Four candidates will be vying for two positions in the upcoming Orcas Power & Light Cooperative board of directors election.

Former OPALCO general manager Randy J. Cornelius and Eastsound Water & Sewer Commissioner Ed Sutton are challenging OPALCO board incumbents Winnie Adams and Chris Thomerson for two positions in the co-op’s District 2 boundaries, which include Orcas, Blakely, Obstruction islands and surrounding outer islands.

Candidate bios are sent to each co-op member by mail with their ballot, and are available online, as is the OPAlCO’s latest annual report, at www.opalco.com.

Ballots and a voting guide will be mailed out to OPALCO members beginning the week of April 8. The top two vote-getters will earn a three-year term on the board, which sets policies and rates for the membership-owned utility, and which oversees administration of the co-op. Every member of the co-op can cast a ballot regardless of which district they live, with one voter per membership.

Ballots can be cast in one of three ways: online, by mail or in person at the co-op Annual Meeting, May 2, onboard the inter-island ferry. Deadline for absentee ballots is May 1.

In addition to board of directors election, members can also vote on a proposed, member-initiated bylaw amendment. If approved, the bylaw amendment would require the co-op to maintain an email list and notify members that join the list of upcoming meetings of the board of directors, whether a meeting is open to members, and of any amendments to the co-op bylaws.

The May 2 annual meeting begins at 9:45 a.m. Those requiring special accommodations to attend can contact OPALCO at 376-3549. Travel details and ferry departure times are available at www.opalco.com.