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2026 Board Elections

PMJA is led by working journalists — people who do the same work you do and who give their time to make sure public media has the training, resources, and community it deserves. Every decision the board makes is grounded in what members actually need.

Submit a Nomination → Nominations open March 23 — takes about 45 seconds
📅 Have questions about running? Join us for open office hours — Monday, March 30 at 1 p.m. ET. Drop in, ask anything, no commitment required. Join the Zoom →
For the 2026 elections, 4 seats are open — 3 two-year terms and 1 one-year term. Nominations are open March 23–April 17, 2026. Members vote May 6–8.

Key Dates

March 23 Nominations open
April 17 Nomination deadline
April 24 Candidate statements due (written + recorded, 2-min max)
April 29 Candidates presented to membership
May 6–8 Members vote online
July New board convenes & selects officers

Board orientation date TBD — will be announced once confirmed.

Eligibility

  • Any current dues-paying News Organization, Media Professional, or Supporter member of PMJA is eligible to become a candidate. If you work at a member news organization, you're already a member — you're eligible to run.
  • Four board seats of the full board are reserved for individuals who are journalists at a member news organization.
  • Nomination forms must be submitted by April 17, 2026 — you can nominate yourself or a colleague.

What board service looks like

Board members are working journalists who contribute real time to real decisions. Here's what the commitment typically looks like:

Monthly board meetings 90-minute Zoom meetings, plus document review in advance
Committee chair 60 minutes monthly, approximately 10× per year. Work between meetings varies — typical tasks include member outreach or contributing to policy documents.
Annual board retreat Up to 6 days (Monday–Saturday, travel inclusive). Travel, lodging, and meals paid by PMJA.
Annual gathering Board members attend the annual conference (3 full days) or at least one regional gathering. Registration covered by PMJA; board member covers travel and lodging.
Event planning support For annual conferences: breakout session coordination (~5 sessions/board member).
For regional gatherings: work tasks still being finalized — details shared with nominees.
Annual donation Board members make an annual gift to PMJA of any amount.

Election process

  • Nominations are reviewed by the Bylaws & Governance committee, who confirm eligibility and ensure the slate reflects the size diversity of our membership.
  • Members are invited to nominate themselves or other members for election to the board.
  • Each nominee submits a brief written summary of qualifications and a short recorded statement (audio or video, 2-minute maximum) by April 24, 2026. Confirmed nominees will receive detailed instructions once their nomination is accepted.
  • The Bylaws & Governance committee presents the final slate of nominees to the membership.
  • Elections are held electronically May 6–8, 2026. Each dues-paying member (except Students) has one vote; each organizational member counts as one vote.
  • The top 3 vote-getters serve 2-year terms; the 4th serves a 1-year term.

Candidates will be listed here once nominations close on April 17.

Check back April 29 when the full slate is presented to membership.

Ready to put a name forward?

Nominations are open March 23–April 17, 2026. You can nominate yourself or a colleague — it takes about 45 seconds to get started.

Submit a Nomination