PETITION TO PRESERVE MEMBERSHIP VOICE IN USA FENCING BOARD ELECTIONS
To the USA Fencing Board of Directors and fellow members of the USA Fencing community:
We, the undersigned, write to express our urgent concern and strong opposition to the proposed bylaw changes that would significantly diminish the voice and democratic participation of USA Fencing’s voting membership in the governance of our organization.

Background:
At the June 7th board meeting, the USA Fencing Board of Directors tabled a critical vote to alter the bylaws governing board elections. This vote is now scheduled for June 29th.

Why This Matters:
Currently, the Board is composed of 12 members, 5 of whom are At-Large members elected with direct input from the general membership. These positions are either nominated by the Nominating Committee or by a petition signed by just 1% of the voting membership — a crucial mechanism that ensures our community retains a meaningful say in leadership.

What Is Being Proposed:

1. Elimination of one At-Large position, reducing the number of membership-elected board members from 5 to 4.
2. Restriction of the members’ right to nominate board candidates by placing prohibitive restrictions, effectively granting nominating authority to the board-appointed Nominating Committee. 

• This committee will automatically produce 2 additional positions for every open seat. 
• We, the membership, throughout the country, must obtain 6% of signatures to nominate a single board member. These signatures must each be hand written, no digital signatures will be accepted. This barrier is 6 times the membership currently needed for nomination. 

What This Means:
If enacted, these changes will strip the voting membership of its only meaningful influence in the composition of the Board. The proposed structure would concentrate power within a small, self-selecting group — creating a closed loop in which the Board appoints the Nominating Committee, which in turn selects Board candidates, thereby undermining accountability, transparency, and member representation.
We believe this would be a fundamental erosion of democratic governance within USA Fencing. It replaces true member engagement with the mere appearance of participation — allowing us only to vote on choices we had no legitimate role in selecting.

What We Demand:
We, the undersigned members of USA Fencing, respectfully but firmly petition the Board to:

• Reject any bylaw change that removes or limits the voting membership’s ability to nominate board candidates.
• Retain all five At-Large board positions, preserving the current number of directors elected with member input.
• Affirm the principle that governance of USA Fencing must reflect the voices and interests of its members, not be consolidated into the hands of a select few.

What You Can Do:
Make your voice heard. If you're a voting member, sign this petition.

Contact the members of the Board and tell them clearly:
We will not accept the loss of our voice in how our sport is governed. We demand a real, binding vote — and the power to shape the choices before us.
Together, we must act before these changes are enacted.
Jennifer Griffin
Member in Good Standing