AFSA NEWS 70 MAY-JUNE 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Proposed AFSA Bylaw Amendments The Governing Board is proposing nine bylaw amendments to be voted on this summer. AFSA regularly proposes such updates to most effectively represent our members despite changing needs and environments. The complete bylaw amendment procedures can be found in Article X of the AFSA Bylaws, which are available at www.afsa.org/ bylaws. The AFSA Committee on Elections is responsible for conducting all polling on amendments. The process requires notification to the AFSA membership on May 8 with a 45-day period for submission of statements in opposition to proposed bylaw amendments. Any such statements must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, June 22, and must be signed by at least 10 AFSA members in good standing. No two statements shall be signed by the same member. Electronic voting on these amendments will commence on July 6, 2026, and will remain open for 15 days. All votes must be cast by 8 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Paper ballots will be sent to members who do not have a valid email address on file with AFSA. Adoption of a proposed amendment will require the affirmative votes of not less than two-thirds of the valid votes received and will be effective immediately. The ballot will also include a referendum question asking members to approve a 5 percent increase in base dues to help AFSA maintain the staffing needed to defend the Foreign Service. This referendum question requires a simple majority of votes cast to pass. Amendment 1— Election of Constituency Vice Presidents and Representatives Amend Article V, Section 4(b) by striking: “The constituency vice presidents and representatives shall be elected from constituencies composed of the regular members belonging to the Foreign Service in each of the departments or agencies to which Chapter 10 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 applies, pursuant to Sec. 1003(a), and a single retired constituency for all former members of the Service from all such departments and agencies” and replacing it with: “The constituency vice presidents and representatives shall be elected from constituencies composed of the regular members belonging to the Foreign Service in each of the departments or agencies defined in Sections 103 and 202 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, and a single alumni constituency for all former members of the Service from all such departments and agencies.” Justification: The bylaws currently define active-duty constituencies by union status. Given the uncertainty of AFSA’s future union status, the proposed amendment redefines active-duty constituencies by Foreign Service members in departments or agencies covered by the Foreign Service Act. Amendment 2— Election of Constituency Vice Presidents and Representatives Amend Article V, Section 4(b) by inserting at the end of the first sentence: “Candidates for election to active-duty constituency vice president and representative positions may also include former tenured members of that constituency who separated from the Service within five years prior to the start of the term of office.” Justification: If AFSA has not regained union status prior to the call for nominations for election to the 2027–2029 board, potential candidates for active-duty constituency vice president positions will have no assurance of being able to fulfill the duties of those positions working 40 hours per week while drawing a government salary. The prospect of having to do all AFSA work after hours and on weekends could dissuade active-duty candidates from running. In addition, some potential active-duty candidates for representative positions could decline to run due to a variety of personal concerns. Given the potential of having few or no active-duty candidates for those positions, it would be prudent to give voters the option of voting for a recently separated member from their constituency who might have more time to dedicate to the position. Amendment 3— Governing Board Voting Amend Article V, Section 5(b) by striking: “Board members required by Article V, Section 8 to participate via in-person residence may participate virtually two times in any 12-month period” and inserting: “Board members required by Article V, Section 8 to participate via in-person attendance may participate virtually six times in any 12-month period.” Justification: A bylaw amendment three years ago authorized representatives from constituencies with fewer than 300 members to reside anywhere in the world and participate virtually in all board meetings because those constituencies often had too few domestic members to fill those positions. That same amendment allowed all other board members to participate virtually in two board meetings per year
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