ICMA Executive Board Nominations and Election

Serving on the ICMA Executive Board is an opportunity to provide strategic leadership and governance for the association while representing the interests of members and advancing the local government management profession. Executive Board members help guide ICMA's strategic direction, oversee the organization's fiduciary responsibilities, and serve as ambassadors for the association and its members.

Members of the Executive Board are elected through ICMA's regional nomination and election process, which is designed to ensure broad geographic representation and diverse professional perspectives. Whether you are considering Executive Board service or preparing to submit an application, this page provides information about eligibility requirements, the nomination and election process, application materials, regional information, key deadlines, and additional resources.

"Serving on the ICMA Executive Board has been the greatest honor of my career. Being able to work alongside my Board colleagues on important issues impacting our profession has been awesome, but the most rewarding part is the relationships I have formed with colleagues from across the nation and around the globe." — Steve Bartha, Northeast Regional Vice President

Nominations Information by Topic

EXECUTIVE BOARD SERVICE

ICMA Executive Board members provide governance for the association and are responsible for selecting the ICMA president, supervising the executive director/CEO, providing fiduciary oversight, representing the association, and adopting policies that advance ICMA's mission and vision. The Executive Board also upholds ICMA's Code of Ethics, exercising an important leadership role for both the association and the local government management profession.

Executive Board service requires a meaningful investment of time, preparation, and active participation. Prospective candidates are encouraged to review the Expectations of Board Service to better understand the role, responsibilities, meeting schedule, travel requirements, and other expectations associated with serving on the Executive Board.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility for election to the ICMA Executive Board is established through the ICMA Constitution and the Regional Nominating Agreements. The Constitution establishes the general eligibility requirements for Executive Board service, while the Regional Nominating Agreements establish the annual regional eligibility requirements and annual rotation of Regional Vice President nominations within each of ICMA's six regions.

ICMA Constitution Eligibility Requirements. The ICMA Constitution establishes the general eligibility requirements for service on the Executive Board. Voting members serving in a full-time appointed position with a local government are eligible to serve as a Regional Vice President. Eligible voting members include:

Full Members – Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Assistant/Deputy Chief Administrative Officers (ACAOs).
Affiliate Members – Entry to mid-level managers and department heads who have a minimum of five years of service with a local government and five years of ICMA membership.

For complete eligibility requirements, refer to the ICMA Constitution.

Annual Executive Board Openings. The ICMA Executive Board consists of 21 members: a president, a president-elect, a past president, and 18 Regional Vice Presidents. The Regional Vice Presidents represent ICMA's six geographic regions, with three representatives serving from each region.

Regional Vice Presidents serve staggered three-year terms. As a result, one Regional Vice President seat in each region becomes available for election each year. The six ICMA regions are:

Eastern (CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT and WV)

Southern (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, and SC)

Central (IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, MN, TN and WI)

Great Plains (CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, OK, SD, TX and WY)

Western (AK, AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, UT and WA)

International (all countries except the U.S.)

Regional Nominating Agreements. In addition to the eligibility requirements established by the ICMA Constitution, Executive Board nominations are governed by the Regional Nominating Agreements. Developed collaboratively by state and country association leadership within each region, the agreements establish the annual rotation of eligible states or countries and provide a consistent framework for identifying Regional Vice President candidates while ensuring equitable opportunities for Executive Board service across each region.

The table below identifies the states and countries eligible to nominate a Regional Vice President during the current election cycle, along with all eligibility within the three year cycle for each region. Members are encouraged to review the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement for additional information regarding regional eligibility and the nomination process.

Region	Eligible States/Countries*	Next Eligible Year
Eastern	Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia	2027
	Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey	2028
	Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont	2029
Southern	All States (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina)	2027
	Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and North Carolina	2028
	Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina	2029
Central	All States (Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Tennessee)	2027
	Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin	2028
	Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee	2029
Great Plains	Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming	2027
	Texas	2028
	Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma	2029
Western	Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii	2027
	California	2028
	Alaska, Oregon, and Washington	2029
International	Southern Hemisphere	2027
	Northern Hemisphere	2028
	Canada	2029

* Under the Regional Nominating Agreements, a state or country generally may not succeed itself in holding a Regional Vice President seat unless there are no other qualified applicants. The Southern and Central Regions approved a different rotation methodology in which all states are eligible during the first year of each three-year rotation to promote equitable opportunities for Executive Board service across the region. See the applicable Regional Nominating Agreements for additional information.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Members interested in being considered by a Regional Nominating Committee must submit a complete application packet by the annual application deadline. Specific deadlines for the current election cycle are provided in the Nomination and Election Process section.

Application materials must be submitted as a single PDF attachment by email to icmanominations@icma.org. Complete application packets will be shared with the appropriate Regional Nominating Committee prior to candidate interviews. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

Required Application Materials. Applicants must submit the following:

Statement of Qualifications (maximum two pages) describing your qualifications for Executive Board service and your perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing ICMA.
Current résumé.
Summary of your service and contributions to ICMA and state, country, or affiliate organizations, including committee, board, task force, or other volunteer leadership roles.
Petition signed by a minimum of 15 eligible ICMA Voting Members. ICMA staff will verify the eligibility of all petition signatures. Applicants are encouraged to obtain more than the required 15 signatures in the event that one or more signatures cannot be verified. Petitions that do not meet the minimum signature requirement following verification will be considered incomplete, and the applicant will not be interviewed or further considered by the Regional Nominating Committee.

Optional Supporting Materials. Applicants may also submit letters of Support or Endorsement from ICMA members or state, country, or affiliate organizations that help the Regional Nominating Committee better understand the applicant's qualifications, achievements, and potential contributions to the Executive Board. (Strongly encouraged.)

A summary of the 2026-2027 application process can be found here.

SCHEDULE

Week of October 12, 2026	Call for nominations opens. Members eligible to serve on the Executive Board notified.
December 11, 2026	Deadline for state associations and affiliate organizations to appoint Regional Nominating Committee Members.
January 14, 2027	Deadline for all submissions from Regional Vice President candidates.
March - April 2027	Regional Nominating Committees meet virtually to interview candidates and select region's nominee.
April 26, 2027	Ballots made available online (and mailed to members without email addresses).
May - June 2027	Online ballot closes May 28. Ballots canvassed and results announced mid-June.

REGIONAL NOMINATING COMMITTEES

Regional Nominating Committees are established each year to interview eligible candidates and select the region's endorsed nominee for Regional Vice President. The endorsed nominee is presented on the ICMA Executive Board election ballot for consideration by the voting membership.

Each Regional Nominating Committee is established in accordance with its Regional Nominating Agreement and includes representatives from affiliated state, country, and strategic ally organizations, as well as designated representatives of the ICMA Executive Board. Committee members are expected to evaluate candidates fairly, maintain the confidentiality of committee deliberations, and follow the procedures established by the Executive Board and the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement.

Regional Nominating Committees review application materials, conduct candidate interviews, evaluate applicants using criteria established by the ICMA Executive Board, and select the region's endorsed nominee for placement on the election ballot. Additional information regarding committee composition, responsibilities, interview procedures, and nominee selection is available in the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement found in the Eligibility section above.

STATE, COUNTRY ASSOCIATION, AND AFFILIATE RESPONSIBILITIES

The regional nominations process is a key element of ICMA's governance. State and country associations and affiliate organizations are important partners in identifying, developing, and supporting future leaders for service on the ICMA Executive Board. Through leadership development, member engagement, and support of the regional nominations process, these organizations help foster a new generation of innovative, principled local government leaders and promote a diverse and inclusive membership that reflects the communities the profession serves.

For purposes of the regional nominations process:

State associations are U.S. state associations with an affiliation agreement with ICMA.
Country associations are international country associations with an affiliation agreement with ICMA.
Affiliate organizations are organizations designated by the ICMA Executive Board to participate in the regional nominations process.

State, country, and affiliate organizations are encouraged to identify and encourage qualified members to apply for Executive Board service. Organizations should review the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement each year to understand the regional eligibility rotation and communicate nomination opportunities to their members. Organizations may also provide written endorsements for qualified candidates in accordance with the annual nomination process.

In the five U.S. regions, affiliated state associations and designated affiliate organizations appoint representatives to serve on the Regional Nominating Committee in accordance with the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement. Committee members must be ICMA members in good standing who are in service to a local government and participate in the evaluation and selection of the region's endorsed nominee.

In the International Region, the Nominating Committee is comprised of:

The Senior International Vice President (who may also serve as the President’s designee)
Two or three former ICMA international board members
The Chair and Vice-Chair of ICMA’s Global Engagement Committee (who may be from any region)
One or two representatives from affiliated international countries with eligible members, preferably not already represented by a Vice President.
The ICMA President, or their designated representative from the ICMA Executive Board
The three current International Vice Presidents may attend the interviews as observers to provide continuity. They are not voting members of the regional nominating committee and do not comment on candidates, ask questions, or vote.

Through these responsibilities, state, country, and affiliate organizations help ensure a fair, transparent, and representative nominations process that supports strong governance of ICMA.

EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES

Regional Nominating Committees evaluate all eligible candidates using criteria established by the ICMA Executive Board. These criteria are intended to help identify qualified leaders who will contribute to a balanced and effective Executive Board that reflects the local government management profession and the communities it serves.

In evaluating candidates, Regional Nominating Committees consider:

Experience in local government management.
Service to ICMA and its affiliated organizations.
Demonstrated ethical leadership and commitment to the ICMA Code of Ethics.
Support for the profession through service to ICMA, state or country associations, affiliate organizations, or other professional organizations.
The ability to contribute to a diverse and balanced Executive Board, including consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other factors identified by the Executive Board, such as community size, jurisdiction type, and position type.
Overall qualifications and readiness for Executive Board service.
Participation in ICMA's Voluntary Credentialing Program.
Commitment to comply with the Executive Board election guidelines.

Regional Nominating Committees consider each candidate's application materials, interview, and overall qualifications in making their selection of the region's endorsed nominee. The committee's deliberations and voting process are confidential and conducted in accordance with the applicable Regional Nominating Agreement

NOMINATION AND ELECTION PROCESS

The ICMA Executive Board election process is designed to identify qualified leaders while providing eligible Voting Members with the opportunity to elect Regional Vice Presidents. Each year, one Regional Vice President is elected from each of ICMA's six regions to serve a three-year term on the Executive Board.

Regional Nominating Committee Process. Each Regional Nominating Committee interviews eligible candidates and evaluates them using the Executive Board's established selection criteria. Following its deliberations, the committee selects an endorsed nominee for the region, who is automatically placed on the annual election ballot.

Candidates must submit all required application materials, including the required petition, by the established annual deadline in order to be considered by the Regional Nominating Committee. See the Application Process section for submission requirements.

Independent Ballot Qualification (Qualification by Petition). All candidates must submit a petition that meets the established requirements by the annual deadline as part of a complete application. Petitions that do not meet the minimum signature requirement are considered incomplete, and the applicant will not be interviewed or further considered by the Regional Nominating Committee. ICMA staff verify petition signatures; Regional Nominating Committees do not review petitions.

Candidates who are not selected as the region's endorsed nominee may choose to appear independently on the annual election ballot if not selected as the region’s nominee by the Regional Nominating Committee. Following interviews and a selection, candidates will be contacted by ICMA staff and asked whether they wish to appear independently on the ballot. In this circumstance, the ballot will identify which candidate was recommended by the Regional Nominating Committee, and which candidate/s are appearing by petition for the region. Candidates in a contested election are afforded the opportunity to submit a 250 word statement of their qualifications for inclusion on the election ballot.

ICMA has a long tradition of relying on the regional nominations process to identify a single endorsed nominee from among multiple qualified candidates within each region. Historically, the Association has emphasized the regional nominations process rather than competitive election campaigns. Candidates who choose to appear independently on the ballot are expected to follow the Executive Board Campaign Guidelines.

Note: Some state, country, or affiliate organizations may have separate endorsement processes that include additional petition or nomination requirements. These processes are independent of ICMA's Executive Board nomination process.

Election. Voting in the annual Executive Board election is limited to Voting Members, as defined in the ICMA Constitution. Following the close of the nomination process, eligible Voting Members vote to elect one Regional Vice President from each region on the annual election ballot.

For complete voting eligibility requirements, refer to the ICMA Constitution.

PRESIDENT SELECTION

Each year, the ICMA Executive Board calls for expressions of interest from eligible former regional vice presidents and then selects the next ICMA President. Only former regional vice presidents who have been off the board for at least one year and are still working in service to a local government can be considered for this position.

Read about President Michael Land
Read about incoming President-Elect Andy Pederson
Read about Immediate Past President Tanya Ange
Read about the selection of 2027-2028 ICMA President Stephanie Mason

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For answers to frequently asked questions about Executive Board service, candidate eligibility, the regional nominations process, petitions, and the annual election, visit the ICMA Executive Board Nominations and Election FAQ page.

ANNUAL ELECTION RESULTS

ICMA's 2026 Annual Election Ballot Closed on May 29, 2026. View annual election results for regional vice presidents by year:

Resources

Contact Us

U.S. candidates: If you have questions about the nominations process in your region, contact your state association or affiliate organization president, or your regional director. Use the State Leadership / Liaison Directory. International candidates, contact ICMA staff at icmanominations@icma.org.

For general inquiries about the nominations or election process, contact ICMA staff at icmanominations@icma.org.

For questions about membership status, contact ICMA staff at membership@icma.org.

Topics

Leadership

Job Titles

Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (ACAO) Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Department Heads