Elections Central
Stonewall Sports Atlanta, Inc. is completely volunteer-run — our leaders are passionate about building a stronger LGBTQ+ community in Atlanta, investing in philanthropic causes, and having fun! This Fall we hold our elections to fill several roles on our Executive, Leadership and Sports Board's and we will use this page to provide all the details surrounding our elections.
Overview
Our Board of Directors elections process takes place during the months of September and October. The positions on our Board are staggered for election between even and odd numbered years, and we have eleven positions up for elections this year.
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There have been some important changes to the bylaws and election process this year, so we want to take a moment to explain those and then outline the election process through this page. Changes to the elections process and bylaws since last year include:
Sports Directors will now be elected by the captains of that sport and the Board of Directors
This will be the first year that all sports directors are up for election. Historically, the bylaws stipulated that only the Board of Directors would elect the sports directors. However, the Board have collectively decided that it is in the best interest of the league to allow the eligible captains of the sport for which the sports director position is responsible, alongside the Board of Directors, to elect these positions. The Executive and Leadership Board of Directors positions will still be elected by all eligible captains of the league and the Board of Directors.
Offsetting of the term of the sports directors
Currently, all of our sports directors are elected in even-numbered years. This can create a substantial workload for the Athletics Director, who must train new sports directors while preparing for the winter seasons. To address this, we have decided to stagger the elections by electing the Bowling, Darts, and Volleyball directors in odd-numbered years. This means we will hold elections this year for a one-year term for these sports directors, and then next year, we will hold a two-year term election for them.
Quorum for Elections
Historically, the bylaws required a quorum (i.e. the number of votes required for the vote to count) of 3/4 of the voting members for elections. If this quorum was not met, there was a potential that the results of the elections would be invalid and the positions would have to be filled through the Board's vacancy process, effectively discarding the "voice of the league." The Board feels that the input of our voting members is far more important and has therefore lowered the quorum requirement to 25% of the voting members. Additionally, a strict process for election advertisements, candidacy periods, and voting periods will be implemented to ensure that all members are aware of the elections and have ample time to participate.
General Timeline
9/11
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9/22
Applications
Applications for positions will be accepted electronically through a Google Form. Applicants will be asked to submit high-level details about their qualifications/goals for the position.
9/16
7:30PM
Election Information Session - Hosted virtually via link below
If you are interested in applying and have any questions about the elections process or position responsibilities, join us and ask! The elections committee will be on this virtual webinar to answer your questions! Not able to make it? You are still welcome to email and we will do our best to connect with you! All questions can go to:
atlanta-elections@stonewallsports.org
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/kpb-gscq-bmt
9/30
Candidates Announced
The Election Committee will review the applicants and select up to three per position, as outlined in the bylaws, and announce the official candidates. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to provide a brief bio and candidate platform to be shared out on SSA socials.
10/1
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10/27
Campaigning Period
Candidates will be given two weeks to campaign as they see fit amongst the organization and voting members before the elections ballots open, and then can continue campaigning up until the ballots close. Any campaigning before this period should specify that they are an applicant for the position and not yet a candidate.
10/7
7PM
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Meet the Candidates Event
Hosted at the Atlanta Eagle
SSA will host an in-person event at the Atlanta Eagle where all candidates will be given equal time to introduce themselves to members and outline their platform, followed by a socializer period during which candidates can be available for direct Q&A with members.
10/14
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10/27​
Elections Period
Elections will be performed via electronic ballot via ElectionBuddy.com which will be distributed to all eligible captains for the particular elections. Voting will begin Oct 14, 2024 12:00 AM and will end Oct 27, 2024 11:59 PM.
10/31​
Results Announcement
Elections results will be made public including the vote tallies for all elections. Our new directors officially start January 1st, 2025, but the transition process will start right away to make sure they are ready to go come January!
Positions Open For Election
Treasurer
Term 2025-2026
A member of the Executive Board, this position is responsible is responsible for the League’s financial transactions. The Treasurer maintains the financial records for the League, prepares a budget each season, monitors the financial accounts, and is responsible for reviewing and approving all financial transactions.
Membership & Brand Director
Term 2025-2026
The Membership & Brand Director leads and managesmember recruitment and retention efforts, both digital and in-person, with emphasis on equity and inclusion. They onboard new members seasonally by publishing a New Member Welcome Guide and by hosting orientation events. They encourage members’ active participation in the league, fostering an overall sense of spirit, community, andinclusion. They will oversee: the Friends of Stonewall program, Stonewall Sports Atlanta Online Merchandise Store, all branding and promotion of the League through print anddigital media, and the annual review and/or purchase of league-wide branded items. They seek media opportunities to promote the League, its members, and special events.
Kickball Director
Term 2025-2026
The Kickball director oversees the day-to-day operations of the Kickball league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director and Kickball committee to plan and execute the multiple seasons of Kickball including: scheduling weekly games, recruiting umpires, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league.
All Gender Dodgeball Director
Term 2025-2026
The All Gender Dodgeball director oversees the day-to-day operations of the All Gender Dodgeball league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director and WTNB Dodgeball Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league.
Bowling Director
Term 2025
The Bowling director oversees the day-to-day operations of the bowling league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league. (Note: This director position will be transitioning to being elected in odd numbered years after this election, so this will be a one year term position for the 2025 year)
Darts Director
Term 2025
The Darts director oversees the day-to-day operations of the darts league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league. (Note: This director position will be transitioning to being elected in odd numbered years after this election, so this will be a one year term position for the 2025 year)
Sponsorship Director
Term 2025-2026
The Sponsorship Director maintains regular and continuous engagement with the sponsors of the League. They track donation pledges and submissions as well as monitor the League’s support and promotion of each sponsor. They are the main point of contact for the solicitation, confirmation and ongoing communication between the League and the sponsor. They assist with the coordination of fundraising activities for the League as well as the interactions with the League’s selected charity.
Philanthropy Director
Term 2025-2026
The Philanthropy Director is responsible for the public image and reputation of the League. They manage League philanthropic efforts and promote opportunities for members to engage in community-building events. They liaise with local organizations, elected officials, and/or coalitions to better understand community needs, to inform members of issues that intersect with the League’s mission and goals, and to encourage members to take action.
Volleyball Director
Term 2025
The Volleyball director oversees the day-to-day operations of the Volleyball league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, recruiting umpires, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league. (Note: This director position will be transitioning to being elected in odd numbered years after this election, so this will be a one year term position for the 2025 year)
Women, Trans & Non-Binary (WTNB) Dodgeball Director
Term 2025-2026
The WTNB Dodgeball director oversees the day-to-day operations of the WTNB Dodgeball league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director and All Gender Dodgeball Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league.
Tennis Director
Term 2025-2026
The Tennis director oversees the day-to-day operations of the Tennis league. They work to alongside the Athletic Director to plan and execute the multiple seasons of the league including: scheduling weekly games, establishing the rules, and maintaining scores and standings for the league.
Responsibilities
Board Meetings
All of our directors are responsible for attending our Board meetings, which occur twice a month. Generally, these meetings are held every other week, alternating between in-person and virtual formats, on a day when no Stonewall sports events take place (currently on Tuesdays, but this is subject to change in 2025).
Policy Input and Voting
All of our directors are asked for input and given a vote on league-wide policy decisions, including budgeting, bylaw amendments, sports calendars, events, sponsorships, and deciding our new sports, among other matters.
Annual Board Retreat
All of our directors asked to attend our annual Board retreat which will take place at a to be determined time, date and location - typically in January.
League Representation
All of our directors have primary responsibilities specific to their roles, but are also here to support and represent the league as a whole. Attendance at league events beyond the prevue of the specific role is highly encouraged.
How to apply?
To become a candidate for these elections, you will need to submit an application. The application is meant to help get a general understanding of who you are, what your history of involvement with Stonewall Sports has been, what other similar experience to the respective board position you have, and that you have the time available to commit to the league.
We will also ask you to obtain and provide an endorsement for your candidacy from one of our eligible voting members (a team captain from the past season or a member of the Board of Directors).
If you feel you would be a good candidate, click below to apply! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our elections committee who can guide you through the process!
Questions? Email us at:
atlanta-elections@stonewallsports.org
Who is running?
The applicants for the elections are not technically candidates yet, as the elections committee must still verify their eligibility and select up to 3 applicants per position to be the best candidates to put forward for the elections.
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With this said, we still feel that its the most transparent and open process to make sure our members know who has applied to be a candidate. Once we have verified the application and endorsements, we will be adding all applicants to the page linked below!
Who can vote?
Voting for Stonewall Sports Atlanta Board of Directors positions is split into two categories. There is voting for the Executive and Leadership Board Directors and then the Sports Directors.
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The voting members for the Executive and Leadership Board positions is comprised of the sitting members of the Board of Directors along with all captains who have lead a team in any league for the past year (September 2023 to September 2024).
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The voting members for the Sports Directors is comprised of the sitting members of the Board of Directors along with the limited subset of captains who have lead a team in that specific league the director oversees for the past year (September 2023 to September 2024).
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How do I vote?
Eligible captains will be emailed a link to their electronic written ballot via the Electionbuddy.com system. This system is designed to make sure that all votes are valid ballots while maintaining the privacy of the voters actual vote. If you have any issues with the system, please email us at atlanta-elections@stonewallsports.org for assistance.
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How do I know that I am registered to vote?
Eligible captains have been notified by email that they are registered to vote in the Fall 2024 elections. Notifications went out by email to the captain's LeagueApps registered email. If you feel you are qualified to vote and did not get an email, you should notify the elections committee by emailing atlanta-elections@stonewallsports.org before October 10th, 2024 at 10AM. All members are also able to you are able to review the voter rolls linked below for clarification on what elections