Federal AMA Board Chair, Associate Professor Andrew C Miller, shares an update on transparency measures for the election of the AMA President and Vice President
A message from federal AMA Board Chair, Associate Professor Andrew C Miller
Thank you to every doctor who took the time to complete our member survey last year on the AMA President and Vice President election process. We had strong engagement, with well over 800 members sharing thoughtful, often passionate feedback. Your input has been invaluable in guiding the Board's next steps.
What we heard
Across the responses, two themes were consistently clear:
- Transparency matters. Members want a process that is easy to understand, with clear timelines, criteria and visibility of candidates and electors.
- Engagement matters. Many members want greater opportunity to be informed and to have their voices reflected in the process-while views differ on how to achieve this.
On specific questions, a majority supported reviewing the current process, and most rated transparency and member engagement as highly important. Members also expressed strong support for sensible safeguards - such as eligibility criteria and basic vetting steps - to ensure the roles are filled by candidates with the right experience and standing. At the same time, views differed on whether and how to change the voting model, with considered arguments both for maintaining the current approach and for broadening direct member participation.
Our immediate next step: lift transparency of the current process
Given the clear signal on transparency and the diverse views on structural change, the Board will first improve the visibility and clarity of the existing model, effective for the next election cycle. This includes:
- A public "Election Hub" for members outlining the full timeline, eligibility criteria, how nominations work, who the electors are and how they are selected.
- Candidate information packs (standardised bios and statements of priorities), available to all members.
- Member forums so candidates can be heard, and members can submit questions.
- Plain-English explainers of the count, the role of the Board vs. elected officers, and how feedback from members reaches electors.
- Post-election report-back summarising participation, key metrics and lessons for improvement.
What's next
- We will implement these transparency measures for the 2026 elections.
- We will evaluate how these changes work in practice and report back to members after the next cycle.
- We will further consult on potential model changes, taking into account your feedback after the transparency measures are implemented.
