The NACo membership elects officers for the association each year. The election of the second vice president is usually the position that is contested. These elections occur during the business meeting at the NACo Annual Conference. During the business meeting, counties also vote on resolutions that set NACo legislative and association policy for the coming year.
Each county is allotted votes based on the amount of dues that it pays. Dues are based on population, currently the 1995 Census numbers. NACo's bylaws allot one vote per $500 in dues.
- Counties with dues of $400 to $499 receive one vote.
- Counties with dues of $500 to $999 receive two votes.
- Counties with dues of $1000 to $1,499 receive three votes, and so on
- The maximum number of votes a county can receive is 112.
A county must be a member "in good standing" in order to be able to vote. This means that a county's NACo membership dues for that year must be paid. Also, the county must have at least one paid registration for the Annual Conference and have proper credentials.
The NACo Credentials Committee, a group of elected county officials appointed by the current NACo president, supervises the election process. The three-member committee ensures the credibilty of the election and is charged with resolving disputes about election issues.
The 2012 Credentials Committee is:
- Hon. Helen Purcell, Recorder, Maricopa County, Arizona - Chair
- Hon. Cindy Bobbitt, Commissioner, Grant County, Oklahoma - Member
- Hon. Walter Tejada, Supervisor, Arlington County, Virginia - Member
- Hon. Arlanda Williams, Councilwoman, Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Goverment, Louisiana - Member
The NACo bylaws also provide for a Parliamentarian, Reading Clerk and Tally Clerk to aid in the election process. These positions are appointed by the NACo president.
The 2012 Parliamentarian, Reading Clerk and Tally Clerk are:
- Hon. David Ferdinand, Commissioner, Canyon County, Idaho - Parliamentarian
- Hon. Lee May, Commissioner, DeKalb County, Georgia - Reading Clerk
- Ms. Patty O'Connor, Taxpayer Svcs Director, Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Tally Clerk