UUA presidential campaign begins with two candidates

Laurel Hallman and Peter Morales compete for 2009 General Assembly vote.
By Christopher L. Walton
3.17.08

The race to succeed the Rev. William G. Sinkford as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is officially underway. Two ministers—the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman and the Rev. Peter Morales—announced in January that they are running for the office, which Sinkford will leave at the end of his second term in June 2009.

Read UU World’s profiles of Laurel Hallman, senior minister of the First Unitarian Church in Dallas, and Peter Morales, senior minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colo. The UUA’s Elections webpage, UUA.org/elections, will collect campaign-related materials over the next 15 months.

The UUA president is the chief executive officer of the Association and is its primary spokesperson.

Sinkford was elected president in 2001 and reelected in 2005. His second term concludes in June 2009, when the UUA General Assembly will elect a successor. (UUA bylaws limit a president to two terms.) Candidate forums will be held at the 2008 General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and at the 2009 General Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The General Assembly also elects the UUA’s moderator and financial advisor. Moderator Gini Courter will complete her first full term in 2009. (She also served a partial term from 2003 to 2005 after the resignation of Diane Olson, and is eligible to run for a second full term.) Financial Advisor Dan Brody will complete his first term in 2009 as well. No candidates have yet announced plans to run for moderator or financial advisor.

Candidates may enter the race for president, moderator, and financial advisor as late as February 1, 2009.

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See sidebar for links to candidate profiles and other related information.