Pictured are Cleveland NAACP President the Rev. Hilton Smith (in red tie) and architect Kent Whitley (in black shirt). Whitley will face Smith in the election next month for president of the local chapter of the national Civil Rights organization. Nominations for offices, including president, will be taken from the floor at 7 pm on Monday, Oct 13 at University Circle United Methodist Church in Cleveland.

By  Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog. Tel: 216-659-0473. (Kathy Wray Coleman is a 20-year investigative and political journalist and legal reporter who trained for 17 years under five different editors at the Call and Post Newspaper, Ohio's most prominent Black press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio-The Cleveland branch NAACP will hold its election for branch officers and executive committee members on Nov 10 from 4-8 pm at the University Circle United Methodist Church,1919 East 107th Street at Chester Avenue in Cleveland. Current Cleveland NAACP President the Rev Hilton Smith, who was elected two years ago and succeeds interim president James Hardiman and former longtime president George L. Forbes, will face architect and political operative Kent Whitley thus far.

"I am running for Cleveland NAACP president," Whitley told Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's leader in Black digital news.

The National NAACP, the nation's oldest and most renowned Civil Rights organization,  is led by President Cornell Brooks.

At its regular meeting at 7 pm on Monday Oct 13, also at University Circle United Methodist Church, nominations for offices from the floor will be accepted after the nominating committee announces its candidates, both activities of which are also required by the by-laws.

"The Cleveland NAACP election is on November 10 and to vote members must have their dues paid 30 days prior to November," said Cleveland NAACP Secretary Arlene Anderson. "We will accept nominations for offices from the floor at our regular meeting on Monday, Oct 13."

Offices open for grabs, according to organizational by-laws, are president, treasurer, vice-treasurer, first vice president, second vice president, third vice president, secretary, and assistant secretary.

To run for office the person must have been a bona fide member by April 1 of this year and to vote in the November election interested persons must be a member 30 days prior. The National NAACP by-laws for elections also require that any member running for office must have the consent of three other members and the affiliated forms can be picked up at the Cleveland NAACP branch office or at the nominating committee meeting on Oct 13, Anderson said.

For people unsure of whether they are paid up members, call the national branch office in Baltimore, Maryland at 1-410-580-5777.

(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)