March 28th, 2019 by Allie Bennett, Marketing and Communications Manager 

Did you know that cooperatives operate on seven guiding principles? The second of those principles is 'Democratic Member Control'. This principle reminds members that they are the owners of our cooperative and that they have a say in how MEC operates. One of the ways that MEC members can participate in the democratic process of membership is by voting for their board of directors and occasional By-law amendments at the Annual Meeting.

In the past, members register on-site for the Annual Meeting and are given a ballot upon registration. Recently, a By-law amendment was passed that would allow for the utilization of different methods of voting at future meetings, if the board should deem it appropriate. Therefore, members will be able to participate in online or mail-in voting this year, in addition to the option for traditional on-site voting.

It is the cooperative's hope to inform the members about the potential for online voting well in advance, as this type of system will require an updated e-mail address or a SmartHubaccount. SmartHub is MEC's online payment and usage exploration tool.

Members who have an e-mail address on file will receive an e-mail closer to Annual Meeting which will provide you with a link to vote. If you are interested in voting online this year, please visit www.maconelectric.com to create a SmartHub account, or simply contact the office to update your e-mail address on file.

Stay tuned for more information on voting at the 80th Annual Meeting and be sure to save the date: Tuesday, August 13, 2019.