Building a Delegation

USDF Participating Member Delegates’ Election and Role

By Ross Creech

The USDF Board of Governors (BOG) is the governing body of USDF and consists of delegates representing the two primary factions of the USDF membership, Participating and Group Members (PMs & GMs). While GM delegates are appointed by the leadership of their respective Group Member Organizations, PM delegates are elected by the PMs in their region to be their voice and vote for their interests within the BOG. Any current USDF PM is eligible to serve as a delegate, and here we’ll examine the process of becoming a delegate, as well as the duties and expectations that come along with this vital role in USDF’s governance structure.

 The Nomination Process

PM delegate candidates can nominate themselves or be nominated by another member in their region. All nominees must formally accept their nomination by submitting a PM Delegate Nominee Acceptance Form, in which they acknowledge that they are a current USDF PM, that they have a permanent residence and reside in the region for which they are nominated, and will attend the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention* and BOG meeting.

Term

All delegates, upon announcement of the election results, will serve a term of one year. This term runs from the time the election results are finalized until the results of the next year’s election are complete. While the majority of the delegates’ duties are performed at the annual convention, delegates may be called on to vote on issues that arise throughout the year of their term as well.

Deadlines

Nominations – All nominations must be received by the USDF Nominating Committee or liaison no later than April 15, with no nominations being accepted after that date.

Acceptance of Nomination – Candidates must submit their PM Delegate Nominee Acceptance Form to the USDF Nominating Committee Liaison no later than April 30 in order to appear on the ballot.

Voting – Elections for PM delegates take place each June, with the voting window open the full month, June 1 – June 30. All PMs are eligible to submit a ballot for their home region. During this window, all PMs receive an e-mail directing them to log in to the USDF website* to cast their vote (any PM that logs into the website during this time will be prompted to submit a ballot, if they have not already done so, upon login). *Paper ballots may be requested by contacting the USDF Nominating Committee Liaison.

Job Description

As stated above, the primary role of a PM delegate is to represent and serve as a voice for the PMs within their home/elected USDF Region. While PM delegates cannot also serve as GM delegates, they are permitted to represent GMOs in the voting process as proxies, if so assigned. 

The two most predominant responsibilities of all delegates are the election of new Executive Board members and the approval of the annual budget. Each year, a fully balanced budget is presented to the BOG for discussion and ultimate approval. In addition to the overall budget, included within are any budget requests associated with proposals put forth by USDF committees. The varying USDF committees and their members work throughout the year to make recommendations to the Executive Board and BOG to guide the organization and sport into the future, meaning delegates wield the great power and responsibility of shaping the future of dressage in the US.

For anyone interested in nominating someone as a PM delegate candidate or running themselves, all necessary information and paperwork can be found by visiting the Nominations & Elections page of the USDF website, or by contacting the USDF Nominating Committee Liaison. So, let your voices be heard and DEL – E – GATE GOOD TIMES, C’MON!

 *The 2024 Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention will be held in Houston, TX, December 5-8.