In the last blog, we introduced the candidates for the EAPC board of directors, and soon it’s over to EAPC members to make their decision. Voting opens on 5th June 2023 and closes on the 16th June 2023. Catherine Walshe and Danila Valenti, from the EAPC’s Election Oversight Committee will now tell you all you need to know about who can vote and how to vote at this important election.
It will soon be time to vote to elect a new EAPC board of directors. This year the election process will take place online, which is a first for EAPC, so this post will provide a bit more detail on how we are going to organise this.
Who can vote?
Any paying member of the EAPC who lives or works in Europe, and whose subscription fees are paid in full (by 31 May 2023) has the right to vote in the election. You may be an individual paying member or, as a board member of a national palliative care association, your association may pay your EAPC membership fee.
If you are an EAPC associate member (that means you joined the EAPC for free via your national association), you do not have a right to vote. However, if you would like to vote in the election, you can upgrade your membership and pay the individual membership fee before 31 May 2023. You will then be eligible to vote. Find out more here.
All EAPC members who are eligible to vote will be notified in writing by email in May 2023. This email will include more information about how to vote.
Are proxy votes (voting on behalf of someone else) allowed?
No, proxy voting is not possible. The election process is completely online, so all members who are eligible to vote can do so. Therefore, proxy voting is not needed.
How and where will the vote take place?
The vote will take place online from 1pm (CEST) on Monday 5th June 2023 to 1pm (CEST) on Friday 16th June 2023.
Voting will take place in a secure online area that is only accessible to eligible voters. It is set up to ensure that each eligible voter can only vote once. All votes will be placed anonymously. The election committee will only be able to see how many votes each of the candidates received, not who voted for them.
Who should I vote for?
You will be voting for a compete EAPC Board, so you need to vote for 13 candidates. Please read the list of candidates and information about them here.
Some points to think about when considering your vote:
- You must select 13 candidates. If you do not, your vote will be invalid.
- Board members commit to a four-year term but with an option for re-election for a further four-year term. We have four current board members who are standing for re-election. Their role is important in making the link between the work of the current board and the new board, so we do ask that you give careful consideration to re-electing them.
- The EAPC speaks to the broad range of people involved in palliative care. Diversity, equality and inclusion are important to us, and it is essential that our Board reflects this. The board should also be representative of a range of professional disciplines, gender balance and the whole of Europe: North, South, East and West. This is especially important because in the event of a tie for the final board place, the election committee will need to make a decision based on these criteria to ensure the overall balance of the board.
- You can only vote once. Changing your vote will not be allowed.
What happens when voting has closed on the 16th June 2023?
Once the voting is complete, the election committee will count the votes. The 13 candidates with the highest number of votes will be elected to the board. Results will be announced at the EAPC General Assembly on Friday 16th June 2023 at 18.00 CEST.
The new board will meet immediately after the election to select a new President and Treasurer from amongst the board members. The President, Treasurer and the rest of the new board will also be presented to the Congress delegates before the plenary session on Saturday morning 17th June 2023.
What if I have questions?
If you have any questions, please email info@eapcnet.eu. EAPC head office staff will also be available at the EAPC stand during the Congress if you need to check anything.
About the authors
Catherine Walshe is Professor of Palliative Care at the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University, UK. She is also editor-in-chief of the journal Palliative Medicine. She has sat on the board for two terms, since 2015, and will leave the board at the forthcoming elections. She has served as secretary and treasurer to the EAPC board.
Danila Valenti is Director of the Palliative Care Unit Network, in the local health authority in Bologna, Italy. She has been an EAPC Board member since 2015, and will be leaving the board at the forthcoming elections.
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