The future of the profession depends on you and, crucially, your vote, writes Derek Cribb
As Nick Salter explains in his President's Comment column this month, we are very keen for IFoA members to be fully engaged with the Council election process. We want members all around the world to have a say in the strategic direction of the IFoA, and the easiest way for you to make your voice heard is to take the time to vote for your elected representatives. The higher the voter turnout, the more democratic the process. We really do want to reach out to all voters, so what is the IFoA executive doing to ensure that this voting process is as accessible and straightforward as possible for voting members?
Well, as usual, the Council elections will be taking place online and will be managed externally for us by Electoral Reform Services so that it is fair and impartial. However, we recognise that we need to do more to make the whole of the election process more relevant to the membership, including 'pre-vote' activity. Indeed, this was discussed at the February meeting of the IFoA's Council, as the elections are vital in ensuring that our Council is truly representative of our membership.
As a result, this year we are introducing a number of initiatives aimed at improving voter engagement. We plan to use an online engagement platform, which provides a dedicated website where all relevant documentation will be stored. This will provide easy and secure access to information about who is standing for election before the voting takes place. In addition, this platform will include a discussion area where voters can submit their questions to candidates, making the process much more interactive than in previous years. We are also exploring whether we can put candidate video clips on the platform.
Crucially, we will also be seeking feedback on the ballot process, so that we can continue to make improvements in the coming years.
Currently, fewer IFoA members vote in the Council elections than volunteer their time for the IFoA. This is about the future of your profession - please do take the time to vote.
If you have any questions on how to stand for Council, or have views on how we can improve the election process, please contact the IFoA's newly appointed corporate secretary at [email protected]