EMC absentee ballots must be back in Minnesota by Oct. 16

The historic election of directors for Grady Electric Membership Corporation is currently underway and will culminate at the 79th annual meeting just over two weeks away.
For the first time in the co-op’s history, absentee ballots have been mailed to the EMC membership. Previously, only members who attended the annual meeting, which is held during the workday, could vote in the election of the board of directors.
Absentee ballots were mailed late last week by Survey & Ballot Systems Inc. of Eden Prairie, MN.
Members are under a tight timeline to return the ballots. All absentee ballots must be received by SBS by Oct. 16, 2017 to be included in the tabulation.
The ballot instructions are also clear that members’ selections must be colored in and the use of a check mark or an x will not be accepted.
Grady EMC will host its 79th annual meeting once again at Family Worship Center, 1760 U.S. 84, on Friday, Oct. 20. Registration gets underway at 8 a.m. and members who do not vote absentee will be allowed to vote in person on Oct. 20. The business meeting is tentatively scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., but could be delayed to allow all members present time to vote.
Candidates in the District 3 race are incumbent Lamar Carlton, B. Hestell Donaldson and Richard R. Smith, all of Thomas County. The District 6 race includes incumbent Robert E. Lee and challenger Gordon Clyatt, both of Grady County.
Last year, the bylaws of the EMC were amended by the membership to allow absentee voting.
SBS Inc. will transmit the results of the absentee balloting and an electronic list of all members who voted absentee to the EMC no later than 4 p.m. on Oct. 19.
According to EMC officials, the results will be locked away in a lock box along with ballots that are dropped off in advance to the EMC headquarters and unsealed by Election’s Committee Chairman Gus Mango at the conclusion of balloting on Friday, Oct. 20.
Members also received in a separate mailing over the weekend a glossy magazine presentation of the EMC’s annual report.