| It's county committee election time and this Gilmer-Calhoun Counties News Release is your guide to the local 2011 election.
Since this only happens once a year, here is an election refresher. For election purposes, counties are divided into local administrative areas, or LAAs. Each LAA contributes one producer to serve a three-year term on the Farm Service Agency county committee.
Gilmer County is divided into three LAA's and Calhoun County is divided into two.
Each year, an election is held in an LAA to replace the committee member whose three-year term is expiring. This years election will be held in LAA 3 in Gilmer County. There will not be an election in Calhoun County as no COC terms are expiring in 2011. LAA 3 coincides with Center Magisterial District (see reverse for map).
The three steps in the election process are the call for nominations, the election and installing the new committee member.
Nominations for candidates to run for the Farm Service Agency county committee election representing producers in a Local Administrative Area will be accepted through Aug. 1, 2011.
The county committee election is held by mail. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 4, and must be returned to the FSA county office by the close of business on Dec. 5, or postmarked by midnight Dec. 5, 2011.
Nominations - Producers who are residents in the LAA holding the election and who participate or cooperate in an FSA program and are of legal voting age may be nominated to serve on the county committee.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others as candidates. Also, organizations representing socially disadvantaged minorities and women farmers or ranchers may also nominate candidates.
A nomination form, FSA-669A, is available at the county office or can be downloaded from the FSA Web site. Simply go to http://www.fsa.usda.gov
Eligible voters can nominate as many candidates as they wish.
To be valid, the nomination form must be signed by the person being nominated, indicating agreement to serve if elected, and returned by the close of business on Aug. 1, or postmarked by midnight Aug. 1.
Who Can Hold Office -
To hold office as a county committee member, a person must meet the basic eligibility criteria: Participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA; Be eligible to vote in a county committee election; Reside in the LAA in which the person is a candidate; Not have been: 1) Removed or disqualified from the office of county committee member, alternate or employee, 2) Removed for cause from any public office or have been convicted of fraud, larceny, embezzlement or any other felony, 3) Dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services.
Who Can Vote -
Agricultural producers of legal voting age can vote if they participate or cooperate in any FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations on an entire farm can also vote.
For more information on the election or Farm Service Agency Programs, call (304)462-7171, Ext. 2 or stop by the office located on 201 E. Main Street, Rm. 122, Glenville, WV 26351.
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