The filing period is now open for Washington Electric Cooperative members interested in running for a seat on the board of trustees.

The filing deadline is Jan. 8, and applications are available here or by contacting the co-op office at 740-373-2141. There is one open seat in the 2021 election, which will take place by mail in the spring. Results will be announced at the co-op’s annual meeting on May 20.

Candidate applications are reviewed by a nominating committee which verifies eligibility. To be eligible to run for trustee, candidates must meet the following conditions:

• Must be a bona fide permanent resident in the area served by the cooperative
• Must not be in any way employed by or financially in control of an enterprise in direct business competition with the cooperative or that supplies goods or performs services for the cooperative
• Must not have been 60 days in arrears on any payment or obligation to the cooperative in the past three years
• Must be at least 18 years of age and not have had a felony conviction of record upon a criminal background check
• Must not have filed for bankruptcy in the past 10 years
• Must be fluent in speaking and writing the English language
• Not be a close relative of a current employee or trustee

Members may also file to run by petition. Petitions require the signatures of 25 individual Washington Electric Cooperative members and must be filed with the board secretary by March 21.