Preserving SECU Members' Right To Serve On The SECU Board...

 

 The SECU Board is determined that SECU members - that means you! - should not have the ability to reasonably self-nominate to serve on the Board; nor should members have a choice among candidates. In other words, your vote as an SECU member-owner will no longer matter; your vote will not be counted. 

✔ Wait a minute that can't be right. What happened to cooperative democratic principles, "one member, one vote", and all that?  

Here's how it currently works at SECU: 1) To run for the Board an SECU member must apply to the nominating committee, 2) the nominating committee is selected by the Board, 3) the majority of the nominating committee are existing Board members, 4) the nominating committee chooses who can run, 5) one - and only one - candidate is selected for each vacancy, 6) incumbents are always favored - including this year!, 7) other qualified candidates not selected are given 3 weeks to obtain the signatures of at least 500 other members to qualify to run. Get the picture?

✔ But that's not the real problem In September, 2025 the SECU Board of Directors passed a bylaw amendment to try and make the difficult - independent member nominations - impossible. 

✔ Here's an example from the also large Pentagon Federal Credit Union of what those new petition requirements might look like:

  

 ✔ SECU now has over 3 million members. If a formula like this is adopted in the SECU Board approved amendment at 1% that would mean that a qualified member candidate would then have 3 weeks to obtain 30,000+ petition signatures, at .5% it would take 15,000+ signatures, at .2% 6,000+ signatures to be on the ballot. Get the picture?

✅ Two highly qualified, long-time SECU members, Julian Hawes and Barry Browning, are seeking 500 member signatures in order to self-nominate as candidates for the SECU Board election in 2026.  Both applied to the SECU nominating committee but were not selected - incumbents as usual were preferred.

✅ If you would like to receive a petition you can download just send an email request to: jimblainenc@gmail.com  You will receive a nominating petition for each of the candidates. You will find the name of each candidate printed in the upper right text. Please complete and sign a page for each candidate.*

1. Download and print off a set of petition forms from the return email (as many as you need!). 
2. Complete and sign a page for each candidate.*
3. Mail originals to: SECU Fair Elections, 3192 Cannadys Mill Rd., Franklinton, N.C. 27525
4. Please drop in the mail asap - by July 25th, if possible!

 This may be your last chance!

  * Your signature is not an endorsement of the candidates, it will simply permit them to run and make their case to the members in September.

 

 

 

 

At SECU - "One Member, One Vote"! Going, Going, Gone...?

                           Do you smell something burning?

Across the U.S., we're having a fiery debate over voting practices and elections. Although the rhetoric is fierce, the differing sides aren't really that far apart. Everyone wants only eligible citizens voting, everyone wants all eligible citizens to have the chance to vote. Everyone agrees that elections are crucial, the heart and bedrock of our - and every! - democracy.

Why so much concern this year over SECU Board election practices and the Annual Membership Meeting?  Why not quit whining and move on? Four reasons:

1) You've already witnessed how SECU members - and your voice! - have been shut out of the Annual Meeting by the Board of Directors. Leaves you speechless doesn't it!   

Recent Year     Member May Speak     Member Resolutions

       2022                 Fully Permitted         Fully Permitted

       2023                    Restricted                     Restricted

       2024                    Prohibited                    Restricted

       2025                    Prohibited                    Prohibited 

2)  The SECU Board passed a bylaw amendment in September, 2025 to prohibit member-nominated board candidates unless the candidate - in just 3 weeks time! - can get 15,000+ members to sign a support petition. That change will effectively eliminate any likelihood of open board elections at SECU.

3) Our CEO Leigh Brady publicly refused to acknowledge the passage of that amendment when asked in front of the entire membership at the 2025 Annual Meeting [link]. One has to wonder why hide the truth from SECU members?

4) If SECU members can no longer participate in the Annual Meeting and there is no longer an election by the members of the Board of Directors; won't "They" soon ask why have an Annual Meeting at all?

  Closing down free speech, blocking member participation in elections, lack of transparency by our leadership, and more to come... "What me Worry?"

✔  If, as a member of SECU, you want to protect your voting rights and don't like the current "trend line".... [click here to help and sign on to "End the Trend"!]

 Facts are facts folks; and if you lose your rights, you won't get them back!