Voting opened May 5 for Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors election, in which PEC members will elect two new directors and vote on a proposed member bill of rights and other issues. Ballots have been mailed to all members by Ronkonkoma, New York-based Election Services Corporation, which is managing the election.

Members may return completed ballots by mail or vote online through a secure website operated by ESC. Mailed-in ballots have to be postmarked and online voting must be completed by June 11. Members also can vote in person at the PEC Annual Membership Meeting June 19 in Johnson City, where election results will be announced. Ballots will not be accepted at PEC offices.

If ratified by members, the member bill of rights will establish core rights — such as election safeguards and access to PEC meetings and records — which can only be changed with a member vote. The bill of rights would become part of the Cooperative’s Articles of Incorporation, which is a legal document filed with the state that defines the organization, purpose, and highest-level business rules of the Cooperative. Members also will be asked to vote on three other amendments to the Articles, which cannot be changed without member approval.

Thirteen PEC members have been nominated by petition to vie for the District 4 and District 5 positions on the Board, currently occupied by O.C. Harmon and R.B. Felps, respectively. Harmon and Felps are not seeking additional terms.

Election information, a link to ESC’s voting site, and video clips of candidates presenting their platforms at PEC’s April 27 public forum are available at www.pec.coop.