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ED ANNOUNCES START OF HISTORIC ELECTIONS

September 25, 2003

Dear Pacifica Paid and Unpaid Staff,

It's official -- Pacifica has new bylaws, and we are moving forward with elections to create the first democratically-run national media organization in the country.

The building blocks of this historic process are a newly elected Local Station Board in each Pacifica listening area and a new national board of directors for the Pacifica Foundation. And you can run for posts on those new boards.

There are actually two parallel elections at each of the five Pacifica stations -- one for the 18 listener-seats on the new Local Station Board, and a separate election among staff for the six staff-seats on the new board. The new elected station board at each of Pacifica's five stations will then elect a new national board of directors.

The nomination period for staff interested in running for one of the six staff Delegate seats on the new Local Station Board has opened. You will be able to get information and petition forms from the station, or on-line at the Pacifica elections mainpage Pacifica.org/elections. [ For WBAI, also see wbai.org/about/bg/bg_elections.php ]

To be a candidate for one of the six staff-seats at your station you must submit a petition with signatures from at least five (5) eligible staff.

For the purposes of these elections the bylaws define staff who may vote or be candidates this way:

Paid Staff: Any non-management full-time or part-time paid employee of a Foundation radio station.

Unpaid Staff: Any member of a Foundation radio station "Unpaid Staff Organization" or "Unpaid Staff Collective Bargaining Unit" which has been recognized by station management, or, if the station has neither such organization or bargaining unit, then any volunteer or unpaid staff member of a Foundation radio station who has worked for said radio station at least 30 hours in the preceding three months, exclusive of fundraising marathon telephone room volunteer time and volunteer work on committees of a Local Station Board.

As part of the election process the new bylaws require all staff -- paid and unpaid -- to sign a statement that they have read and understand the Fair Campaign provisions. They require that all candidates for the listener seats on the new board receive equal treatment, with no on-air or web site endorsements from staff. A copy of the fair campaign provisions for you to read and sign is on the mainpage at Pacifica.org/elections.

The election method is significantly different (and more democratic) than many of us are used to. A method of proportional representation is being used rather than a winner-take-all method. A brief explanation of the voting method is posted on the mainpage at Pacifica.org/elections.

The exact schedule for the election is still uncertain, pending a ruling from the court, but the election process has commenced, and you should consider whether you want to be a candidate. More information about all of this, including a list of frequently asked questions will be going up on web sites around the Pacifica system soon.

Best regards,

Dan Coughlin
Executive Director
Pacifica Foundation