I still remember the first time I voted. It wasn’t in a presidential election or even for a local government seat. It was a student council election in middle school. My classmates and I filed into the cafeteria, where ballot boxes sat on a lunch table. Clutching my tiny paper ballot, I carefully checked a name, folded it up, and slipped it into the box. That moment was exhilarating. I had a say. I had a voice.

That early taste of democracy stuck with me. Later, I ran for student council myself—and won. But before I ever put my name on a ballot, I was first empowered by the act of voting. That’s the power of engagement. When we participate, we shape the future.

That’s why your voice matters in our cooperative’s upcoming board elections. As a member of Cherryland Electric Cooperative, you’re not just a customer—you’re an owner. And owners have a say in who leads them.

Voting in the Cherryland board election is easy and convenient. The election opens May 1 and early voting runs through June 11 at noon. During that time, members can vote online by logging into SmartHub, through a link that was emailed to the email on your account, or by mailing in the ballot included in this month’s magazine. You can even vote in person at our Annual Meeting on June 12 between 4 and 5:30 p.m.

Each year, between 8 and 12% of our membership votes. That number should be higher. The cooperative model thrives when members are involved. When you vote, you help ensure that the leadership reflects the values and priorities of our community.

We are working on several exciting initiatives, including the continuing modernization of our distribution electric grid with new technologies. We are also managing several challenges and risks on your behalf, including cybersecurity and grid reliability threats, legislative and regulatory complexities, and most importantly, rising costs that impact what you pay for electricity. Your vote influences the direction of the cooperative and the decisions that impact us all.

In the annual report, you’ll find bios for the candidates running in this year’s election. You can also find them on our website.

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. It’s an invitation—to participate, to engage, and to make a difference. I hope you’ll take that invitation and cast your vote in this year’s board election. Let’s make our cooperative stronger together.