The Okanogan County Electric Cooperative (OCEC) seeks candidates for its board of directors. Elections will be held at OCEC’s annual member meeting on April 20. Candidates must be OCEC members; in other words, they must purchase electricity from the cooperative.
Four of the seven board seats are up for election this year. The terms of board President Dale Sekijima and Director Sara Carlberg are expiring, and both seek to retain their seats. Ray Peterson’s term is also up, and his position on the board will also be on the ballot. Peterson is not seeking reelection.
The board’s newest member, Travis Thornton, also will be on the ballot this year. He was appointed late last year to replace Chris Legler, who resigned in September after OCEC members voted him in last April. Whoever wins Thornton’s seat will serve two more years.
Candidates who seek one of the full three-year terms will appear together on the ballot. For these three positions, each voter will select three candidates, and the top three vote-getters will join the board of directors.
Members interested in running for a board position should submit a half-page biography by Feb. 24 to Board Governance Committee Chairman Michael Murray at mmurray@ocec.coop. If they wish, they may indicate whether they seek the seat with two years remaining, or one of the full three-year terms.
The board will form a nominating committee that will determine which candidates appear on the ballot.
Votes will be taken at the April 20 membership meeting, but General Manager David Gottula said mailing or delivering ballots to the OCEC office is encouraged.
