The election of APSA Council members and officers occurs via electronic ballot over the summer, with new Council members and officers beginning their terms in September following the conclusion of the APSA Annual Meeting. For more information about the APSA election process see the APSA bylaws and Rules for Elections.

The APSA Nominating Committee meets in February to compiles a slate of candidates. A call for nominations is circulated among the membership, and outreach specifically to APSA committees and organized sections is conducted each year. The committee makes its decisions after careful deliberation and consideration for the varied interests of political scientists. The candidates are put to a vote by the full membership via electronic ballot in August. APSA also accepts nominees by petition.

In accordance with the APSA bylaws, the Nominating Committee nominates to the membership candidates for the positions of President Elect, three Vice Presidents, eight at-large Council members each year, and a Treasurer every three years, in accordance with the provisions of Article V.3.c. Making its recommendations in observance of APSA Bylaws Article V, Section 3. 

The nominating committee generally meets in February, and APSA encourages members to submit suggestions for consideration by the nominating committee. Council or officer nominations can be submitted to nominations@apsanet.org with a description of why the nominee’s accomplishments, background, and views would make them a good Council member or officer. 

Once the Nominating Committee has met and determined its slate of candidates the proposed slate of nominees is announced. More information about the 2026 Nominating Committee is available here. 

Candidates by petition are also accepted. Nominations by petition should be sent to nominations@apsanet.org and must be submitted at least 60 days before the election is scheduled to begin. Candidates by petition for APSA elections must fill out the Official Nomination Form with signatures of at least fifty members. Candidates must also sign the Official Consent Form for their candidacy to be valid. 

The APSA Council and officer elections occur via electronic ballot open to the entire membership. Electronic balloting begins no fewer than 120 days after the nominating committee slate is announced, and balloting remains open for no fewer than 30 days. APSA elections are generally held over the summer. 

As indicated in the new bylaws, the election process allows voters to vote “for” (yes), “against” (no), or abstain for each position. Candidates must receive more “for” votes than “against” to be elected to the APSA Council or officer role for which they have been nominated; thus, even unopposed candidates must be affirmed by a majority of votes. In the event that there are more candidates than open positions, candidates receiving the largest number of positive votes will be deemed elected, followed by the candidate receiving the next largest number of positive votes, and so on, until all positions are filled. A quorum of 10% of the APSA membership is required for the election to be valid.

When balloting has closed, the Rules and Elections Committee examines and certifies the vote tallies. Once the has been certified, APSA announces the results and the new Council members and officers take office at the close of the next APSA Annual Meeting. 

Please contact election@apsanet.org for more information or with any questions about the APSA elections.

The APSA Nominating Committee is pleased to announce its 2026 nominees for APSA Council available here. Balloting will open on July 16 and conclude August 15. If you would like to participate in this vote, make sure your membership is active as of June 25. Nominees by petition are also welcome. The deadline for submitting nominees by petition is May 17.

More information about APSA elections, including a description of the balloting process, can be found above.