Elections and Annual General Meeting 2027
Elections and the Annual General Meeting give members the chance to influence Sameyki’s policy, work and future. Here you will find everything you need: key dates, how to stand for election, how the vote works and what happens at the AGM.
Nominations
3 January
Nominations open for the Sameyki Board, the fund boards and the Election Committee.
Vote
8–17 March
Electronic vote for the Board. It closes 24 hours before the AGM.
AGM
18 March
Sameyki Annual General Meeting 2027. The Board election results are announced at the meeting.
Would You Like to Make a Difference?
Next year, elections will be held for the Sameyki Board, the boards of the union’s funds, and the Election Committee. The Nomination Committee is now inviting members who would like to take an active role in the union’s work and help shape its future to stand for election.
Elections will be held for the Sameyki Board, the boards of the Vacation Fund, Continuing Education Fund, Strike Fund, and Support and Sickness Fund, as well as the Election Committee, at the union’s Annual General Meeting on 18 March 2027.
Sameyki is an organization of more than 16,000 members. The union’s activities are built on the participation of members who serve on boards, councils, and committees, helping to influence members’ rights, educational opportunities, fund activities, and the services provided by the union.
Previous experience on a board or committee is not required. What matters most is interest, commitment, and a willingness to contribute. Diverse experience, different perspectives, and broad participation strengthen the union and help it develop in line with the needs of members across the country.
Nominations open on 3 January 2027.
How to stand for election
Nominations open on 3 January 2027.
- All full members are eligible. You don’t need any previous experience as a union representative.
- Read about the roles below and the Board’s rules of procedure.
- Submit your nomination from 3 January 2027. The Nomination Committee reviews every nomination.
What is being elected?
The union’s Board is elected in an electronic vote of all members. The fund boards, the Election Committee and the Board alternates are elected at the AGM.
Sameyki Board: 14 members
Sameyki Board: 14 members
The Board holds the union’s highest authority between general meetings. In 2027, seven Board members are elected for four years and seven for two years in an electronic vote. Two alternates are elected at the AGM for two years.
Vacation Fund
Vacation Fund
The fund’s board runs and develops holiday homes and other holiday options for members. Elected at the AGM for two years.
Continuing Education Fund
Continuing Education Fund
Supports members’ further and continuing education with grants for studies and courses. Elected at the AGM for two years.
More about the Continuing Education Fund board (in Icelandic)
Strike Fund
Strike Fund
Provides support for members in the event of labour disputes and strikes. Elected at the AGM for two years.
Support and Sickness Fund
Support and Sickness Fund
Provides grants and support in connection with illness, health promotion and other circumstances. Elected at the AGM for two years.
More about the Support and Sickness Fund board (in Icelandic)
Election Committee: 5 members and 5 alternates
Election Committee: 5 members and 5 alternates
Runs the elections and confirms the electoral roll and the results. Elected at the AGM for two years.
Candidates
Candidate introductions will appear here in January and February 2027, once the nominations are in.
Each candidate answers three questions:
- Why are you standing for election?
- What matters most to you?
- How would you like to see Sameyki develop?
Thinking of standing for election? Nominations open on 3 January 2027.
How the vote works
The Board election is an electronic vote of all members that runs for ten days. The Election Committee runs the vote and makes sure it is conducted securely.
- Electoral roll. All members with voting rights are on the electoral roll. Members have voting rights if they are no more than two months behind on their membership fees.
- You vote online. The Election Committee sends you your voting materials on 8 March. You choose at least four and at most seven candidates in each of the two Board elections.
- Results announced. Voting closes on 17 March. The Election Committee confirms the results, and they are announced at the AGM on 18 March.
A ballot with fewer than four or more than seven names is invalid in that election.
Annual General Meeting, 18 March 2027
The AGM is the union’s highest authority, and every member is welcome. At the meeting, the Board election results are announced, the fund boards and the Election Committee are elected, and decisions are made on amendments to the by-laws.
- Venue and time: Announced no later than 11 February 2027.
- Meeting documents: The audited annual accounts are available at the office from 8 March.
- Amendments: Proposals are published on the website no later than 11 March.
AGM agenda
The AGM’s specific tasks under Sameyki’s by-laws. In an election year, every item is on the agenda.
- The Board reports on the union’s activities over the past year.
- The audited accounts are presented for approval and the year’s budget is introduced.
- Decisions on proposed amendments to the by-laws and to the fund rules.
- The results of the Board election are announced.
- The appointment of a certified auditor is confirmed, and two examiners and two alternates are elected.
- Five members of the Election Committee and five alternates are elected.
- The members’ annual fee and its division between the funds are decided.
- Two Board alternates are elected for two years.
- The boards of the Vacation Fund, Strike Fund, Continuing Education Fund and Support and Sickness Fund are elected for two years.
- Next year’s budget is presented for approval.
- AGM resolutions are dealt with.
- Any other business.
By-laws and rules
To ensure transparency and equal treatment, all the rules governing the elections are available here. Sameyki’s by-laws were last adopted at the AGM on 26 March 2026. The documents are in Icelandic.
Questions and answers
Common questions about nominations, the vote and the AGM. Can’t find the answer? Contact the office.
Who can stand for election?
Who can stand for election?
All full members of Sameyki are eligible to stand for the Board, the fund boards and the Election Committee. Full members pay membership fees and are no more than two months behind on their payments.
Can I stand for election if I have never held a union position?
Can I stand for election if I have never held a union position?
Yes. You need no experience as a union representative or board member. What matters most is an interest in the union’s affairs and a willingness to learn about them. Read the Board’s rules of procedure and the Board member role before you submit a nomination.
How much time does serving on the Board take?
How much time does serving on the Board take?
The Board meets according to a schedule set for each working year. Meeting documents usually arrive four days before a meeting, and Board members need to set aside time to read them. You can take part in meetings remotely. Board members also sit on councils and committees appointed by the Board.
Are Board members paid?
Are Board members paid?
The Sameyki office can tell you about the fees for serving on the Board and the fund boards. Call 525 8330 or send a query through My Pages (Mínar síður).
How does the Nomination Committee work?
How does the Nomination Committee work?
The council of union representatives elects a nine-member Nomination Committee at its autumn meeting in an election year. The committee calls for nominations and proposes candidates for the Board, the fund boards and the Election Committee. The proposals are published on the website no later than 60 days before the AGM. If there are more candidates than seats, the committee is not required to make proposals.
How does the electronic vote work?
How does the electronic vote work?
The Election Committee sends voting materials to members on the electoral roll when voting opens on 8 March. The vote is electronic and runs for at least ten days. It closes 24 hours before the AGM. You mark the candidates you want to vote for: at least four and at most seven in each of the two Board elections.
What happens if there are as many candidates as seats, or fewer?
What happens if there are as many candidates as seats, or fewer?
The candidates are then elected unopposed and no vote is needed. The Nomination Committee then decides who serves for four years and who for two, so that seven members serve each term.
Why are some members elected for two years and others for four?
Why are some members elected for two years and others for four?
Under a transitional provision in Sameyki’s by-laws, seven Board members are elected for four years and seven for two years in 2027. This staggers the terms, so the whole Board is not replaced at once. The number of votes decides who serves for four years.
How do I propose an amendment to the by-laws?
How do I propose an amendment to the by-laws?
Full members can send the Board a proposed amendment. It must arrive no later than 21 days before the AGM, which is 25 February 2027. Proposals are published on the website one week before the meeting.