Vote in the 2016 ALA elections on your Smartphone!

(Chicago) Did you know that you can vote in the 2016 ALA elections on your Smartphone and other mobile devices? You need not be tied to your desktop to cast your vote; you can vote virtually anywhere –at the airport, on the bus, at the dog groomer! (But we do ask that you refrain from voting while driving!) Just log in using the URL and credentials that were sent to you between March 15 and March 17; it’s just that easy. So vote now and then continue on with your business! And when you’ve finished voting, you can download an “I Voted in the ALA Election” badge that you can attach to your Facebook page, Tweets, or wherever you want! The polls will close on Friday, April 22 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.If you have not received your voting instructions, you may contact ALA’s Member and Customer Service (MACS) at 1-800-545-2433, press 5 (International members should call +1-312-944-6780) or customerservice@ala.org.

The American Library Association elections are held exclusively online. To be eligible to vote, individuals must be members in good standing as of January 31, 2016. Although the election is being conducted online, there remains one exception. Members with disabilities and without internet access may obtain a paper ballot by contacting ALA customer service at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5. Those without internet access at home or work can easily access the election site by visiting their local public (or in many instances academic or school) library (or using their mobile device!).

Voting may be completed in one sitting, or an individual may “park” their ballot and return at a later date; however, a ballot is not “cast” until the “submit” button is clicked. Anyone with a “parked” ballot will receive an email reminder to complete the voting process prior to April 22.

Information about the ALA election and the candidates can be found in “Your Guide to the 2016 Elections.” The guide is available as a flipbook or in PDF format. This, as well as other information about ALA elections can be found on the Election Page on the ALA website. A special “pod” and feature slide on the ALA homepage will also take you directly to election information.

So far only 14.12% of eligible ALA members have cast their votes, as compared with 15.03% at the same point in the 2015 election. Whether you’re at home, at work, or on vacation, there’s no reason not to take part in this important aspect of your ALA membership!