Information for Candidates

Cornell employees who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate in this election. Candidates must:

• Work full-time and part-time staff members in a non-exempt, exempt or academic non-professorial staff category;
• Work at the Ithaca, AgriTech in Geneva or Cornell Tech campus.
• Work in the corresponding academic college/school if seeking those seats, in the corresponding staff unit if seeking those seats, or identify as a member of the corresponding affinity if seeking an "at-large" seat.
• Plan to remain so for the duration of the term of the seat being elected.

The following positions are up for election:

• Term Ending in Spring 2029:
  • Alumni Affairs and Development Representative
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Representative
  • College of Veterinary Medicine representative
  • Cornell Tech Representative
  • Exempt Representative At-Large
  • Graduate School and Cornell Law School Representative
  • Representative At-Large (2 positions)
  • School of Industrial and Labor Relations Representative
  • University Relations and Central Administration Representative
  • Veterans Representative At-Large
  • Women's Representative At-Large

Staff interested in running in the Spring 2026 Employee Assembly Election must submit a Candidate Registration Form (available on March 2). Registration opens on Monday, March 2nd, 2026 and closes on Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST.

• Mandatory Candidate Information Session: Tuesday, March 17th, 2026, time TBD, via Zoom (link to be provided).
• Campaigning Begins: Tuesday, March 17th, 2026, immediately following the Mandatory Candidate Information Session.
• Online Voting Begins: Thursday, March 26th, 2026. All Cornell staff will receive a ballot sent to their Cornell email account.
• Voting Ends: Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 12:00pm (noon) EST
• Expense Reports and Candidate Challenge Forms Due: Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 12:00pm EST (via electronic submission to the Office of the Assemblies at  assembly@cornell.edu)
  • All candidates must submit an Employee Assembly Candidate Expense Report/Reimbursement Form, even if they do not spend any money on their campaign.  Please submit your report via email at assembly@cornell.edu.
• Earliest Results Will Be Announced: Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 at 12:00pm EST

To Register as a Candidate:

Each person who wishes to be a candidate in these elections must complete the following requirements.

1. Review the open seats listed below and select one.
   • All seats will be elected using the Ranked Choice Vote method of voting tabulation. Each seat will be elected with voters ranking candidates in order of preference. You may also direct questions to assembly@cornell.edu.
2. Review the Election Rules and Candidate Eligibility Guidelines above to ensure your eligibility.
3. Complete the online registration form, including:
   • Name as you would like it to appear on the ballot (if different)
   • Phone number
   • Campus address
   • Seat for which you are running
   • Current employee category
   • Personal Statement (up to 1,250 characters including spaces)
   • Photo
4. Attend (or send a proxy on your behalf) the mandatory candidate information session on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 via Zoom (time and link to be provided).

Important notes:

• All newly seated members will be expected to attend the Organizational Meeting of the 2026-2027 Employee Assembly on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026 immediately following the EA meeting that day (12:00 - 1:15pm).
• If you believe a fellow candidate has altered the fairness of the election—either by violating the Employee Assembly election rules or otherwise—you may submit an Employee Assembly Election Challenge Form. Challenge forms must be submitted to the Office of the Assemblies by Monday, April 6, 2026 at 12:00pm EST.

If you have any questions or concerns, email the Employee Assembly Elections Committee at ea-elections@cornell.edu.