DEC To Host Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting

While the vaccine rollout progresses across the country, state regulations still restrict large indoor gatherings. With lingering uncertainty involving our ability to safely gather 6,000 of our Co-op friends together for our annual meeting and chicken dinner in August, we’ve made the decision to hold the event virtually again this year. The meeting on Tuesday, August 10th will be broadcast live online, and more details will be available on www.delaware.coop in July. If you are interested in being a candidate for your 

Co-op’s Board of Directors, you must submit a petition to our office in Greenwood, DE by Friday, June 11th, 2021. The petition must include 15 member signatures. This year, directorships are open in Districts Three (3), Six (6), Seven (7), Nine (9) At-Large 1, and At-Large 2. For more information on the election process, please see below. At our annual meeting, action will be taken on the following items: 

1. Registration of members attending the virtual annual meeting

2. Report of officers

3. Election of six directors for Districts Three (3), Six (6), Seven (7), Nine (9) At-Large

  1 and At-Large 2

4. Any proposed bylaw amendments

5. All other business which may properly come before said meeting

Important Information for Possible Board Candidates:

Article III

Section 3: Nomination and Election of Directors 

(a) Any fifteen (15) or more members, acting together, may nominate a qualified candidate from any district of the Cooperative from which there is to be elected a member of the Board of Directors at the next meeting of the members held for that purpose. Such petition shall be in writing, signed by the members presenting such petition, and filed at the principal office of the Cooperative not less than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting at which such election is to be held. The Secretary shall promptly cause such petition to be posted at the principal office of the Cooperative and shall cause to be mailed with the notice of the meeting a statement of the number of directors to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates, arranged by districts. Only candidates who have been nominated by petition in accordance with this section shall be eligible for election. The members may, at any meeting at which a director or directors shall be removed as hereinbefore provided, elect a successor or successors thereto without compliance with the foregoing provisions with respect to nominations, except that the new directors must be bona fide domiciliaries in the same district as the directors in respect of whom the vacancy occurs. Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section, shall not affect, in any manner whatsoever, the validity of any election of directors. 

(b) Election of directors (and amendments to the bylaws) shall be by printed ballot or voting machines as determined by the Board of Directors; provided that if there are no contested directors’ seats and no proposed By-Law amendments, election of directors may be conducted by voice vote or a show of hands. The ballots/voting machines shall list the candidates arranged by districts. Each member of the Cooperative present in person at the meeting shall be entitled to vote for one candidate from each district, for which a director is to be elected. The candidate from each district receiving the highest number of votes shall be considered elected as director.

(c) In the event that the votes counted at any meeting of the members for the election of a Director or amendment of the By-Laws results in a tie vote, such tie vote shall be decided by secret ballot of those sitting directors physically present at the meeting; except that no incumbent director shall be permitted to cast a vote regarding his own re-election.

*Please note: since our annual meeting will be held virtually this year, voting will take place in advance of the meeting. Members will be able to vote either in-person or through a secure online portal. More information about the voting process will be provided to DEC members in July. Members interested in running for our board may email questions to Senior Vice President of Member Services Rob Book, at [email protected].