In all formal organizations (business, government, church ladies, etc.) there are formal lines of power and authority, and informal networks of power.

The informal trumps the formal 100% of the time. Nail Ferguson's book "The Square and the Tower" is excellent popular read on this and a good starting point. (See also, Geneto Mosca, Carl Schmitt, Montesquieu, etc.)

MEC elections being separated from the direct voting by the membership is a good example of this. It's not just current LEC who'll have input on the MEC elections; it will be the informal networks of former MEC/LEC reps, and the volunteers they interact with on the committees, who'll come together and determine the new MEC.

Want to have influence on who is on the MEC?

Don't write an impassioned email (Won't hurt. Won't help. It's just noise).

Volunteer and network relentlessly.

(Too much work for me. I'll just be writing the LEC reps to say no ** because Cray Cray ain't good for business)