Council Elections

2026 Council Election Information

The timeline, call for nominations, candidate information, and directions for the election procedure for the 2026 WGAE Council Election are detailed below. If you have questions, please refer to the Elections FAQ or email Elections.

The 2026 Council Election will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

Voting online and by mail begins at 9:00 AM EDT on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The voting period for the 2026 Council Election ends at 5:00 PM EDT on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

The Annual Meeting, where members may vote in person, takes place on September 22, 2026. In-person voting takes place between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM EDT on September 22, 2026. Information about RSVPing to vote in person will be distributed to members along with their voting materials.

The 2026 election will be conducted according to approved amendments to the WGAE Constitution, which provide that Guild members nominate and vote only for Council & Vice President seats allotted to their work sector.

The 2026 election includes the following seats:

Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Vice President
Online Media Vice President
Six (6) Film/TV/Streaming Council seats
Three (3) Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Council seats
Two (2) Online Media Council seats

Call for Nominations

The 2026 nomination period begins on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 and ends at 5:00 PM EDT on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Sector nomination forms are available below until the end of the nomination period.

Candidate Eligibility: Any current member who has been in good standing in their work sector for one year preceding the election is eligible to run for a Vice President or Council seat in their sector.

Nominator Eligibility: All current members in good standing of a particular work sector (Film/Television/Streaming, Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News, Online Media) may nominate a candidate for the Vice President or Council seats for that work sector. Members may self-nominate provided they meet the eligibility criteria for candidates.

Please note: If a member is nominated for a Vice President or Council seat in a work sector to which they do not belong, that nomination will not be valid.

Submit a Nomination

Film/TV/Streaming sector nominations (including Podcast and Nonfiction TV shops)
Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News sector nominations
Online Media sector nominations

2026 Timeline

Wednesday, July 1, 2026 – Call for Nominations announced; Nomination period begins.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026, by 5:00 PM EDT – Nomination deadline.
Monday, August 17, 2026 – Nominees announced to members.
Friday, August 28, 2026 – Candidate Statements sent to current members in good standing in the relevant work sector.
Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT – Deadline for receipt of request for a paper/mail ballot. To request a mail ballot, email elections@wgaeast.org.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT – Candidate Forum.
Thursday, September 10, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT – Voting online and by mail begins.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM EDT – In-person voting at the Guild office; RSVP required.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT – End of voting.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 12:01 AM EDT – All elected candidates assume office.