AOS Officer and Councilor Elections: Important Context for 2026

On Monday 11 May, you will receive your ballot to vote in the 2026 American Ornithological Society (AOS) Officer and Councilor election. Voting in our annual elections is an important way that AOS members have a voice in AOS governance, and we strongly encourage you to participate.

Every two years, AOS members elect a President-Elect who will serve for two years before becoming the AOS President. After two years as President, this individual serves as a voting member of the AOS Council for another six years and then remains on Council for life. The AOS works hard to ensure that we have two highly qualified, exceptional candidates on the ballot to run for President-Elect. Each candidate would serve as a thoughtful and knowledgeable long-term leader for the AOS, if elected. 

In preparation for our 2026 election, we’d like to provide some context about a unique situation this year. Our Nomination of Officers and Councilors Committee has put forward two truly exceptional candidates for President-Elect: Daniel Cadena (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia) and Matt Carling (University of Wyoming, United States). One of these candidates, Matt Carling, is currently serving as Treasurer of the AOS. The Treasurer position must be elected each year and generally the nominee runs unopposed, since this position requires a specialized skillset and benefits from someone remaining in the role for multiple years.

Because only one person can be elected as President-Elect, we believe that it is in the AOS’s best interests for Matt Carling to continue in the role of Treasurer if Daniel Cadena is elected President-Elect. Because of this, you will see that Matt Carling is running for both the President-Elect and the Treasurer positions in 2026. Thus, if Daniel Cadena is elected President-Elect, Matt Carling will continue to serve as AOS Treasurer. If Matt Carling is elected President-Elect, he will step down as Treasurer, and the AOS will follow established processes to identify a new Treasurer, with a transition period to ensure continuity. 

Please make your selection for President-Elect based on who you think will serve the AOS best in this role. We are confident that the AOS will be guided by highly qualified leadership, whichever candidate our members select. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for casting your vote and helping to guide the future of the AOS.