The Election Steering Group (ESG) recently announced the start of the 2019 election period.
Members of the Dons Trust Board are elected to serve for two years and this year the term has come to an end for five board members. There are therefore five vacancies to be filled.
Following learning from the 2018 Dons Trust election, the Election Steering Group (ESG) proposed some changes to the election rules and nomination process.
These have been reviewed and approved by the Dons Trust Board and are outlined below. You can read the full election rules.
Updates for 2019
The following changes have been made:
- The Trust Secretary is now not allowed to stand as a candidate, nor nominate a candidate (Rule 2)
- Proposers (as well as candidates) must meet the criteria set out in Rule 58 of the Constitution. This includes abiding by the Election Rules and excludes appointed executive officers of subsidiary companies (Rule 5).
- Players and player’s representatives may not stand – the Constitution, Rule 54.d. allows players’ representatives to be co-opted to the Board (Rule 5).
- Proposers cannot propose more than one candidate, but candidates can still propose one other candidate (Rule 6 on nomination form).
- Events supported by the ESG, but organised by third parties, are subject to the same rules on candidate participation as ESG events (Rule 14).
- Candidates are now asked if they have signed the Volunteer Code of Conduct and to provide details of volunteer activity. This is to help in understanding where Election Rule 20 conflicts might be seen to arise.
- There are now two nomination forms, one, as previously, for members who receive communications by post and, as an experiment for this year, one for those members who receive and interact electronically.
Interested in standing?
If you wish to stand, you will need to complete a nomination form and sent it to elections@thedonstrust.org by 17:15 on 5 October 2019.
If you do not receive confirmation by the end of 6 October 2019 that your form has been received, please contact the Chair of the ESG on 07818 617 620.
Paper nominations require signatures and notice of submission as before.
NB: For 2019, shareholding in AFCW plc refers to existing shareholdings and not shares applied for through the current Seedrs exercise (which may not be have been formally issued during the relevant election period). As the new shares, when issued, rank alongside existing shares, they will need to be included next year.
Election timetable:
- Nominations open Saturday 14 September 2019
- Nominations close Saturday 5 October 2019
- Manifestos published as soon as possible after 7 October 2019
- Candidates can begin campaigning when manifestos sent out
- Live video interviews with candidates (optional) on Sunday 3 November.
- Voting forms sent to members around 4 November 2019
- Closing date for voting 14:45 Saturday 23 November 2019
- Result announced as soon as possible after counting
- Formal announcement of result at Dons Trust AGM on Tuesday 10 December 2019