Apply by Jan. 16 to Join the Referees' Commission Nominating Committee

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USA Fencing opened applications on Jan. 6, 2026 for three referee representatives on the Referees' Commission (RC) Nominating Committee — the group that vets candidates before the RC election later in the year. Referees who want a voice in who leads officiating had until 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 to apply.

USA Fencing opened applications on Jan. 6, 2026 for three referee representatives on the Referees' Commission (RC) Nominating Committee — the group that vets candidates before the RC election later in the year. Referees who want a voice in who leads officiating had until 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 to apply.

For saber families at our Bethesda club, this is governance that quietly shapes every tournament your fencer enters: the people elected to the Referees' Commission set direction for assignments, rules and examinations, and referee development.

What the Nominating Committee does

The RC Nominating Committee is an eight-member body. Its job is not to pick winners — it is to build the ballot. The committee solicits applications for open Referees' Commission seats, reviews credentials, interviews applicants, and nominates candidates for the membership ballot. Up to two candidates may be nominated per open seat, unless only one person applies for that seat.

That makes the process a two-step one. First, referees elect three of their peers to the Nominating Committee. Then that committee produces the slate of RC candidates who go to a vote.

Which Referees' Commission seats are on the line

The Referees' Commission election later in 2026 will fill three leadership roles:

Who can serve on the committee

To serve as one of the three elected referee representatives, a referee must be active and must have officiated at least one national-level event — for example a NAC, the July Challenge, or a National Championship — in either the 2024–25 or 2025–26 season. The three referee members are elected by their peers, and ties are broken by coin toss.

The full eight-member committee is built as follows:

Who can vote

Voting eligibility is broader than service eligibility. Licensed referees may vote if they have worked at least two qualifying national or international events across the 2023–24, 2024–25, or 2025–26 seasons. The election is decided by simple majority.

How to apply

Applications went to nominations@usafencing.org with the subject line "RC Nominating Committee," and had to arrive by 5 p.m. MT on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. The Nominating Committee election itself ran Jan. 22–29, 2026, overseen by USA Fencing's Election Committee.

The full 2026 timeline

USA Fencing published a calendar that runs from application through the start of terms:

USA Fencing also noted that 2026 is a busy governance year, with Board of Directors and Hall of Fame votes on the calendar alongside the referee elections.

Why referee governance matters to saber parents

Referee leadership decides how officials are trained, tested, and assigned. That feeds directly into the experience your fencer has on the strip — consistency of calls, quality of officiating at regional and national events, and the pipeline of new referees entering the sport. If a coach or parent at your club referees, encouraging them to engage with these elections is a small act with a long tail.

Related reading on Saber Nation

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Saber Nation coaches saber fencers of all ages at 4701 Sangamore Road, Suite LL2, Bethesda, MD 20816. If your fencer is heading toward regional or national competition and you want help reading the rulebook side of the sport, see our saber fencing classes in Bethesda or get in touch.

Official USA Fencing source: Apply by Jan. 16 to Join the Referees' Commission Nominating Committee — published Jan. 6, 2026.

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