The board encourages co-op members to cast blank proxy ballots, ceding power to the board to control election outcomes, the group contends. “All we’re asking is that REC’s board members live up to the cooperative principles they claim to follow,” Murphy said in a statement. Together, they serve roughly 18 percent of Virginia electric consumers, according to the SCC. “Virginia law grants electric co-op members the right to propose bylaw amendments for a membership vote. UPDATE: This story has been edited to add a response from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.