A Report from the MNA Committee on Nominations (CON)
Electing your association leaders at both the District and State levels of the organization is one of your fundamental rights in a membership organization. Since 2019, MNA and District elections have been electronic for members with a valid email address on file with ANA. This makes it much easier for members to exercise this basic right. Unfortunately, most members did not engage in the election of their District and MNA leaders. In 2024’s election, there were 4,420 eligible electronic voters and only 410 cast a ballot, which is 9.3 percent of the eligible voters. This was slightly lower than the 2023 MNA election, which brings participation below 10% once again. District election participation varied with 24% as a high and a low of 3.9%.
It is time to start preparing for the 2025 MNA and District elections. MNA CON and District CON members will recruit candidates for the State elected positions in 2025. Each district has their own District CON and will also be recruiting candidates for district leadership positions. Please exercise your right to elect the association leadership in 2025 by voting and consider being a candidate for a state or district leadership opportunity. MNA needs and wants you!
The MNA 2025 CON has its first meeting 07 January 2025 to review the MNA Annual Election Process Timeline, the MNA CON Standing Rules, MNA positions to be elected in 2025, as well as the positions to be elected in each District in the odd-numbered year. Donna Downing-Corddry (D3) took over as MNA CON Chair in March of 2024. Vice-Chair Terrie Roth will be stepping down due to her role as District 1 President. The MNA CON will elect a new Vice-Chair for 2025.
The MNA CON representative from each of the eight MNA Districts are as follows: District #1 – Glenna Guthrie; District #2 – Katherine Brewer; District #3 – Donna Downing-Corddry; District #4 – Addie Eckardt; District #5 – Carol Holness; District #7 – Bijoy Mahanti; District #8 – Sharan Koza; District #9 – Ginger Winder.
According to MNA Bylaws, the annual election must start No Later Than (NLT) 60 days before the annual membership/business meeting, which will be convened in-person in conjunction with the 122nd Annual MNA Convention. The MNA election must end NLT 30 days before the annual membership meeting. Because Bylaws take priority over policies, the 2025 MNA & District elections will start on 01 August 2025 and end on 31 August 2025. All candidates for MNA state level Offices must be a joint member in good standing of MNA & ANA and actively involved with District and/or State activities (committees and/or BOD) for the past three years. Please contact your District member of the MNA CON (listed in the above paragraph) for details on responsibilities for each elected position and what must be included in the candidate package, which must be received by MNA NLT June 30, 2025.
There are three MNA leadership opportunities on the MNA Board of Directors (BOD) for qualified members in 2025 which are:
MNA Vice-President: Serves a 2-year term; 1/1/2026 – 12/31/2027.
Assume all duties of the president in the absence of the president; serves as the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of the Nurse Celebration Committee; serves as the liaison of the MNA BOD to the Maryland Association of Nursing Students.
MNA Treasurer-Elect: Serves a three-year term. One year as Treasurer-elect (1/1/2026-12/31/2026), serves (2) two years as Treasurer (1/1/2027-12/31/2028).
MNA Members-At-Large: Representative to the ANA Membership Assembly for a 2-year term (1/1/2026 – 12/31/2027), a minimum of three candidates will be elected in 2025 for this position.
Each of the eight District Nurses Associations (DNA) also have leadership opportunities, which vary from one district to another each year according to their District Bylaws and leadership vacancies.
Election Participation
Since 2019, MNA and District elections have been electronic for members with a valid email address, making it easier to vote and more cost effective. There are members who pre-date the email address era and therefore these members receive a paper ballot delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS). There are less than 20 members in this group. But to clarify, any MNA member who wishes a mailed ballot has the right to request one by emailing MNAInfo@MarylandRN.org with their request for a mailed ballot or to call the MNA Office at 443-334-5110.
The MNA CON, the Committee of Tellers (COT), and Committee on Finance (COF) recommended to the MNA Board of Directors (BOD) to discontinue the practice of mailing ballots from the Association Voting (AV) “bounced back” list. MNA ED and district leadership have greatly decreased the number of members who are not receiving correspondence from MNA or from their districts due to an incorrect email address. Association Voting received 140 “unable to deliver” rejected ballots due to an invalid email address (65) or because a member had unsubscribed (75) to Association Voting. MNA urges all members to ensure their contact information is current annually by going to American Nurses Association (ANA) website https://www.nursingworld.org and click the log-in icon. If you are experiencing log-in difficulties, email ANA with current contact information to memberinfo@ana.org, but also “cc” the MNA Executive Director (ED) this email. That address is MNAInfo@MarylandRN.org. A Customer Care Team provider from ANA should respond to you within 24-48 hours but if you have not received a response in 5 business days, alert the MNA ED of that information. For members who are listed as “unsubscribed” to AV, you must send an email to support@associationvoting.com and request to be re-subscribed. District leadership and the District Representative to the MNA CON have the names of members on the “invalid” and “unsubscribed” AV list. Efforts will be made to inform members on the list the need to update an invalid email or to contact by email, AV, to be re-subscribed. Please, please exercise your fundamental right to elect your leaders!
