Annual Meeting 2021: Please Vote
Your ballot for the 2021 Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative (GCEC) annual meeting should have arrived in your mailbox mid-March. The meeting is Saturday, May 1, and will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While none of our trustees who are up for reelection faced opposition this year, we do have important proposed bylaw amendments for the membership to vote on. You may view these proposed amendments in the insert located in the center of this magazine. The proposed amendments are also enclosed in your election packet.
To allow GCEC members to participate in the democratic process part of the annual meeting, members may vote by mail or online. It is important you participate in your cooperative. We encourage you to vote in one of the following ways:
- Internet. Follow the online instructions to place your vote on the secure website. Please make sure you have your voting PIN handy. It is on the paper ballot enclosed in your election packet.
- Paper. Vote via the U.S. Postal Service by completing the ballot in your packet and returning it in the postage-paid envelope included with the election materials. Your ballot is mailed to a third party, which conducts the voting process on behalf of the cooperative, so we do not have access to completed ballots.
In appreciation of your time, we will credit $5 to your electric bill for participating. The cooperative also will work with the third party handling the election to select 80 ballot PINs randomly. These members will receive $25 gift cards in the mail. Additionally, we will randomly select 10 members to receive $100 electric bill credits. The grand prize is a Chevrolet Blazer.
The election closing date is 10 days before the annual meeting—April 21, 2021, at 11:59 pm CST—so please make sure to go online and vote before this time. If voting by mail, please allow enough time for sufficient mail processing. I encourage you to take part in the meeting. Each member has a voice in the operations of GCEC, and those voices need to be heard. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.
As always, it is a pleasure to serve you.
Doug Birmingham