Nominations 101: demystifying NCPH elections

01 September 2026 – Anne Lindsay

advocacy, profession, NCPH, Long Range Plan 2023-2028

Have you ever seen the annual NCPH election emails or reminders on socials and wondered how the candidates were selected? Have you ever considered self-nomination? The Nominating Committee is bringing you this post to demystify the process. We’ll review the work of the Nominating Committee and how the election process works, so that you can be both informed and perhaps ready to join in the process yourself.

The Nominating Committee (Nom Comm) is an elected body that develops the slate of candidates for Board and future Nominating Committee positions. Members represent a wide range of geographic, professional, and academic backgrounds to ensure that the committee is in conversation with a broad swath of our NCPH community. The Nom Comm is a year-round committee, but the busiest season is the late summer and early fall as it works to finalize the candidates who will appear in those election emails. You may also see busy Nom Comm members at the annual meeting as they network, recruit, and discuss elected service roles with the membership. Nom Comm members can be very creative; do not be surprised if you are recruited before a panel begins, in line at a reception, or on a bus to an event. You don’t have to be a member of NCPH to run or be elected to a position, but service requires membership when the term begins.

Most NCPH committees have regular meetings, ask members to collaborate in support of committee goals over the course of the year, and align their work with NCPH’s long range plan. Nom Comm works the same way, with regular meetings, goals, and most importantly, use of members’ professional networks to build the best election slate possible for the coming year. The Nom Comm also collaborates with NCPH leadership to determine what areas of expertise are desired or which vacancies the Board is seeking to fill in the upcoming election. The Board does not determine who will run, but it does ask the Nom Comm to assist in recruiting for positions, such as treasurer, or in finding nominees with specific backgrounds, such as non-profit experience.

A green sticky note with the text: "What's the deal with Nominations?"

The Nominating Committee engages in year-round outreach, such as this post from a recent Instagram takeover. Image credit: NCPH Nom Comm

While most committee openings are filled by volunteers who complete the online form, service on the Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors is determined by the membership during the annual election. The slate is developed using a layered approach that begins with reviewing self-nominations. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged by the Nom Comm and are assessed based on the individual’s interest and ability to assist with NCPH’s long range plan. A self-nomination should clearly address the nominee’s skills and experience as they relate to the long range plan, as well as an expressed commitment to serving a three-year term and pursuing this professional learning opportunity. The term includes regular virtual meetings and tasks as assigned, as well as maintaining an active NCPH membership.

You may be thinking, “I would never self-nominate; that would be embarrassing” or “If I was talented enough, someone would nominate me.” Don’t let these doubts stop you. You are reading this blog, you know other public historians, and you are in the field and doing the work in all kinds of meaningful ways. You are already qualified, and nobody will describe your skills and abilities better than you. Take the leap! Service on the Board and Nominating Committee is rewarding in many ways and can help you widen your professional network. It also means engaging with the long range plan, which is the direction of the field for the foreseeable future.

After reviewing self-nominations, the Nominating Committee reviews nominees’ current and past service on NCPH committees and participation in the NCPH conference. The committee also considers who has the skills and perspectives to assist with the long range plan. Determination of who could comprise the election slate is not limited to skills. NCPH is dedicated to ensuring that the Board and Nom Comm reflect the diversity of our field and its practitioners in expertise and life experiences. For example, the Nom Comm reviews the geographic locations of current board members. If the departure of term-limited board members would leave a large geographic void, that would be a primary concern when developing the slate. Inclusive geographic representation is just one way that the Nom Comm works to ensure that the Board represents the needs of all members.

Two women smile at the camera with a reception in the background.

NCPH President Kristine Navarro-McElhaney and future Board student representative Alannah Graves smile at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Atlanta. Photo credit: Sharon Leon

While many of the review procedures are similar for candidates seeking election to the Nominating Committee or the Board, one of the core strengths desired in a Nom Comm member is a strong network of practitioners with different specializations working in public history. This is an important strength for committee members as they work as a team to ensure the Nominating Committee and the Board are representative of the field.

Once the Nominating Committee has reviewed nominees, they begin to reach out to potential candidates. This first contact provides additional information on the available roles and an opportunity for the nominee to inquire further about the time commitment, long range plan, the board mentorship program, and any other concerns they may have. Sometimes, an individual indicates that they don’t have the capacity for the current cycle, even after self-nominating. That’s OK! They can self-nominate another time when they are ready. After someone commits to running for election, they will provide a candidate statement to help the membership get to know them. Then NCPH members vote to determine the newest Board and Nominating Committee members.

NCPH provides opportunities for individuals at every stage of their career to make an impact on the field. Nominees for Nom Comm or Board can even include graduate students, retired public historians, or new professionals. Service brings the best of our membership together to create a better future. If you are ready to begin your NCPH service in an elected position, getting started is easy. To self-nominate for a Board or Nominating Committee position, use the online form. We are looking forward to collaborating with you!

~Anne Lindsay is a historian in the Cultural Resources Division at California State Parks. She is a member of the Nom Comm and has served on NCPH committees for over fifteen years.