Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, at 5 p.m. Central for the 2026 Annual Meeting election cycle. The HOD office will post this information on the AMA elections page. 2026 Annual Meeting candidates may not be endorsed by a group that is not on this posted list. Interested eligible candidates are responsible to contact groups to participate in their endorsement process.

Groups may choose which candidates to endorse during the endorsement window for each election cycle. The endorsement window will open at 6 a.m. local time on the Friday of the interim meeting 19 months prior and will close at 5 p.m. Central on the Friday of the annual meeting one year prior to the election. This will allow candidates to include endorsements on their announcement card to be projected at the close of the annual meeting one year in advance of the election, per our current rules. 

For the 2026 Annual Meeting election cycle, the endorsement window opens at the 2024 Interim Meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, at 6 a.m. Eastern and closes at the 2025 Annual Meeting on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 5 p.m. Central.

The Election Committee offers further clarification regarding which groups will be required to submit a group endorsement form in order to offer endorsements. In brief, any group that is not eligible to sponsor a prospective candidate will only be able to offer an endorsement to that candidate and be required to follow the endorsement process. Candidates may be self-sponsored or sponsored by the society for which they currently serve as an AMA HOD delegate or alternate delegate, as certified with the HOD office, or for which they served prior to their election as an AMA trustee. Candidates may be endorsed by any group whose endorsement eligibility criteria they meet, as determined by that group. Refer to these definitions:

Sponsoring group

• The association, society, AMA section, or other entity for which a prospective candidate serves as an AMA HOD delegate or alternate delegate as certified with the HOD office.
• The sectional delegate and alternate delegate are the only individuals who may be sponsored by their respective AMA section.
• Current trustees seeking re-election as a trustee or election to president-elect may be sponsored by the delegation for which they served as an AMA HOD delegate or alternate delegate immediately prior to their election to the board.
• Individuals may self-sponsor.

Endorsing group

Any group that wishes to endorse candidates other than the prospective candidates they are eligible to sponsor.

Examples:

• Regional caucuses (PACWest, SouthEast, New England, etc.)
• AMA sections (excluding the sectional delegate and alternate delegate representing the section)
• Specialty caucuses and section councils (Mobility Caucus, Dermatology Section Council, etc.)
• Specialty and Service Organization (SSS)
• State or specialty associations that wish to endorse members of the association who are not members of their delegation (for example, state delegate/alternates may be endorsed by their specialty and vice versa)

The Election Committee discussed the directive adopted in resolve 3 of CCB 3 at the 2024 Annual Meeting:

Resolve 3: That the Election Committee address the need for policy to remove candidates who are found to violate AMA policy G-610.090, AMA Election Rules and Guiding Principles. (Directive to Take Action).

The committee decided it would not develop specific policy to remove candidates at this time, but would revisit this directive after the processes to remove officers and council members are developed as directed in amended resolve 2 of the same report. However, the committee has developed a candidate code of conduct which will better enable them to apply our campaign rules to candidates who are ultimately responsible for following them per our current rules. Candidates will be asked to attest to this code beginning with the 2025 Annual Meeting election cycle.

Candidate code of conduct

• Be fully aware of and abide by the election rules (policy G-610.090).
• Review and follow instructions found in the candidate handbook and any supplemental instructions by the speakers or the HOD office.
• Comply with campaign-related requests by the speakers, the Office of General Counsel, the Election Committee, or the HOD office, including making themselves or their campaign committee and sponsors available on request for inquiries based upon policy G-610.090.
• Acknowledge responsibility for campaign activities on their behalf.

-- Responses should be directed to [email protected]

For additional speakers' updates visit the updates overview page.

Visit the 2024 Interim Meeting page for registration and additional information for the HOD meeting.