Section Elections
Section Council members represent one of the largest leadership groups of the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Each Professional Section is led by a council consisting of 9-12 elected council members, shaping the Section’s activities and professional development programs. Generally, Section Council members serve a three-year term.
Each year, about one third of Section Council members complete their elected terms creating opportunities for the election of new council members. Section Council members are typically SOA members.
The Joint Risk Management Section is the one exception as it is jointly sponsored by the Casualty Actuarial Society, the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the SOA. Members of all three organizations can run for Section Council and vote in the Section Election.
Section Elections
Running for a seat on a Section Council is an excellent way to connect with colleagues who share your interests. Serving on a council or volunteering with a council provides you with a unique opportunity for growth and collaboration, communication and leadership skills.
All sections including those in the Emerging Topics Community (Modeling, Technology, Predictive Analytics and Futurism) are holding section elections in 2024. Future revisions to the section structure will include a role for all section council members.
Roles and Responsibilities
Section Council members can choose to participate through a variety of roles. Council members can serve as officers, manage publications, coordinate meeting sessions, conduct research, and/or coordinate social media for the Section.
Section Council members are expected to:
- Attend and participate in monthly council conference calls,
- Provide thoughtful leadership to guide Sections,
- Encourage and support the advancement of Section members and those in alignment with the Section’s mission and objectives, and
- Develop opportunities that enhance member value in terms of professional development, collaboration, resource sharing and networking.
Section council members may also be asked to:
- Participate in webcasts related to strategic and operational topics;
- Attend and participate in one or two face-to-face council meetings per year,
- Write, co-write or source a newsletter article or other paper,
- Present or moderate a Section sponsored meeting session or webcast,
- Organize professional development opportunities, meetings and events, and/or
- Lead or join a section research project group.
For additional information, view the position opportunities and criteria.
Become a Candidate
To run for Section Council, you must be an SOA member in good standing and a member of the Section for which you would like to run. The one exception is the Joint Risk Management Section, which is jointly sponsored by the Casualty Actuarial Society, the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the SOA. Members from all three organizations can run for this Section Council and vote. Outlined below are the steps in the SOA Section election process.
- Complete the Expression of Interest form.
Expression of Interest Form - Discuss your involvement and interest with current Section leaders who may contact you directly.
- If you are chosen to be on a Section ballot, you will be invited to a webcast that describes the candidate process in detail.
- Complete a candidate questionnaire and provide a photo for the SOA website and the official ballot.
- You will be contacted with the election results by phone. You will be notified by email only if you cannot be reached by phone.
- Elected Section Council members are announced on the SOA website.
- The term begins on the final day of the 2024 ImpACT Conference.
How to Vote
It’s time to make your choices. The 2024 Board and Section election will open in August.
- Fellows and associates are eligible to vote.
- Eligible voters will receive ballots via email.
- Voting is confidential and anonymous.
- Votes are counted by an independent vendor.
2024 Section Election Key Dates
May 31: Expression of Interest form due
June 6: Candidate webcast
June 21: Candidate questionnaire due
Mid-to-late July: Candidate information posted on SOA website
August 19-September 6: SOA Section election period
September 20-27: Election results announced
Post-Election (Date TBD): New Council Members Orientation webcast
October 30: Elected members take office
Past Election Results
View results from 2023.