Balloting Begins

The annual balloting for members of the Board of Overseers and elected directors of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) begins today, and concludes May 18. Alongside the eight candidates for Overseer [4] put forth through the HAA nominating process, [5] a slate of candidates running on the Harvard Forward platform [6] has qualified for the 2021 ballot by petition, as was the case during the pandemic-delayed voting last year. That makes the election more competitive and changes its nature, perhaps stirring greater alumni interest and participation in the balloting again. This is the first election since the governing boards adopted changes in the composition of the Overseers [7] last September, following Harvard Forward’s success in electing three petition candidates in 2020.

As a service to alumni readers, the links above provide more information on the nominees, the official nominating process, and the changes in the Board of Overseers. Two other resources voters may wish to consult to inform themselves about the election are:

•Harvard Magazine’s compilation of Overseer candidates’ views [8] on the challenges facing the University, their perspectives on the Board’s role in Harvard governance, their pertinent experiences, and their interest in standing for election now; and

•the University’s elections website [9].

They are published here in the spirit of encouraging all eligible voters’ participation in the election.