AJCA Governance
The American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) is governed by a board of directors. Below outlines the structure, qualifications, terms, and structure for the board of directors.
Board Structure, Election of Presidents and Directors
The AJCA Board consists of a President and 12 Directors. The responsibilities of the Board include establishing Association policies and programs, setting fees, authorizing expenditures, hiring the Executive Secretary and Treasurer, and being responsible for the overall well-being of the Association. The active members of the Association elect the President and Directors. A member is considered active when he or she has registered or had transferred to his or her ownership a Jersey animal within the past two (2) years.
Director Qualifications
The AJCA Constitution states, “Each Director including the President shall be an active member of the Association who is actively engaged in ownership or management of a recognizable Jersey herd.” In addition, each Director must be a resident of the District from which elected.
AJCA Nominations
A person meeting the constitutional qualifications can be nominated for either AJCA President or Director. Nominations for President must be made by petition signed by any 30 active members of the Association. Nominations for Director must be made by petition signed by 20 active members residing in the District for which the person seeks to serve as Director. Petitions can be obtained by writing or calling the Executive Secretary. The petitions must be received by the Executive Secretary no later than 65 days in advance of the Annual Meeting.
Terms and Nominations +
The President is elected for a one-year term at each Annual Meeting. There is no limit on the number of terms a President may serve. Four Directors are elected at each Annual Meeting for a term of three years. A Director can serve two consecutive terms. A former Director is then eligible to serve another term one year after completion of two consecutive terms. If appointed or elected to fill an unexpired Director term, the person shall be eligible for election to serve two, three-year terms after service for the unexpired term is completed.
Voting for President and Directors is by ballot only. All active members of the AJCA, 50 days prior to the Annual Meeting, are eligible to vote. They receive a ballot by mail. The candidate for each position receiving the plurality of votes is elected.
Director Districts +
The United States is divided into 12 Districts. The District boundaries are drawn in geographic regions to provide equal representation based on number of members and participation in AJCA programs. The district 11 excludes Merced County in California which is solely represented by district 12.
