· the shift to electronic voting.
In order to aid the greatest turnout of voters in ASA elections, the Council unanimously approved a resolution offered by the Nominating Committee to adopt online voting effective the 2004 election. Electronic voting is now legal in the District of Columbia, where the American Studies Association is incorporated.

On or before January 15, 2004, the Nominating Committee will post an electronic ballot on a secure web server, together with candidates' statements and appropriate biographical material on all nominees, accessible to the active membership of the association. The ballot will be available to the active membership of the association at least six weeks after the completion of the nominations.

The Nominating Committee will also provide a "fax option" for voting. Members will be able to download a "faxable" ballot from the web or having a copy mailed or faxed from the national office on request. No mail ballots will be printed and distributed.

The Nominating Committee will provide instructions in the ASA Newsletter and on ASA website for members who would prefer the fax option. In order to prevent duplicate voting, all ballots, faxed and electronic, must be accompanied by a membership number.

In order to access the online ballot, members must have their member number available for entry into the ballot form. The membership number may be found above the name and address on the ASA Newsletter mailing label, the annual renewal notice, or, for new members, on their ASA acknowledgement card. Members may also call the Johns Hopkins University Press at 1-800-548-1784 for their membership number.

· possible alternatives to the current structure for the presidential election:
The Nominating Committee regularly struggles with the fact each year, as we solicit the candidacy of our most valued members to run for the Presidency, that we face losing the potential leadership contributions of the candidate who comes in second to the winner. Having lost one highly visible election, runner-ups are seldom inclined to consider another run.

Possible alternatives to our current structure might include: an uncontested Presidential election; runner-up automatically elected as Vice-President; reversion to old ASA rules where presiding officer is internally elected from and by ASA Council; simply encouraging elected President to make use of talent and energies of runner-up.

Obviously, the constitutional and interest issues here are important. We’re hoping to open a discussion about the costs and benefits of our current model, and test the membership’s interest in alternatives.

· the nominating process.
Most of us who have served are clueless about the operations of the Nominating Committee until we actually begin serving. It seems good for us to communicate with the membership, perhaps regularly. We hope to demystify our work for the membership, share our concerns and elicit your feedback.