It’s time to cast your ballots for six individuals to serve on the 2016 AAOS Nominating Committee and to decide whether to adopt certain AAOS resolutions and bylaw amendments.

Voting will be conducted primarily online. The voting process is designed to be quick, secure, and confidential. You will be able to vote both for nominees to serve on the AAOS Nominating Committee and on the proposed resolutions and bylaw amendments at the same time.

Online voting process

Here’s how it will work:

• All AAOS Fellows who are eligible to vote and who have provided the AAOS with an email address should have received a personalized email with their Member ID and a direct link to the voting site. Clicking on the link will take you directly to the balloting information.
• Fellows who have not provided AAOS with an email address but have provided a fax number should have received a ballot and balloting information by fax.

The relatively small remaining group of orthopaedic surgeons who have not provided AAOS with an email address or fax number should have received a written ballot and background information in the mail.

The online voting site has information on each of the 18 Fellows nominated to serve on the Nominating Committee, as well as information on each of the six resolutions and three bylaw amendments, including the recommendations of the Board of Councilors, Board of Specialty Societies, AAOS Board of Directors, and AAOS Resolutions and Bylaws Committees.

The adoption of resolutions and bylaw amendments requires that at least 20 percent of the total Fellowship (approximately 5,000 Active, Inactive, or Emeritus Fellows) must cast ballots. In addition, at least 50 percent of those voting must vote in favor of a resolution for adoption and two-thirds of those voting must vote in favor of a bylaw amendment for adoption.

A valid election for the Nominating Committee does not require a minimum number or percentage of Fellows to cast ballots. Those six individuals who receive the highest number of votes will be elected to the Nominating Committee, provided that no more than two are in practice in the same state.

Cast your ballot today
Several important resolutions and bylaw amendments are being considered this year. Six AAOS resolutions have been reviewed and, with some modifications, five are being recommended to be adopted and one not to be adopted. Three amendments to the AAOS Bylaws are recommended for adoption.

The 18 orthopaedic surgeons who were nominated during the Business Meeting held at the 2015 Annual Meeting are standing for election to the 2016 AAOS Nominating Committee (Table 1). Those six who are elected will serve with John R. Tongue, MD, former AAOS president, who has been appointed by the Board of Directors to chair the 2016 Nominating Committee.

Ballots must be submitted to the AAOS by Wednesday, May 27, 2015, to be counted. As a Fellow, you help shape the future direction and work of the AAOS through your votes on resolutions and your selections for members of the Nominating Committee. Take this opportunity to vote online and be an involved member of the AAOS.

Richard N. Peterson, JD, is general counsel for the AAOS. He can be reached at peterson@aaos.org