--- title: "The Advantages—and Realities—of a Board Election Overhaul" id: "61484" type: "post" slug: "the-advantages-and-realities-of-a-board-election-overhaul" published_at: "2022-01-11T21:00:52+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:09:02+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/the-advantages-and-realities-of-a-board-election-overhaul/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/the-advantages-and-realities-of-a-board-election-overhaul.md" excerpt: "If you’re thinking about changing how you conduct board elections, be sure you have very good reasons. No one likes to feel like they are losing power or control, so be sure to weigh the benefits of the overhaul and..." taxonomy_category: - "Governance" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » The Advantages—and Realities—of a Board Election Overhaul Part of the Deep Dive[Forward](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/all-aboard-the-ceos-board-management-toolkit/) Last year, the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses successfully completed one of the most sensitive governance initiatives an association can undertake: It [updated its board election process (opens in a new tab)](https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2021/october/one-groups-transition-to-a-more-diverse-and-inclusive-board) from a competitive election to a fully appointed slate. The transition took about six years and involved several steps, but according to AANN Executive Director Leah Zamora, CAE, it was worth it. The goal was to look at the board strategically, get the right people at the table, and move the organization forward. Legacy election processes often result in a board that doesn’t fully reflect the organization’s many stakeholders. According to new DEI research developed by Trifecta Research Group for the ASAE Research Foundation, the vast majority of board members are white males between the ages of 30 and 59. In addition, in many organizations, people are required to move up through the volunteer ranks before obtaining a board seat. This often leads to a board populated with members who are at the same point in their career and who have served the organization for a long time, but who are not necessarily representative of the membership. “How do we get representation of the membership with a person who maybe doesn’t see themselves on a board but is a voice we need in that board seat? If we’re doing a competitive election, that’s never going to happen,” Zamora said. For example, a nurse who lives in a small town and works at the community hospital is a much better representation of AANN’s membership. The association’s shift to a fully appointed slate has provided an opportunity for candidates who could never beat out a big name from a larger institution. [Lisa Boylan](https://associationsnow.com/author/lisa-boylan/) Lisa Boylan is a former senior editor of Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/lisa-boylan/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [Build a Board DEI Strategy to Strengthen Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/build-a-board-dei-strategy-to-strengthen-leadership/) - [What It Takes to Run a Great Hybrid Board Meeting](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/what-it-takes-to-run-a-great-hybrid-board-meeting/) - [Should You Change Your Strategic Plan?](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/should-you-change-your-strategic-plan/) - [The 5 Ps of Onboarding New Board Members](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/onboarding-new-board-members/) - [Maintain a Healthy Board Culture in Divisive Times](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/maintain-a-healthy-board-culture-in-divisive-times/) - [Successful Board Relations for Newly Minted CEOs](https://associationsnow.com/2022/01/11/successful-board-relations-for-newly-minted-ceos/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/all-aboard-the-ceos-board-management-toolkit/) ## You Might Like - [VideoSmarter Board Management for Associations: An OnBoard ShowcaseJuly 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/24/smarter-board-management-for-associations-an-onboard-showcase/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Leading Together-Strengthening the Board-CSO PartnershipDecember 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/18/associations-now-presents-leading-together-strengthening-the-board-cso-partnership/) - [Video2026 Summit Awards DinnerOctober 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/02/2026-summit-awards-dinner/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2022%2F01%2F11%2Fthe-advantages-and-realities-of-a-board-election-overhaul%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !