Election Process
Forming a Team of Leaders to Support the SOA Strategic Plan
Learn about the nomination and election process for the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Gain insights into the procedure for electing members to the SOA Board of Directors. One President Elect and Vice Chair and five elected Board members are chosen each year.
Although the SOA Bylaws amendments proposed in 2025 were not approved by a 2/3-member vote, the process highlighted several ways to strengthen Board governance, some of which did not require a member vote. The changes are being implemented beginning in 2026 and include the transition from the Nominating Committee to the Board Recruiting and Selection Committee, the ability of Fellows to put their name in for both President Elect and Vice Chair and as an election Board member, a reserved seat for an international member, and skills-based candidate selection.
SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee
The SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee (formerly the Nominating Committee) is composed of nine Fellows, with staggered three-year terms. The primary responsibility of the SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee is to create a ballot with the strongest candidates for the annual SOA Board of Directors election. The SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee partners with the SOA Board of Directors, committee chairs, SOA staff and volunteers to achieve the committee’s charge.
Learn more about the SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee.
Skills and Experience Profile
The specific skills and experience needed on the SOA Board are likely to change from time to time in response to the evolving business environment. Therefore, the Board will identify and clearly communicate candidate requirements with a skills and experience profile that will be shared with SOA members. The Board Recruiting and Selection Committee and an external recruiting firm will use this to identify and evaluate candidate applicants based on how their skills and experience match the needs of the SOA Board.
Current Board Skills and Experience Profile
The visual below illustrates the skills and experience of continuing Board members across specified categories. A 
circle indicates advanced knowledge, while a 
represents intermediate knowledge. A blank space indicates that the Board member has limited direct experience in this area but is knowledgeable and can engage in conversations on the topic.
Find out more about each skill or experience. View/download a PDF of the current Board skills and experience profile
2026 Key Dates
Keep these important dates in mind for this year’s election process.
| May 18–June 8 | Call for Nominations |
| July 20 | Ballot announcement to membership |
| July 22 | Deadline for nominees not chosen to contact the SOA if they choose to begin the petition process |
| July 24–Aug. 23 | Petition process |
| Sept. 2–21 | SOA Board elections |
| Sept. 28 | Election results |
Call for Nominations
The SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee publicly posts the call for nominations for Board elections. A Fellow can submit their name by completing the Expression of Interest Form, which includes a questionnaire, background check and conflict of interest sections. The Committee also recruits nominees by working with an executive search firm to find highly qualified candidates who possess the skills and experience identified by the Board.
View/download questions included in the Expression of Interest form to help you prepare in advance of your submission.
If you are selected for an interview, it will be with two members of the SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee to answer a series of questions. The SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee then reviews the submitted Expression of Interest forms and interview results, comparing candidates’ information to a skills and experience profile to determine the endorsed candidates on the election ballot. The committee submits the ballot to the Board for approval that they have completed their work according to policies and procedures. The committee then notifies these endorsed candidates, and the endorsed ballot is announced to membership.
Petition Process
Nominees who have not been endorsed can seek member petition support. They must notify the Board Recruiting and Selection Committee about the position for which they seek petition support. An outside vendor develops an online petition site. Petition support is optional and is kept anonymous. To qualify for the ballot by petition, nominees must obtain petition support equal to or greater than 10 percent of votes cast for President Elect and Vice Chair from the previous year’s election. For 2026, the count is 460 petitions based on the previous year’s 10 percent votes cast. Please note that petition candidates must have gone through the initial election process with the SOA Board Recruiting and Selection Committee. The Committee receives the petition process results, and nominees who receive the required level of petition support are added to the final ballot.
How to Vote
When it’s time to make your choice, Associates who have been members of the SOA for at least five years and all Fellows are eligible to vote. Voting is confidential and anonymous.
Eligible voters receive ballots via email. Votes are counted by an independent vendor. Find out more about the voting process.