CANOGA PARK, CA — With the United States’ presidential election generating headlines and headaches nationwide, the importance of voting and a truly representative government is increasingly on the minds of Americans. Thanks to the Free Speech Coalition, those who work within the adult entertainment industry have another important opportunity to make their voices heard.Beginning Monday, November 5th, the FSC will accept nominations for its 2008 Board of Directors, with three seats coming open due to the decision of current members Connor Young, Sid Grief, and Joan Irvine to not run for an additional term.

Incumbents are board president Jim Everett, treasurer Joy King, and members Greg “Spanky” Shearer and Nellie Symm-Gruender. Although each of the incumbents will automatically be added to the list of nominees, there are still eight slots open for those eager to become more involved with the adult entertainment industry’s national trade organization.

Incumbents are automatically on the slate of nominations leaving eight open slots for additional nominees.

All current FSC members will receive a nomination form on November 5th. Those who do not receive emailed or print copies of the XPRESS weekly newsletter are urged by executive director Diane Duke to contact the FSC office immediately by calling 818-348-9397, because, as Duke points out, “It is important to make sure we have current information to reach all of our members.”

Given the vast number of adult professionals who use the internet, the time seemed right to leverage its communication power and thus this will be the first time that it will be utilized for the nomination and election process.

“If we want maximum participation from our membership,” Duke explains, “then we have to speak their language. The industry has always been a leader in technological development – unfortunately, FSC has not. This is one of the many steps we are taking to strengthen our technological infrastructure.”

Volunteering to be a board member, and/or voting to select those who have so volunteered are two ways that members can help affirm the step into new technology. When ballots arrive in Inboxes on November 5th members will have two weeks, until Monday, November 19th, during which to nominate themselves or others for the open positions, with board elections taking place in December.