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It’s election season for the Hollywood unions and guilds, and the latest development is that playwright and screen/television writer Beau Willimon, the creator of Netflix’s U.S. version of House of Cards, is set to become the next president of the Writers Guild of America, East, as he’s running unopposed, according to a candidate list released Wednesday by the guild.
Willimon, who served on the negotiating committee this year for the WGA’s master contract with studios and producers, would succeed Michael Winship, who opted not to run.
The incumbent vice president, Jeremy Pikser, and secretary-treasurer, Bob Schneider, are also running unopposed.
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In addition, nine seats of the guild’s council expire this year: six freelance and three staff.
The 10 candidates for the six open freelance seats are (order determined by lot): Amy Sohn, David Handelman, Stu Zicherman, Tracey Scott Wilson, Susan Kim (incumbent), Bill Scheft (incumbent), Bonnie Datt (incumbent), David Simon, Courtney Simon (incumbent) and Andrea Ciannavei (incumbent).
The five candidates for the three open staff seats are: Kim Kelly, Jay Alpert, Phil Pilato (incumbent), Hamilton Nolan and David Keller (incumbent).
Freelance members work in screen, television and digital media, while staff members work in television, radio and digital news shops. The winners will serve two-year terms. The union’s annual meeting and council election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 19, with online voting beginning Aug. 23.
The WGA West is also holding elections, and announced its candidate list last week. The officer candidates are: president – David A. Goodman; vice president – Marjorie David; secretary-treasurer – Aaron Mendelsohn (incumbent), Carleton Eastlake.
There are 13 candidates nominated to run for eight open seats on the guild’s board of directors: Andrea Berloff (incumbent), Francesca Butler, Nicole Yorkin, Angelina Burnett, Luvh Rakhe (incumbent), John August, Adam Horowitz, Michele Mulroney, Spiro Skentzos, Meredith Stiehm (incumbent), Zak Penn (incumbent), Patti Carr and Ligiah Villalobos. Online and mail voting concludes on Monday, Sept. 18.
The DGA held its elections at a convention Saturday, with Thomas Schlamme succeeding Paris Barclay as guild president.
Finally, SAG-AFTRA’s election cycle begins shortly. Incumbent president Gabrielle Carteris is expected to stand for re-election on the Unite for Strength slate but has not yet announced her plans, while Esai Morales is running atop the Membership First ticket and former MF member Pete Antico is running as well.
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