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Communications Resources

You have a voice

2025 Election timeline 

*Note that all email communications with a voting “call to action” will not be sent to alumni who have already voted.

  • January 7 – All-alumni email newsletter announcing candidates (Cornell)
  • January 14 – All-alumni newsletter promoting this year’s “Meet the Candidates” article
  • January 23 – Invitation to “Trustee Talk” event in all-alumni email (Cornell)
  • January 29 – Email all coded alumni volunteers, sharing the 2025 Alumni Trustee Election Volunteer Toolkit (Cornell)
  • January 28 – Educational “Trustees 101” trivia quiz in the all-alumni Cornellians newsletter takeover (Cornell)
  • February 1 – Election begins, announced via all-alumni email (vendor)
    • Once voting is open, Cornell alumni will receive a series of emails through our election vendor, YesElections, containing a personalized link to vote. Once alumni have voted, they will be removed from subsequent emails. Emails containing the personalized link should not be forwarded.
  • February 3 – Reminder email to all alumni who have not voted (vendor)
  • February 4 – “Trustee Talk” event with Corey Ryan Earle ’07 and day-of event reminder email to all alumni (Cornell). Tune in here on February 4th.
  • February 5 – Targeted emails to recent graduates who have not voted (3 audience segments)
  • February 6 – Trustee Election texting campaign. Texting this year will be completed by Cornell student ambassadors. Audience: Alumni who have not received an email or paper ballot but have a phone number on file.
  • February 9 – Reminder email to all alumni who have not voted (vendor)
  • February 13 – Reminder to vote in AM all-alumni email newsletter and separate PM email reminder (Cornell)
  • February 19 – Reminder email to all alumni who have not voted (vendor)
  • February 20-23 – Onsite voting and election promotion at the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) in Philadelphia, PA.
  • February 24 – Reminder email to all alumni who have not voted (vendor)
  • February 25 – Reminder to vote in all-alumni Cornellians email (Cornell)
  • February 26 – Trustee Election texting campaign. Texting this year will be completed by Cornell student ambassadors. Audience: Alumni who voted in 2023 or 2024 but have not yet voted this year.
  • February 28 – Final email reminder with last chance to vote (vendor). Paper ballots must be postmarked by this date. Election closes at 11:59 p.m. EST.
  • March – Time allowed for paper ballots to arrive; election results received mid-month. Candidates will be notified of results.
  • March 14 – Results announced to all alumni [updated date]

A reminder about campaigning

If you wish to name any of the candidates in your communication, you may not call attention to the fact a specific member of your constituency (i.e. a classmate, alumnus/a from your regional chapter, or member of your organization) is running. You must name all candidates, with the same information for each, in the same communication.


Email

  • When voting opens, we hope to see a mix of Cornell and peer-driven messaging. Please help us spread the word in any emails from your organization!
  • Add a footer to your organization’s emails and/or a line in your personal email signature, encouraging fellow Cornell alumni to vote:
    • “Meet the candidates for this year’s Cornell Alumni Trustee Election and vote between February 1–28 for the two candidates you believe will best lead Cornell into the future.”
  • Draft your own communications encouraging members of your organization to vote! Be sure to include the election website and a “call to action” in your communication.


Social Media

Whether your volunteer organization has a Facebook page or group, X handle, or Instagram account—or you are active on these platforms personally—you can help us Get Out the Trustee Vote!


Social media basics
Website: alumni.cornell.edu/volunteer/leadership/trustees/voting/
Facebook: Cornell Alumni Association
X: @cornellalumni
Instagram: @cornellalumni 

 

Ways you can help 

  • Post that you’ve voted! Search for our “I Voted” GIFY on Instagram or Facebook using keywords “Cornell alumni”, “Cornell election”, “trustee election”, or “Cornell trustee election”.  You can also post the “I voted” sticker or share the message directly from the voting site’s confirmation page.
  • Share posts from the above Cornell Alumni Association handles to your organization’s social media accounts. Our planned social media posting dates for the 2025 election will be added here soon.
  • Download Alumni Trustee Election graphics and artwork here.

 

Sample posts