OpenStreetMap US 2021 Board Elections

Jan 18 2021 Maggie Cawley

OpenStreetMap US is excited to announce that nominations to the Board are now open!

If you care about the future of OpenStreetMap and its community in the United States, please consider running! Being on the board means you get to help shape the future of OpenStreetMap US. This includes:

Supporting strategic planning efforts
Supporting our Executive Director
Supporting the mapping community through mailing lists and chat rooms
Making a difference at the local, national, and international levels
Facilitating interactions with other organizations, academics, government, and private companies.

We hope to see new faces and hear new voices on the OpenStreetMap US board. We welcome a new, fresh and respectful election season.

Requirements

Absolutely have a passion for OpenStreetMap and its community.
Be a paid-up member of OpenStreetMap US by the close of nominations (January 24). Join us today!

Nomination Instructions

Nominations will be open until Sunday January 24, 2021. To nominate yourself, please go to the election wiki page, and add yourself to the list. You can also see more information about the schedule and process there. You’re welcome to nominate yourself or that special someone who exudes love for OpenStreetMap.

Town Halls

We’ll be hosting 2 town halls over Zoom video chat. Dates and times will be posted on the Wiki.

Town Hall 1 - January 19 , 2021. 7pm ET- 8pm ET. A conversation with the existing Board members. Ask questions and hear what it is like to be an OpenStreetMap US Board member. Sign up for the join information here!
Town Hall 2: Week of January 25. A conversation with the board candidates. Before you vote, you will have a chance to ask questions and hear from each of the candidates.

Election

The election will start on Monday February 1st and end on Sunday February 7th. This year we’ll continue to use Ranked Choice Voting which will be confirmed by a community member. To be permitted to vote please make sure your OpenStreetMap US membership is in good standing by January 29th. We will announce the new board in early February.

Bylaws Amendment

This year, in addition to the elections, members will vote on an amendment to the OpenStreetMap US Bylaws. This amendment would extend the board term to 2 years instead of 1 and introduce staggered terms of service. Board members would be able to serve two consecutive two-year terms before being required to take a one year ‘vacation’.

This change would be applied to the 2022 elections, and is being proposed to provide better balance and continuity for the organization. Two-year terms give board members more time to grow into their roles, and staggering turnover leads to longer institutional memory and continuity of leadership.

Amendments to the Bylaws require approval by two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all members in good standing having voted. A similar ballot question did not pass last year because not enough members answered it, so please cast your vote!

Questions? Join the #elections channel on OSM US Slack, tweet us, or email us anytime.