AFSCME prides itself on being a democratic, member-run organization at all levels. Every two years, AFSCME International holds its Convention, where delegates elected by the membership of each of the approximately 4,300 locals from across the United States to decide on the Union’s basic policies and consider amendments to the AFSCME International Constitution.

This year, AFSCME’s 47th International Convention will be held from August 17th through 21st at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. At the In-Person Nomination Meeting on Thursday, June 18th at 5:30 PM in the Dogwood Room at City Hall, 380 A Ave. Lake Oswego, OR 97034, we will be holding nominations for our International Convention Delegate.

• Any dues-paying member from April 2026 onward is eligible to be nominated in the delegate election.

• The travel-related costs of sending one delegate from each Local in Oregon to the Convention are reimbursed by Oregon AFSCME Council 75, including airfare, lodging and per diem (the Council has booked a group flight & lodging), up to an amount determined by the Council. Please note: while we are entitled to send as many as two delegates, our local E-board has not approved expenditures for sending more than the one delegate covered by the Council Travel fund.

• The Convention’s agenda consists of five full days of general sessions, briefings, caucuses, workshops, elections, and rallies. Delegates are expected to actively participate in all of the work of the Convention.

• The elected delegate will need to follow their department’s usual procedures for requesting the time off, and will need to use vacation, comp time, or personal days to cover their absence from work.

• find more information about the Convention at AFSCME’s Convention website.

NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS:

Delegate nominations & elections are conducted as set forth in the AFSCME Local Union Election Manual, which you can read in its entirety here.

HOW DO NOMINATIONS WORK? Nominations are made from the floor of the nomination meeting. There is no form or second needed for a nomination. The nominee doesn’t have to be present at the meeting to be nominated, but they will be contacted and given opportunity to decline the nomination. If only one eligible member is nominated to a position, that person is declared elected at the Nomination Meeting and no vote for that position needs to be held.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO HOLD OFFICE? Any dues-paying member of the Union from April, 2026 onward is eligible to be nominated to a delegate position.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE? If you pay Union dues, then you are a member of the Union and you are entitled to vote in the officer election. If you haven’t signed a card and you want to, (or you don’t remember whether you have), please see your area rep or any officer.

HOW DOES THE ELECTION WORK? In the event that there is more than one nominee for Convention Delegate, an election will be held by the members present at the Delegate Nomination Meeting. No election needs to be held for an office if there is only one nominee for that office.