I received three emails yesterday. All contained a common message about my ability to vote in an upcoming organizational election.
The First Request
Be the vote that counts
Dear Vanguard investor,
As an investor in these securities, you have the right to vote on important matters. This is your opportunity to make a direct impact on your investments. Your vote counts!
The specific company in this alert was:
INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY
MAY 11, 2026 ANNUAL MEETING
Vote by May 10, 2026
There was a vote now link to the the company’s meeting notice, annual report and a ballot with boxes for yes, no or abstain. In addition to the election of directors and approval of the auditor. The final owner vote was as follows.
A Non-Binding Resolution to Approve the Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers More Details
Vanguard has no role in this activity except to enable shareholders to quickly and easily exercise thee ownership role for persons who keep their stock with the brokerage firm. The owner must still make a judgement about their vote. Vanguard, which is owned by the investors in its mutual funds, is enabling corporate governance to be easily exercised for every publicly traded stock owned by its investors.
A Second Example
Dear Charles,
Voting is now open in this year’s elections for the Harvard University Board of Overseers and for Elected Directors of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA). You may vote online or by paper ballot.
By voting , you can help shape Harvard’s future. Please take the time to learn about the candidates and vote.
The vote now link goes to a sign-in that includes name, college identifier and my unique registration number. Once entered the complete ballot and candidate information is listed. This same information , ballot and a return envelope is also mailed to every graduate.
A Credit Union Example
Dear Charles,
We are conducting the 2026 Annual Meeting by Electronic Transmission as provided in Section 411 of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of Patelco Credit Union effective April 28, 2017 (the “Bylaws”).
The Annual Meeting will be hosted by video conference on April 30, 2026, at 5pm PT.
Registration is required to attend
We welcome you to join us and take this opportunity to submit questions in advance. To register, please send an email to annualmeeting2026@patelco.org no later than 11:59pm PT on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Matters requiring a vote
Please note that there is no new business to discuss. The only matter requiring a vote of the members in attendance is approval of the 2025 Annual Meeting minutes.
Patelco Credit Union 2026 list of candidates nominated
Board of Directors – Four (4) positions to be filled by acclamation of the Board of Directors as provided in the Bylaws:
Collen Cabey
3-year term
Debra Chaw
3-year term
Vickie Rath
3-year term
Jesse Rivera
3-year term
Section 501(D) of the Patelco Credit Union Bylaws provides “If no more nominations for vacant positions are received than the number of vacant positions, the credit union may, without further action, declare that those nominated and qualified to be elected are elected.” Four candidates have been nominated to fill the four open Director seats. Therefore, the Directors nominated will be approved by acclamation of the Board of Directors as provided by the Bylaws.
The close of this email is two paragraphs of general programs and services from CEO Erin Mendez beginning with these words:
As we move into 2026 and prepare to celebrate Patelco’s 90th anniversary, our mission remains clear . . .
This Official Notice of the Annual Meeting, has no Vote Now or register here links. An owner must email to register, and then annual meeting details will be available for download after April 13.
Democracy, Due Process and Member Trust
Across most organizations which claim to be member or shareholder owned, the appearance of democratic practice is an important part of their public character and responsibility.
Harvard University has been under constant attack since the first month’s of the Trump administration. Yet it has a continuing campaign to have its several hundred thousand graduates vote for the most important leadership roles in the corporation.
Vanguard did not have to facilitate the ability of shareholders whose company stock is kept at the brokerage. But it does this as a service which facilitates the most important duty of shareholders, probably in the hundreds of thousands of emails pevery month.
Voting is both a trust and a confidence builder by an organization’s leadership with its most critical constituency-the owners. It is also a legal responsibility underlying owner governance at the annual meeting.
But appearance may have no substance supporting the process. Patelco’s efforts to prevent any normal or meaningful interaction by owners is clearly stated. Director succession is completely controlled by the board. It is a leadership group that seems unwilling or even afraid to interact with its member-owners. This process is not a confidence builder for Patelco’s leadership or the persons it serves.
When democratic processes have no substance, the other leadership model that prevais is rule by authority. That approach is not one that respects the role of its member-owners or creates a common bond of enthusiasm and support.
Of all the democratically designed organizations in America, one would hope that the values-based, cooperative system’s better angels might be a shining example.