Although it is several months until Pee Dee Electric’s Annual Meeting on October 5, the election process for Cooperative Directors is rather involved and must start early.

Our cooperative has 10 Directors that are elected for three-year terms on a staggered basis so that approximately one-third of the Board is elected each year. In accordance with the cooperative’s bylaws, a 10-member nominating committee is appointed. The nominating committee is composed of members who are not cooperative employees, agents, officers, directors, or a close relative of a current board member or a known candidate for director. The committee meets, nominates members for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting, and posts the results at the cooperative’s headquarters, which is located at 9825 U.S. Highway 74 East, Lilesville, NC. This year, the committee will nominate members for the cooperative’s Board of Directors from District 1, District 4, District 7, and one “At Large” member of the Board for election at the 2023 Annual Meeting. 

• District #1 is composed of the Ansonville and Burnsville Townships in Anson County, the area in Stanly County served by Pee Dee Electric, and the portion of the New Salem Township in Union County served by Pee Dee Electric. 
• District #4 is composed of the Lilesville Township and that portion of the Wadesboro Township north of U.S. Highway 74, west of Wadesboro, and east of U.S. Highway 52 which is south of Wadesboro in Anson County. 
• District #7 is composed of that part of Richmond County south of U.S. Highway 74 from the Pee Dee River to Hamlet and west of N.C. Highway 38 south of Hamlet. 
• The “At Large” director nominee must reside in the cooperative’s service territory east of the Pee Dee River.

In addition, interested candidates may be nominated by member petition. The petition must be signed by 50 or more cooperative members. Signed petitions must be received in the Pee Dee Electric office at least 70 days prior to the Annual Meeting. This year, nominations by petition must be received in the office of the cooperative no later than July 27. This allows time to verify membership of the people who signed the petition, the person nominated is a qualified member, and the nominee is interested in serving as a Director. It also allows time to include their names on the election ballot. All nominations are closed 70 days prior to the annual meeting.

Section 5.02 of the cooperative’s bylaws outlines the qualifications to serve on or be elected to Pee Dee Electric’s Board of Directors. Listed below are some of those qualifications (additional qualifications can be found in the Cooperative’s Bylaws):

• Must be a Cooperative member
• Have the capacity to enter legally binding contracts 
• During the 180 days immediately preceding the Director election, maintain their primary residential abode within the boundaries of the applicable Director District 
• Must use, receive, and purchase electric service at their primary residence 
• Must not have a conflict of interest as defined by the cooperative’s bylaws
• Must be a U.S. citizen 
• Cannot be a convicted felon or have pled guilty to a felony while a Director or 25 years immediately prior to becoming a Director 
• Must reside year-round in Pee Dee Electric’s service territory 
• Must be current in all respects regarding payment to the cooperative and not subject to disconnection for non-payment at their primary residence 
• Cannot be a close relative of a Pee Dee Electric Director or employee

Contact your local Pee Dee Electric office for a copy of the cooperative’s bylaws for complete information on the nomination process, qualifications to serve as a Pee Dee Electric Director, and detailed election information. I look forward to seeing each of you on October 5 at Pee Dee Electric’s Annual Meeting.