CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES

As part of the election package to the membership, the board should include candidate biographies and an optional picture of the candidate so members can identify the candidates.

Candidate Bio. The candidate biographies should limit the number of words, otherwise some candidates will submit pages about themselves. The biographies should also be limited to information about the candidate--are they married?, how long have they lived in the community?, what kind of work they do, etc.

No Advocacy. The biographies may not advocate a campaign position. Campaigning may be done by all candidates separately from the election package mailed to the membership. Allowing campaign statements creates significant problems:

• defamatory statements by candidates may open the association to litigation (even though the association should be able to defeat the claim, it must still endure the litigation),

• the association is prohibited from redacting campaign material,

• other candidates may demand rebuttal statements in the same mailing, and

• campaign material mailed at the association's expense opens the door to equal access by all other members who want to mail out materials at the association's expense.

Updated by ADAMS KESSLER 8/9/2008