SABR members approve By-Laws changes in special election
MARCH 2, 2023 — A package of revisions to the SABR By-Laws was approved by the membership in a special election that closed on Wednesday, March 1.
The changes, which will take effect beginning with the regular election cycle this spring, are intended to increase member participation in SABR governance, add new voices to Board of Directors discussions, allow for more turnover in Board membership, and provide safeguards to ensure that the four Officers have some prior Board experience.
A call for nominations for the 2023 Board of Directors elections will begin next week, with the regular election taking place from April 19-May 3. There will be five seats open: President, Treasurer, and three Directors’ seats. Please contact Nominations Committee chair Stew Thornley with any questions.
The By-Laws revisions passed with 996 of 1,077 ballots (92.48 percent) recorded as “yes” votes in a first-past-the-post poll. The changes include three key provisions:
- Expand the Board from eight members to ten, by adding two Director positions. With six Directors serving three-year terms, there will be two Director seats up for election during every election cycle.
- Set term limits for Board members of eight consecutive years, with a reset if a Director becomes an Officer or if an Officer becomes President. Leaving the Board for a year or more and returning will start a new count. With six Directors serving three-year terms, there will be two Director seats up for election during every election cycle.
- Require at least one year of prior Board service within the preceding five years as a condition to serving as an Officer, subject to waiver by the Board if circumstances dictated an exception.
These changes affect four existing sections of the By-Laws: Section 3.1 (Officer and Directors); Section 3.6 (Directors); Section 4.1 (Composition); and Section 4.8 (Quorum and Voting); and will create one new addition: Section 3.8 (Term Limits).
The full By-Laws revisions and reason for the proposed changes can be found in the 2023 SABR Election Guide.
Special thanks go out to Tellers Committee members Mike Emeigh, Steve Ginader, and Alex Marks for certifying the results in a virtual meeting held via Zoom on March 2.
Click here to view the updated version of the SABR By-Laws.
Originally published: March 2, 2023. Last Updated: March 2, 2023.