AEC Announces Board Election Results
Today, AEC announced the official results from board elections held during the voting period of August 26, 2019 through September 26, 2019. These results were affirmed by the cooperative membership and inserted into the official minutes of the 79th annual meeting report.
In 2019, three cooperative districts had board seats up for elections; those being district 4, district 6 and district 9. The Nominating Committee of AEC submitted qualified names as potential candidates through a nomination process or petition process for each district. Candidates submitted in district 4, Sue McBee and district 9, Mike Hicks were unopposed in their quest for re-election. District 6 saw incumbent Gail Hickman face challenger Randy Baxley.
During the 79th annual meeting held on September 28, 2019, AEC General Council, Doug Drinnon called for election by acclamation for the uncontested elections in districts 4 & 9. The membership responded by affirming Sue McBee, district 4 and Mike Hicks, district 9 for a new 3-year term.
AEC engaged the company Survey & Ballot Systems, Inc. to conduct the contested election in district 6. AEC members living in the district 6 area were mailed a ballot and could cast their vote for either Hickman or Baxley, then return their ballot in a sealed envelope to Survey & Ballot Systems, Inc.
There were a total of 3,939 eligible members in district 6; 857 cast their ballot, representing 21.76%. The official vote total was Randy Baxley 508 votes and Gail Hickman 349 votes.
AEC’s Elections & Credentials Committee chairman Clyde Byard announced the results of the contested district to the membership present at the 79th annual meeting. AEC legal counsel Doug Drinnon called for the results of the district 6 election to be annexed into the minutes of the meeting, which was by action of the membership.
Mr. Baxley takes his seat on the AEC board effective immediately. The Cooperative would like to express our sincere thanks to Gail Hickman for her years of dedicated service to the members of district 6 and to the overall mission of AEC.
