By Annie Hoy, Board Director

This month, AFC Owners will democratically elect a slate of board candidates. These candidates are co-op owners, just like you and me. By holding annual elections, co-ops around the world and close to home are expressing Cooperative Principle 2: Democratic Member Control.

Cooperatives universally are democratic organizations. Co-op members buy the goods or use the services of the cooperative and actively help set policies and make decisions for the health and wellbeing of the organization they co-own with others. The men and women who are elected are directly accountable to the membership. When you make your equity investment in the common property of the co-op and become an AFC owner, you also gain equal voting rights in choosing who will represent your voice at the board level.

However, voting in board elections doesn’t necessarily make a democracy. Many co-op scholars point to open discussion, deliberation and consultation with owners as the most essential conditions for democratic member control. It is equally important to have owner engagement about the common aspirations of the co-op in order to make the organization reflect the needs of the community. Outreach to owners, and the reciprocal owner engagement that results, is the organizing principle for the entire cooperative.

Your board of directors is a small group of owners that you have empowered to make decisions on behalf of all of AFC’s members. Participating in the conversation around who the board candidates are and how they might represent your viewpoint is as important as the act of voting. Take the time to read about each of the candidates. Discuss with your fellow owners. Reach out to the candidates with your questions. And after you do, exercise your right to vote!