Dave -- Under the legal agreement -- LAB elections are to take place 12 months from the first iPNB meeting, i.e., no later than 12/29/02.

Before they can occur, the election rules have to be written and approved as part of new bylaws by 2/3rds of the iPNB and 3 out of 5 of the LABs.

At the March board meeting I will propose establishing a committee -- consisting of 5 subcommittees for each signal area -- to consist of at least one iPNB member from each station area, several LAB members & open membership for staff and listeners in each of the 5 signal areas ... to develop the election rules & reach national agreement. I think that will take six months ... until September 2002. Based on the KPFA experience, it will then take 3 months to hold the LAB elections ... 2 months to recruit the candidates & do the campaign (which takes a lot of outreach, air time, etc.) and 1 month for mail ballots to go out and come back & be counted.

The new national board of directors will be elected 3 months later ... 15 months after the first iPNB meeting ... based on new bylaws that, again must be approved by 2/3rds of the iPNB and 3 out of 5 of the LABS. --CArol