Members: Vote in the upcoming election

At Cascade, we have a tremendous opportunity to encourage people to bicycle, reduce the size of our collective carbon footprint and improve the health and well-being of our families, friends and neighbors -- in short, to create communities that bicycle. If Cascade is to continue being a leader in this transformation, the club needs strong leaders -- leaders with vision and drive -- to serve on its board. Over the last several months, the club’s Nominations Committee, chaired by board member Bill Ptacek, has been busy searching for such leaders. The committee was delighted to present a nine-member slate of candidates to the club’s board of directors and to have the full slate approved. These nine candidates will be running for four open 2012 to 2014 board positions as the board expands to 12 members from its current nine (one current board member will be stepping down). Voting in our annual election is a great way to participate in the future of your club. Click on the links below to read candidate statements, meet the candidates in person at the Annual Membership Meeting or the Board Candidate Forum, and remember to cast your ballot before October 11. Thank you for your help in ensuring that Cascade's leadership remains strong. Candidates for the 2012 Board of Directors:

• Nick Brown
• Candy Castellanos
• Jessica Emerson
• Everett Fruehling
• Jon Gould
• Dr. Rayburn Lewis
• Mo McBroom
• Charles Ruthford
• Ed Yoshida

Meet the candidates in person:

• Board Candidate Forum Thursday, Oct. 6 7 to 8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) Mountaineers Office, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle

• Annual Membership Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 11 7 to 8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) REI Seattle, 222 Yale Ave. N, Seattle

Meet the candidates online If you are unable to make the in-person candidate meetings, you can still meet the candidates on the Cascade forums. Reading the forums is open to anyone, but if you want to post, you must first join the forums. Bylaws revisions In early 2012, Cascade will convene a Task Force to review our bylaws. If you are interested in being a member of this group, please call the office at (206) 522-3222. In the meantime, several contentious and perhaps outdated bylaws were reviewed by a Committee appointed by the Board of Directors. The Committee’s recommended changes appear on the October ballot along with the board candidates. The board is proposing bylaw revisions in three areas: (a) the process for director recall; (b) the terms of board-appointed interim directors; and (c) the quorum required for the board to conduct Club business. The full text of each recommended change is here and will also be  mailed to members in the October issue of the Cascade Courier. Please see the FAQ for information. Ratifying the proposed changes will require a two-thirds majority of all votes cast. Vote: Download a ballot or look for a copy in the October issue of the Cascade Courier. Ballots must be dropped off at the Annual Membership Meeting or mailed to Cascade Bicycle Club at 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101S, Seattle 98115. Ballots must be post-marked by October 11.