CO Endorsement Guidelines for AAPA Elections
AAPA constituent organizations (COs) who may want to endorse a candidate running in AAPA’s Elections must comply with the Academy’s endorsement guidelines. Originally introduced in 2019, the guidelines are designed to improve transparency and parity in the endorsement process, and ensure organizational endorsements support a professional election process. As trusted leaders within the Academy and partners in good governance, the Governance Commission is requesting that COs take a leadership role in adopting these guidelines and making the information readily available to their members.
The guidelines address general professionalism and courtesy. They also communicate expectations to ensure candidates and voters understand the endorsement process. The Governance Commission believes that these elements support the value of COs endorsement by visibly demonstrating the integrity of the endorsement decision.
The guidelines are as follows:
- Endorsement decisions should be made by the governing body or a designated committee of the CO, not by any one individual in the name of the organization.
- An endorsement should focus on the positive attributes of the candidate, not the shortcomings of other candidates. Endorsements should never attack.
- Endorsements are informational, they should not incentivize or pressure members into action.
- COs that endorse candidates should have defined criteria for endorsement.
- Criteria for endorsement should be made publicly available. Ideally, the criteria should be posted on the CO’s website, but should also be made available upon request.
- Any written, printed or electronic communication regarding the endorsement of a candidate should include the criteria itself or language that articulates where the reader may view the criteria.
- Any written, printed or electronic communication regarding the endorsement of a candidate should either contain the CO logo or the signature of a CO-designated spokesperson.
You can find additional information about the AAPA elections on www.aapa.org/elections. If you have any questions about the CO endorsement guidelines, please email AAPA[email protected].