Foundation/Local Chapters/United States/Elections/2022
Election to the Board
What is the Board?
OpenStreetMap US is governed by a board of directors made up of five individuals. All five positions are up for election this year. To find out more about board activities, join the January 17 town hall with current board members. Register here!
Vacancies
All five board seats are subject to this election. Current board:
- Jubal Harpster
- Martijn van Exel
- Daniela Waltersdorfer
- Minh Nguyen
- Diane Fritz
2022 Election Schedule
- January 1 - Nominations Open
- Monday January 17, 2022 - 7pm ET - Town Hall with existing Board members. Register here.
- January 22 - Nominations close at midnight PST
- Week of January 23 - Town Hall with Candidates (there will be 2!)
- Thursday January 27 8-9pm ET Register here
- Friday January 28 12-1pm Register here
- January 31 - Deadline to become a member to vote by midnight PST
- February 2 - Voting Opens at Noon PST - Members will receive an OpaVote ballot via email
- February 9 - Voting Closes at Midnight PST
- February 10 - Annual Member Meeting and Board Announced 12pm ET / 9am PST (members check your email for join info!)
How do I vote?
At the beginning of the election period all members of OpenStreetMap US will receive a ballot link at their registered email address. You can join OpenStreetMap US prior to the election week and by January 31. If you're not sure about your membership status or your registered email, please get in touch with us at membership@openstreetmap.us.
How do I learn more about candidates?
There will be a town hall meeting with the 2021 Board on January 17, 2022 to discuss what it's like being on the board and learn more about OpenStreetMap US. Candidates are encouraged to join.
There will be a town hall meeting with the 2022 board candidates the week of January 23rd. Have your questions ready for candidates.
Every candidate is also required to submit a position statement to be linked below and has the option to provide answers to community questions posted below.
Nominations
- Nominations will be open from January 1 until Sunday January 22. This wiki page has been provided for recording nominations.
- Nominees must provide position statements upon nomination via links on this wiki page, or a statement embedded in the table above.
- A Nominee who withdraws should not remove their name from the wiki page, but rather clearly note that they decline by editing the page.
- A current officer of OSM US will verify that nominees are members before the election starts. A nominee may join OSM US at any time before the end of the nomination period to become eligible (note that the nominee must be fully paid up by January 31, 2022).
A valid nomination will include:
- A name posted on this wiki page
- A position statement or link to a position statement on this wiki page
- All of the above by January 22, 2022 (based on the wiki timestamp of the last edit)
- Independent verification of current membership (this can happen at any time before the start of the election and is not the responsibility of the Nominee)
Elections
- Only paid members of OpenStreetMap US can vote. You must be a member or renew your membership by January 31, 2022.
- The election voting period will start on Wednesday February 2 and end Wednesday February 9.
- Members who renew their membership or are members before the end of elections can vote. Voting members will receive links via email to the voting website
- Paid OpenStreetMap US members will receive, via email, a unique link to a voting page. This will be sent to the email address associated with their entry in OSM US membership records.
- Voters may vote for up to 5 nominees to the board.
- One independent monitor will come from the greater OSM community. The monitor shall not be a candidate for the OSM US board. They will have access to the voting website in order to verify that the vote has been correctly counted and reported.
- Tiebreaker: should there be a tie for the final board seat, those members clearly elected to the new board will decide how to break the tie. The board members selected by this group must be from the nominees who are tied.
Candidates
Candidate nomination was open January 1, 2022 until midnight PST January 22, 2022 (3 AM EST January 23). If a nominee chooses to withdraw, please leave your name on the page and add (Withdrawn) after it. An individual seconding the nomination is not required, but recommended. To learn more about candidates, review their position statement below. Candidates - please post a link to your position statement no later than January 22 at midnight PST.
| Result | Nominee | Nomination Seconded | Link to Position Statement | OSM US Member Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| withdrawn | ||||
| elected | Adam Franco | Position statement | 2020 | |
| elected | Diane Fritz | Daniela Waltersdorfer | Consideration for OSMUS Board | 2020 |
| elected | Brian Sperlongano | Position statement | 2021 | |
| elected | Daniela Waltersdorfer | Matthew Gibb | Consideration for OSMUS Board | 2016 |
| not elected | Dante Volpe | Position statement | 2022 | |
| not elected | Martin Machyna | Position statement | 2022 | |
| elected | Minh Nguyễn | Daniela Waltersdorfer | Position statement | 2015 |
Independent Observer
This year's election will be overseen by independent observer Zeke Farwell.
New OpenStreetMap US Board Term Limit Policy
This year we will be introducing a policy for 2022 that will allow for staggered board terms to improve institutional memory and continuity. New board members will serve a 2-year term and incumbents will serve a 1-year term.
Vote on OpenStreetMap US Bylaws Changes
This year members will vote again on an amendment to the OpenStreetMap US Bylaws. This amendment would extend the board term to 2 years instead of 1 and introduce the ability to staggered terms of service. This change is being proposed for the following reasons:
- Establishing term limits and staggered terms provides a better balance and continuity of board members
- Term limits also give boards the chance to give those hard working board members a mandatory 'vacation'
- Two-year terms give board members more time to grow into their roles, leading to longer institutional memory and continuity of leadership
Amendments to the Bylaws require approval by two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all members in good standing having voted, so please vote!
In the previous two elections, the two proposals had well over the ⅔ majority support that was required, but they did not achieve the 50% turnout of the OSM US membership in order to pass. If you are a member, please vote!
See also
Results
The membership elected Diane Fritz, Daniela Waltersdorfer, Minh Nguyễn, Brian Sperlongano, and Adam Franco as the next board.
Daniela, Diane and Minh will serve a one year term and their seats will be up for re-election in 2023. Adam and Brian will serve a two year term and their seats will be up for re-election in 2024. Thanks to the outgoing board members and candidates!!
The proposal to amend the bylaws passed with well over the ⅔ majority support that was required and with the more than 50% (57%!) voter turnout required of the OSM US membership. Thank you for voting!!
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