To be considered for a position on the NFDA Board of Directors, each applicant must be an Individual Member of NFDA. An Individual Member is defined by the NFDA Bylaws as a Practitioner who owns or is employed by a Firm Member. A Practitioner is an individual who, to the extent required by State law, possesses all the necessary licenses to engage in the profession of funeral directing and/or embalming. Any Practitioner who does not own nor is employed by a Firm Member may become an Individual Member of NFDA by making written application and agreeing to all conditions of membership. Individual Members do not include Retired, Student, Apprentice, Associate or International Members. (Reference NFDA's Bylaws)

To apply for an open position on the NFDA Board of Directors, review the online Application & Instructions information. Follow the directions provided on the form and submit your completed application form to NFDA by 5 p.m. Central Time on February 3, 2020 to be considered by the NFDA Leadership Development Committee for an open position. The NFDA Leadership Development Committee will review and evaluate all applications and interview applicants. The knowledge, experience, skills and abilities demonstrated by each individual, relative to the following established core competencies and leadership expectations, will be evaluated: 

• Leadership qualities and experience
• Commitment to NFDA
• Organizational awareness
• Experience as a funeral service professional 

The NFDA Leadership Development Committee will present a list of qualified candidates for officer positions to the membership, and a list of qualified candidates for At-large Representative positions to the NFDA Policy Board, no later than March 1, 2020. Applicants will be notified of the outcome prior to the release of the list of qualified candidates to the membership and the Policy Board.

Any applicant not included on the list of qualified candidates for officer positions issued by the Leadership Development Committee will be added to the ballot if he or she submits to the NFDA Secretary prior to April 1, 20120a petition signed by a minimum of 250 Individual Members nominating the Individual Member as a candidate.

Any applicant not included on the list of qualified candidates for at-large representative positions issued by the Leadership Development Committee will be added to the ballot if he or she submits to the NFDA Secretary prior to April 1, 2020 a petition signed by a minimum of 30% of the current Policy Board Members nominating the candidate.

Fairness: All Individual Members should have equal opportunity to seek elected positions on the NFDA Board of Directors.

Equity: All candidates should be provided equal access to the electorate. The electorate should be provided with comparable information on all nominees.

Affordability: Campaign guidelines should reduce the cost of seeking elected positions by placing limits on allowable activities and/or spending.

Engagement: Communication with the electorate about the election process and the candidates should arouse interest in NFDA affairs and foster optimum ballot returns.

Sustainability: The election process should be designed to meet current goals and resource needs without compromising future goals and resource needs.

NFDA Firm and Individual Members elect the President-elect, Treasurer and Secretary from the list of qualified candidates issued by the NFDA Leadership Development Committee and any candidates nominated by the petition process. The President-elect, after completing his or her term, automatically succeeds to the office of the President.

The election of Officers will be conducted by electronic means, phone, mail or any effective combination thereof, as determined by the NFDA Board of Directors. The ballot issued to NFDA members shall identify whether each candidate was found qualified by the Leadership Development Committee or was nominated by the petition process.

Each Firm Member will receive two (2) votes for each election which must be cast by the primary contact for the Firm listed in NFDA’s current membership records. Each Individual Member will receive one (1) vote for each election. A primary contact for a Firm Member will be provided a vote as an Individual Member in addition to the two (2) votes he or she may cast on behalf of the Firm.

Each election shall be determined by a plurality vote. Election results reported to candidates and membership include the percentage of votes cast for each candidate running in each contested race.

The NFDA Policy Board elects the At-large Representatives to the Board of Directors from the list of qualified candidates issued by the NFDA Leadership Development Committee and any candidates nominated by the petition process.

The election of At-large Representatives by the NFDA Policy Board takes place at the summer Policy Board Meeting held in conjunction with the NFDA Leadership Conference. Each Policy Board representative present at the meeting receives one (1) vote to be cast by secret ballot. The ballot issued to Policy Board representatives shall identify whether each candidate was found qualified by the Leadership Development Committee or was nominated by the petition process.

There will be a separate election for each At-large Representative position to be filled. Any unsuccessful candidate in an election may be nominated and run in a succeeding election.

Whenever there are more than two candidates and no candidate receives a majority of all votes cast, another vote shall be taken, but the following candidates shall be eliminated from the ballot: (1) the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes; and (2) if at least two candidates each received twenty-five (25%) percent or more of the votes cast, all candidates who received less than twenty-five (25%) percent of the votes cast.

In the event of two successive tie votes in any election, the determination of which candidate who is involved in the tie shall be elected or eliminated will be determined by drawing lots, with the method of drawing lots to be determined by the President. In the event that more than two candidates are involved in the tie votes, the method of drawing lots shall be used only to eliminate one candidate and a subsequent vote shall be taken among those candidates not eliminated.

Once elected, new members of the Board of Directors are integrated into Board of Directors communications and activities that occur between the time of the election and the time they are installed at the NFDA International Convention & Expo in October. An orientation session for the Board of Directors is conducted in January each year.