Election Central

Serving on the CMA Board of Directors can be rewarding for you. We seek candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences, because that makes our organization stronger. We hope this guide will be helpful for you. If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].

 View the 2026 Board Candidates →

Board Composition

The CMA board has six seats:

  • President – serves one year
  • President-elect – elected for one year, transitions to president second year
  • Vice President for Member Training – elected for two years 
  • Vice President for Member Support – elected two years 
  • Treasurer – elected for two years
  • Secretary – elected for two years

 

CMA Election Guide

Thank you for your interest in serving CMA at its highest level. This guide will answer two questions you’re probably asking yourself:

  1. What does the CMA Board of Directors actually do?
  2. If I run, what are the campaign rules I must follow?

Let’s dive in. If you have any questions not answered here, contact CMA’s Elections Committee at [email protected].

CMA Board of Directors

You can learn about the board’s duties by reading the bylaws. Here’s a condensed version from current and past board members:

  • Meetings: The board meets monthly. Meetings typically last one hour, but may last longer depending on action items. Board members are also required to attend each convention in person through their term. Per diem and travel are provided.

  • Other assignments: Board members also serve as committee partners. They attend assigned committee meetings when able, provide direction when needed, and report to the larger board projects and progress. Each board member is assigned oversight of a particular strategic objective. 

  • Time commitment: Board members commit time as they are able. We understand that board members are media advisers first and volunteer board members second. Attendance at board meetings is mandatory. Sometimes board members are needed to weigh in on a topic or decision quickly. The expectation is that board members will check Slack and email daily and respond promptly.

Campaign Guidelines

Once you fill out the declaration form, the Election Committee will confirm you’re qualified and declare you a candidate. (This depends on how many years you’ve been a member in good standing and a confirmation that you work with student media.) Your supervisor also will be contacted to confirm this information as well as institutional support should you consider running for higher office.

You can then begin to campaign once the official candidate slate is announced. The rules:

  • You agree to appear on the ballot.
  • You agree to the posting of your ballot application announcing your goals, background, and advising / leadership philosophy.
  • You agree to participate in a Candidates Forum, as you are able.
  • You agree to not use the CMA listserv as a PR tool to publicize your candidacy.
Election Declaration Form →

Using the CMA listserv

You can post once to the CMA listserv with a campaign statement or platform. We ask that you refrain from overt campaigning on the listserv. Feel free to, within context, reply to posts with solutions that are part of your campaign. We simply ask that you be disciplined and considerate.