The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is seeking nominations of qualified individuals to serve on the Board of Directors. In particular, we desire candidates with experience in marketing, social media marketing, development, bookkeeping, finance and committee membership / leadership. (IFWTWA committees include media trips, publications, marketing, elections, membership and social media.) Board members represent IFWTWA and are advocates for its mission and activities. We are a working board, each with our own committee or projects to oversee. IFWTWA board members reflect the various landscapes in which this nonprofit operates and advocate for and with its members.
2026 IFWTWA Board of Directors Election Rules
The International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) will elect five members to its Board of Directors for four-year terms covering 2027 through 2030.
These rules are governed by IFWTWA Bylaws. If any election procedure conflicts with the bylaws, the bylaws will control.
Important Dates
- Nominations open Monday, August 24, 2026.
- The first nomination reminder will be sent Monday, September 7, 2026.
- The final nomination reminder will be sent Monday, September 21, 2026.
- Nominations close Friday, September 25, 2026.
- Qualified candidates will be announced after the Elections Committee completes its review.
- Voting opens Monday, October 12, 2026.
- A voting reminder will be sent Monday, October 26, 2026.
- A final voting reminder will be sent Monday, November 9, 2026.
- Voting closes Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
- Votes will be tallied during the week of November 15, 2026.
- Election results will be announced Monday, November 30, 2026.
- Newly elected directors will be installed at the January 2027 Board meeting.
Open Board Positions
Five directorships are open for election.
Each elected director will serve a four-year term beginning in January 2027 and ending in 2030. Board members serve without compensation.
IFWTWA has a working Board. Directors are expected to participate actively as officers, committee members, committee leaders, or project leaders. Directors must also attend scheduled Board meetings, which are currently held every other month by Zoom. If you miss three Board or committee meetings in a year without proper permission from the President or are otherwise unable to fulfill your obligations as a Board member, you will offer your resignation.
Self-Nominations Only
The 2026 election accepts self-nominations only.
Each candidate must complete and submit the official nomination form through the candidate’s own IFWTWA account. Members may not nominate another person, and nominations submitted on behalf of another member will not be accepted.
Submitting a nomination does not automatically place an applicant on the ballot. The Elections Committee must verify that the applicant satisfies all eligibility requirements.
Candidate Eligibility
To qualify as a candidate, an applicant must:
- Be a Regular or Associate IFWTWA Member in good standing for at least one year preceding the election.
- Maintain a complete and current IFWTWA member profile, including a current photograph and biography.
- Read the IFWTWA Bylaws.
- Agree to sign and comply with the IFWTWA Board of Directors Expectations & Contract.
- Submit a complete nomination form by the published deadline.
The Elections Committee will consider these requirements when determining candidate eligibility and certifying the election results.
How to Submit a Nomination
Candidates must submit the official nomination through the online form by Friday, September 25, 2026.
Candidate Review and Confirmation
After nominations close, the Elections Committee will review each application and verify:
- Membership classification
- Membership standing
- Length of membership
- Completion of the member’s profile
- Receipt of all required candidate materials
- Agreement to the Board of Directors Expectations & Contract
Each qualified candidate will be asked to confirm their willingness to stand for election and verify the information that IFWTWA intends to publish.
Only candidates who satisfy the bylaws and complete the confirmation process will appear on the ballot.
Candidate Information and Communications
IFWTWA will provide all qualified candidates with a reasonable and comparable opportunity to communicate their qualifications and reasons for seeking election.
Candidate information will be published on the IFWTWA website. IFWTWA also plans to feature each candidate on Facebook, using the first 200 words of the candidate’s statement. Candidates will be presented in alphabetical order.
Official election communications will provide candidates with substantially equal treatment in statement length, presentation, formatting, and exposure.
Voter Eligibility
Only Regular IFWTWA Members in good standing as of the applicable record date may vote.
Associate Members may qualify as candidates, but they are not eligible to vote. Student Members and other nonvoting membership classifications are also ineligible to vote.
Eligible voters must use their own IFWTWA accounts to access and submit the official ballot.
Voting Rules
Each eligible voter may vote for up to five different candidates.
- Each voter may submit only one ballot.
- Each candidate may receive no more than one vote from an individual voter.
- A voter may select fewer than five candidates.
- Ballots must be submitted through the official online voting form by the published deadline.
Counting the Votes
At least two members of the Elections Committee will tally and verify the votes. No candidate may participate in counting or certifying the ballots.
The five eligible candidates receiving the highest numbers of votes will be elected, subject to the Board-composition requirements in the IFWTWA Bylaws.
If a tie affects the outcome of the election, the tie will be decided by lot as required by the bylaws.
Election Results
The Elections Committee will certify the results after voting closes. Candidates will be notified before the results are announced to the general membership whenever reasonably possible.
The election results will be announced to IFWTWA members on Monday, November 30, 2026. The newly elected directors will be installed at the January 2027 Board meeting.
Questions
Questions about nominations, candidate eligibility, or the election process should be directed to:
Teresa Bitler
Secretary, IFWTWA Board of Directors
te****@**********er.com
Questions about IFWTWA accounts or ballot access should be directed to:
Hilarie Larson
IFWTWA Administrative Director
ad***@****wa.org
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