Member-owned electricity cooperative Empire Electric announced on Dec. 31 that two board of directors positions will be open for election in 2015 and nomination petitions will be accepted in March.

Two district seats on the 7-member board of directors are for District 5, the southwestern portion of Empire’s service area and District 6, the southeastern portion of Empire’s service area.

District 5 includes Towaoc and the western part of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Reservation and District 6 includes Mancos, a portion of Cortez and the eastern part of the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation.

To get on the board of directors ballot, interested parties must be a member of the cooperative, a resident of the district represented, a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age and not an employee of the cooperative.

Nominations for the positions are by petition-only and must include the signature of at least 15 members of the cooperative within your district.

Candidates must file the official petition with the cooperative’s Secretary between March 20, 2015 and May 4, 2015.

Each member of the cooperative will then vote either at the annual Empire Electric membership meeting on June 18 or via a mail-in ballot.

Members who attend the annual meeting will get a $10 credit on their electric bill.