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As CMA Unveils 2025 Voting Schedule, CEO Sarah Trahern Urges Members to ‘Vote With Intention, With Passion’

Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, sent a letter on May 1 in which she urged members to vote “with intention, with passion."

If you are taking into account an artist’s older work, or their reputation, or race, or gender, what label they are on, who their manager is, how many friends participated in the project, or anything else like that, you’re not doing your job. Trahern, who was on Billboard ‘s 2025 Women in Music list, wasn’t quite as emphatic and specific in her message (see her full letter below), but both leaders made the same point: Your vote matters. Here are the key dates, eligibility requirements, and voting processes across CMA’s annual awards cycle, followed by Trahern’s letter, in full.

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