Americans can’t vote for president via the Internet yet—but beginning this year, AAOS Fellows can use electronic balloting to vote for AAOS leaders online. The new voting process is an outgrowth of efforts to make the selection of leaders more democratic and transparent, particularly when more than one candidate is proposed for a position.

In 2010, an Election Project Team was established to review the voting process for officers of the AAOS. A survey conducted later that year found that 93 percent of respondents believed that all AAOS Fellows should be able to cast a ballot for AAOS offices—even if they are not attending the Annual Meeting or present during the business meeting. As a result, the Bylaws Committee developed proposed amendments, which were adopted by the Fellowship in 2012.

Voting starts March 6
Beginning on March 6 and continuing until 1 p.m. (CT) on March 20, all Fellows will be able to vote electronically. Instructions for casting ballots and the slate of officers proposed by the 2013 Nominating Committee were distributed to the fellowship last month. They can also be found on the AAOS website at www.aaos.org/elect (website opens on March 6; member login required).

The results of the balloting will be announced on Thursday, March 21, during the 2013 business meeting, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (CT) in the Grand Ballroom at McCormick Place in Chicago. The new leaders will take office at the conclusion of the 2013 Annual Meeting.

The 2013 Nominating Committee has identified and announced the following candidates for the named positions:

• Second Vice-President: David D. Teuscher, MD
• Board Member-at-Large (no age designation): Joseph A. Bosco III, MD
• Board Member-at-Large (younger than age 45 as of March 21, 2013): Todd A. Milbrandt, MD, MS
• National Membership Committee representative: Dirk H. Alander, MD
• Nominees to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ABOS): Abhinav Bobby Chhabra, MD; William N. Levine, MD; Ronald W. Lindsey, MD; Rick W. Wright, MD

The AAOS bylaws provide for the submission of additional nominations or an alternate slate. This year, however, no additional nominations were submitted.

Please plan to participate in voting for your AAOS leadership!

Richard N.Peterson, JD, is the AAOS General Counsel. He can be reached at peterson@aaos.org