The Pacifica Foundation, the oldest network of non-commercial, community-based radio stations in the United States, is the only listener-supported independent media network for which both listener-members and staff-members (paid and unpaid) have the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process with respect to the station's budget, programming and policies via the local station board. Each local station board (LSB) is composed of 24 delegates and 12 are elected to serve on the board each election cycle. These 12 delegates are elected to the board through two simultaneous elections, one among staff-members (staff members elect 3 staff delegates) and one among listener-members (listeners elect 9 listener members). The Local Election Supervisor is charged with supervising these two simultaneous elections.

Anyone who donates $25 or more is automatically a member of WBAI-FM and eligible to vote in the Local Board Election.