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March 1, 2026 |

Cooperative Principle 2: Your Vote, Your Voice

This year, we are devoting some time in our monthly Smart Choices newsletters to talk about the value of the Seven Cooperative Principles and why they provide value to you: our member. In January, we explored how Voluntary and Open Membership forms the foundation of our cooperative. This month, we're highlighting what makes cooperatives truly unique: Democratic Member Control.

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. Elected representatives (such as cooperative directors) are elected from the membership by the membership and are accountable to the membership. Members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote).

This principle means something powerful: leadership isn't chosen by corporate boards or outside investors—it's chosen by members like you. Every year, you elect directors who represent our communities and make decisions that affect reliability, affordability, and growth. Decisions are made close to home because our directors are your neighbors: farmers, teachers, business owners, and others who live and work in the same communities you do.

Unlike investor-owned utilities, where decisions are made in distant boardrooms by people focused on shareholder returns, our cooperative operates differently. Here, each member has one vote—whether you use 100 kilowatt-hours or 10,000. A small household has the same voice as a large farm operation. That's democracy in action.

This accountability keeps your cooperative transparent and local. Your vote matters. Your voice shapes how we move forward. Together, we keep the power—and the decision-making—right here at home.

When you participate in cooperative elections and meetings, serve on a nominating committee, or enter your name as a candidate for a director representative, you help ensure decisions reflect our local values and priorities. You determine how we invest in infrastructure, plan for future growth, and serve our communities.

Your vote. Your voice. Your power. That's the cooperative way—powering real change, one member at a time.