ICMA has a long tradition of relying on the regional nominations process to identify a single nominee from among multiple candidates in a region for the office of Regional Vice President on the ICMA Executive Board. Historically, there has been a preference for relying on the nominations process instead of having a competitive election ballot with active campaigning.
Petitions are not required in order to come before the Regional Nominating Committee as a candidate for their consideration. If a member meets the eligibility requirements outlined by the ICMA Constitution and the criteria outlined in the Regional Nominating Agreements' Geographical Protocols and, after being interviewed by the appropriate Regional Nominating Committee, does not receive the nomination, the member has the option to appear independently on the election ballot if he or she has submitted a petition by the established annual deadline. Regional Nominating Committees do not review submitted petitions, but ICMA staff verify the necessary 15 ICMA Corporate member signatures and provide the committees with the names of those candidates eligible to appear on the ballot.
In order to qualify by petition, a member must submit a petition signed by 15 Corporate ICMA members by the January 10, 2025, deadline for the 2025 election year. Late submissions will not be accepted. Signatures on petitions must be accompanied by printed/typed full names and position titles for verification. Complete petitions should be emailed to icmanominations@icma.org.
To view the Petition, click the "Download" button above.
FAQ on Petitions
Q: Are candidates required to submit a petition to ICMA?
A: No, petitions are not required in order to come before an ICMA Regional Nominating Committee as a candidate for their consideration. If a member meets the eligibility requirements outlined by the ICMA Constitution and the criteria outlined in the Regional Nominating Agreements' Geographical Protocols and, after being interviewed by the appropriate Regional Nominating Committee, does not receive the nomination, the member has the option to appear independently on the election ballot if he or she has submitted a petition by the established annual deadline. The sole purpose of petitions is to allow a member the opportunity to qualify independently for nomination.
Note that some state or country associations or affiliate organization have a separate endorsement process that requires a petition, however, ICMA does not require a petition. See Submission Materials required by ICMA.
Q: Are petitions included in materials provided to regional nominating committee members?
A: No, petitions are not included in the materials provided to committee members. Regional Nominating Committees do not review submitted petitions, but ICMA staff verify the necessary 15 ICMA Corporate member signatures and provide the committees with the names of those candidates eligible to appear on the ballot should they choose to exercise that option.
Q: When and how is it announced to a regional nominating committee that a candidate has submitted a petition?
A: A nominating committee will be informed of the names of the candidate(s) that have submitted a petition with the necessary 15 ICMA Corporate member signatures by the established annual deadline after interviews, deliberation, and voting have concluded, i.e., after the committee has selected a nominee for the region.
Q: If not selected by the regional nominating committee, when must a candidate decide if he or she wishes to appear on the election ballot by petition?
A: ICMA staff will follow up with candidates after the interviews to 1) inform them of the committee’s selection, and 2) if a candidate(s) not selected who submitted the petition with the necessary 15 ICMA Corporate member signatures by the established annual deadline wishes to exercise the option to appear independently on the election ballot or not.
Q: Who can sign a petition?
A: If a candidate chooses to submit a petition (not required), petitions must be signed by 15 Corporate ICMA members by the established January 12, 2024, deadline for the 2024 election year. Late submissions will not be accepted. Signatures on petitions must be accompanied by printed/typed full names and position titles for verification. ICMA’s Constitution defines Corporate members:
a. Corporate Members are:
i. Full Members (including Life Members)
ii. Affiliate Members, currently serving in an appointed position in local government, who have a minimum of five years of service to a local government and five years of membership in ICMA.
Examples: A Full member is typically a manager, deputy/assistant or someone who previously served in that role and is now a Life member. An Affiliate member meeting both of the 5-year milestones noted above is typically a department/division head.
Q: How can I check to see if somebody is an ICMA member?
A: Use the Who's Who in Local Government database to search for ICMA members. Look for the blue "ICMA Member" badge. An individual with questions about his or her own membership status can contact ICMA staff at membership@icma.org.
Q: Can a current ICMA Executive Board member sign a petition or provide letters of support or endorsement?
A: No, sitting ICMA Executive Board members cannot sign petitions or provide any letters of support or endorsement. In addition, ICMA committees and task forces are asked not to endorse candidates for the board.
Q: Where can I find a petition if I want to submit one?
A: If a candidate would like to submit a petition by the established annual deadline (not required) the template is available for download by clicking the "Download" button at the top of this webpage.
Q: If I choose to appear on the ballot by petition, will it be noted?
A: Yes, it will be clearly noted who the Regional Nominating Committee selected as the nominee for the region on the online election ballot and which candidates are petition candidates, i.e., not selected as the region's nominee. Candidates not selected by the committee as the region's nominee and who submitted a petition the necessary 15 ICMA Corporate member signatures by the established annual deadline are offered the option of submitting statements of no more than 200 words for the online election ballot. Since biographical information is already provided, petition candidates are urged to focus their remarks on how their experience relates to their proposed service on the board, what they would bring to the board that is unique, and their plans if elected. The statement should not mention any current or former ICMA member or other nominees from the region. ICMA staff may edit for grammar, punctuation, spelling, or length.
Contact Us
Candidates: If you have questions about the nominations process in one of the five U.S. regions, contact your state association or affiliate organization president, or your regional director. Use the State Leadership / Liaison Directory. International candidates, contact ICMA staff at icmanominations@icma.org.
Regional Nominating Committee members: For the five U.S. regions, contact your regional director. Regional directors serve as the secretariats to the regional nominating committees. Use the State Leadership / Liaison Directory. For the International region, contact ICMA staff at icmanominations@icma.org.
For general inquiries about the nominations or election process, contact ICMA staff at icmanominations@icma.org.
