Elections

Districts across map of U.S.

AVMA members power the work of the Association. Electing representatives to the Board of Directors is one of the most direct ways in which every member exercises a voice. The Board's district directors are elected by members from each of the AVMA's 11 geographic districts. The Board, in turn, elects AVMA's officers.

Two new directors to begin serving in June 2024

The current directors representing Districts 7 and 9 will leave the board in June 2024 when their terms end. The call for candidates resulted in a single nominee submitting nominating materials in each district. Those candidates will join the Board of Directors in June and serve six-year terms, ending in 2030.

Meet the incoming directors

District 7
Dr. Carol G. Ryan will represent Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota as the District 7 Board member.
Biographical statement and statement of reason for seeking office

District 9
Dr. Michael P. Lent will be the director for District 9, representing Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah.
Biographical Statement and statement of reason for seeking office

What are the candidacy requirements for Board members?

Candidates may be nominated by the state veterinary association of any state or territory in the district, or by petition of 50 AVMA voting members in the district.

Nominees must live in the district they seek to represent and must have been voting members of the AVMA for at least seven consecutive years immediately prior to the election. In addition, they must have at least one of the following qualifications:

  • Served at least one term on the AVMA Board of Directors
  • Served two terms on an AVMA council
  • Served two terms on an AVMA committee
  • Served four consecutive years as a delegate or alternate delegate
  • Served as an officer in a principal veterinary organization or constituent allied veterinary organization for three years

How do members vote in elections?

The AVMA uses electronic voting for contested elections. This simplifies and speeds up voting, making it more efficient and easy for members to participate.

  • An email message is sent to all eligible voters, providing instructions and a link to a secure voting website. The email is sent from the address AVMAelectionatavma [dot] org.
  • Members click on the link to vote and are directed to a secure website. There, the member's identity and eligibility for voting are authenticated before they are allowed to vote.
  • The website includes links to information about the candidates running for election, as well as voting instructions.
  • Once members cast ballots electronically, no additional steps are required.
  • Safeguards are in place to prohibit multiple voting.
  • Eligible members who don't have a valid email address on file receive paper ballots that must be filled out and returned manually.

Update your email

Election notices for electronic voting go to the email address in your AVMA member profile. Check your contact information now to make sure we can reach you when you’re eligible to vote in elections.

Check now