2026 Steering Committee Election
Shaping the future of HL7 Vulcan
Following a successful nomination period, we are officially moving into the election phase to establish the new HL7 Vulcan Steering Committee. This is a defining moment for our community as we transition to a leadership model rooted in shared accountability, strategic oversight, and representative influence.
Meet the Candidates
Before casting your ballot, we encourage all members to review the backgrounds and vision statements of those standing for election. All candidates are representatives from Vulcan member organisations.
How To Vote
All eligible voting members will receive a unique, secure link sent directly to their inbox via OpaVote when the window opens on February 11th, 2026. If you are a voting member and do not receive your link, please contact support@hl7vulcan.org.
The Election Process
Our goal is to establish a full, high-functioning Steering Committee through a process that is fair, equitable, and transparent. To respect the time and engagement of our community, we have designed this election to be completed in a single voting round while ensuring that the final committee is a fair representation of the entire membership.
Your Voice Matters. While the final ballots are cast by the designated Voting Members of our member organizations, this is a community-wide effort. If you are part of a member organization but not the designated voting member, we strongly encourage you to share your preferences with your organization’s Voting Member to ensure your perspective is represented.
1. Nomination Period (21 Jan - 11 Feb)
Voting members nominate candidates for each of the five membership classifications.
2. The General Election (11 Feb - 25 Feb)
A ranked-choice vote will be held to select the two most preferred candidates from each of the five membership classifications, resulting in 10 elected representatives.
3. Leadership Selection
Immediately following the general election, these 10 representatives will convene to elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among themselves. During this transition, the HL7 representative will serve as the interim chair.
4. Backfill
To maintain our full 12-seat capacity without a second round of community voting, the two seats vacated by the new Chair and Vice Chair will be automatically backfilled by the next most preferred candidates from the initial general election results.
5. Term Staggering
Once the full committee is seated, members will decide on a method (such as a lottery or volunteers) to shorten specific terms, ensuring that future elections are staggered for long-term continuity.
The Voting Method
To achieve the most equitable result, the election will be conducted using the Scottish Single Transferable Vote (STV) method via the OpaVote platform. We have chosen this method because it is straightforward and one of the most robust ways to ensure proportional representation in multi-seat elections, ensuring that your vote continues to count even if your first-choice candidate is already elected or eliminated.
What is Single Transferable Vote (STV)?
STV is a form of ranked-choice voting where you number candidates in order of preference (1, 2, 3…) to ensure your vote is used as effectively as possible to elect a representative you support. If you’d like to learn more about how the math behind STV ensures fairness, you can find a detailed breakdown using the link below.
Transparency & Election Results
We are committed to an election process that is transparent and secure. To ensure full confidence in the transition to our new leadership model, we will publish the complete election results on the HL7 Vulcan website shortly after the voting window closes.
While we prioritize transparency in the results, the vote will be completely anonymous. The election is conducted via OpaVote, which ensures that no one, including HL7 Vulcan leadership or staff, can see how any specific voting member or organisation voted. The published results will show vote totals and transfer patterns in aggregate.
Understanding the Results
Because we are using the Scottish Single Transferable Vote (STV) method, the results will provide more than just a final list of names. You will be able to see:
Round-by-Round Progress: Visual charts showing how votes were counted and how preferences were transferred from one candidate to another.
Transfer Logic: A clear breakdown of how candidates reached the “threshold” for election.
Backfill Confirmation: The data will clearly identify the “next most preferred” candidates who will step in to fill the seats vacated by the newly elected Chair and Vice Chair.
By sharing this round-by-round data, we ensure the community can see exactly how their preferences shaped the final Steering Committee.
