[nabs-l] NABS Leadership Update

Mon Jul 13 06:17:17 UTC 2009

An internet-based voting system would not have to be expensive at all. If
there isn't a competent and confident enough computer science major in NABS
who would be willing to do it, one can be found for so simple a project on
websites like RentACoder.com. A system like this would kill multiple birds
with one small stone.

On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 2:06 AM, Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com>wrote:

> You could hand out print and braille ballots at the start of convention, or
> at the very least as people enter the business meeting. You'll just then
> need a print reader and a braille reader willing to count them.
> Another reasonable option would be to bypass the more traditional methods
> altogether and do it via the internet. If you do it this way, you could kill
> two birds with one stone and get someone to write a system to make sure a
> voter is a registered member before allowing them to vote.
>
> On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 9:21 PM, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>
>> Listers:
>>
>> As far as vote counting goes, I'd really like to see a method that can be
>> run completely by blind people since we're a blindness organization. In most
>> cases, voice voting works well enough provided that the membership is mature
>> enough to use it correctly. I'd be willing to use a balloting system if it
>> can be handled efficiently.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>>
>>
>> Original message:
>>
>>  Hi Joseph and all,
>>>
>>
>>         While this was explained at the meeting, I’ll reiterate for those
>>> who
>>> weren’t at convention. The voice vote, in which people say “I” if they
>>> support a particular candidate, is used only as a preliminary voting
>>> method. The voice vote determines the election outcome only when one
>>> candidate receives an overwhelming majority of the vote. If the voice
>>> vote sounds at all inconclusive, the election leader will call for a
>>> hand count and the candidate receiving more than half of the votes
>>> wins. Even if the election leader believes the voice vote is
>>> conclusive, a candidate who disagrees can always call for a hand
>>> count. We have these protections in place to prevent races from being
>>> decided by “which group screams the loudest”. Any candidate who
>>> garners a significant amount of support will receive enough “I’s” to
>>> render a hand count necessary, and again, the candidate always has the
>>> right to ask for a hand count regardless of what the election leader
>>> decides. In fact, last weekend, almost every contest was ultimately
>>> decided by a hand count, even though we started off with a voice vote.
>>>
>>
>>         You are right that the NABS constitution says nothing about voice
>>> voting. I need to find out if there is a national policy that
>>> overrides our constitution, making voice voting necessary. There are
>>> definite advantages and disadvantages to starting off with a voice
>>> vote before preceding to a hand count.
>>>
>>
>>  Arielle Silverman
>>> President, National Association of Blind Students
>>>
>>
>>
>>  On 7/13/09, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Joseph and all:
>>>>
>>>
>>  I was present at the election and even made a go for an office or two.
>>>> In my opinion, the election did have integrity simply because those
>>>> running it tried to make it as fair as they knew how. Elections are
>>>> tough especially if you've never run one before. I rmember trying to
>>>> arrange Washington State's constitution. Arielle was there. Arielle
>>>> well remembers how chaotic that was and how unhappy some folks were.
>>>> Hell, some members even got upset because they said the presence of Dr.
>>>> maurer swayed the vote over whether or not we should vote members into
>>>> our organization or just let them in once they've paid their dues. In
>>>> fact, didn't we have to redo that one twice just to make everyone
>>>> happy? I remember that day and how stressed everyone was. This last
>>>> election at the national level reminds me of that chaos.
>>>>
>>>
>>  I guess the reality is that there will always be those who wished the
>>>> election happened in their favor. Take, for example, all those who
>>>> grumbled when Barack Obama won this last year's U.S. presidency. And
>>>> don't forget the fiasco over Bush vs. Gore in 2001. In other words, our
>>>> craziness last Saturday isn't unique to NABS, the NFB, or to blind
>>>> guys. It's just what happens sometimes. But as Arielle said, there are
>>>> ways we can curb the craziness a bit. I have also given some thought to
>>>> how we might smooth the process for future NABS participants and their
>>>> officers. And like you, joseph, i'm trying to work it out in my own
>>>> mind. Having focus groups is a great idea, and I hope to be informed as
>>>> to when they occur.
>>>>
>>>
>>  Respectfully,
>>>> Jedi
>>>> Original message:
>>>>
>>>>> Nijat,
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  One look at the vote counts—so conveniently all multiples of
>>>>> ten—calls their accuracy into question.  That students in the room
>>>>> report different counts isn't surprising, until you note that their
>>>>> reports indicate higher counts for losers than were reported to us in
>>>>> a few races, including your runoff, actually.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  Personally, I decided not to participate after that point.  We don't
>>>>> have 100% agreement on the counts, but there's enough discrepancy
>>>>> often enough to call the whole thing into question.  I'm not saying I
>>>>> won any of those elections, but I am saying I'm not quite sure in a
>>>>> few cases who should have.  I am honestly not sure how many people
>>>>> were getting involved trying to do something about it, but there was
>>>>> more than three or four.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  There are only two things I am sure of: First, no good is likely to
>>>>> come of any effort that group might make.  Second, a member of the
>>>>> board telling us not to worry our pretty little heads ... just isn't
>>>>> going to make things better.  Both sound disastrous to me.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  This isn't about who did or did not win an election.  It's about the
>>>>> membership of this organization believing a real election actually
>>>>> took place.  If even a significant minority doubt that, then it is
>>>>> bad for NABS, even if you assume every one of them will age-out of
>>>>> NABS in a few years.  We reflect the NFB as a whole, and we should
>>>>> reflect it well.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  I serve the organization, not the board.  I will yet see two boards
>>>>> serve while I remain a student.  It is in the organization's interest
>>>>> to make sure what we saw last Saturday does not happen again.  I have
>>>>> a solution, but it's not a complete solution yet.  It does result in
>>>>> a paper trail, or at least a box full of index cards.  Still working
>>>>> out how to handle runoff elections.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>  Joseph
>>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>  On Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 04:05:04PM -0600, Nijat Worley wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Greetings Joseph,
>>>>>>  I believe that there is little doubt about the legitimacy of the
>>>>>> current NABS board and the process by which they were elected. Those
>>>>>> who
>>>>>> are angry, and those who want to grumble about it, and still those who
>>>>>> want to take action about it, have little ground to do so. Besides,
>>>>>> what
>>>>>> kind of action would be appropriate at this point? The former board
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> Terri did their best to make sure that the elections were fair. They
>>>>>> did
>>>>>> almost every vote by a hand count at your request. I am utterly
>>>>>> surprised
>>>>>> that you are still dissatisfied about the outcome of the elections. I
>>>>>> understand there were some mistakes made in the election process, and
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> board has made note of them. We will take proper action to make sure
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> those mistakes don't happen again. I do agree with you that to try to
>>>>>> do
>>>>>> anything  that might divide the organization at this point would only
>>>>>> counter your intentions. NABS is an ever changing and evolving
>>>>>> organization simply because of the fact that many of its members both
>>>>>> on
>>>>>> the board and off the board come and go so quickly. Nobody stays in
>>>>>> NABS
>>>>>> forever. We are all new to this organization, and we all make
>>>>>> mistakes. I
>>>>>> appreciate you expressing your concerns and telling folks to stay
>>>>>> united,
>>>>>> because only united, can we make change and strengthen this
>>>>>> organization
>>>>>> for the benefit of all. I always tell our members both at the state
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> national level that one does not have to be on the board to help out
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> organization and to be a leader. I think Arielle intends to get
>>>>>> everybody
>>>>>> involved in the development and growth of NABS. I am very pleased to
>>>>>> say
>>>>>> that I saw many of you at the Monty Carlo night helping us put it
>>>>>> together and wrap it up at the end. We couldn't have done it without
>>>>>> you.
>>>>>> Thanks to B. J. Sexton, Caron Anderson, Willie Black, Jim, Jedi, and
>>>>>> many
>>>>>> others for staying and helping with Monty Carlo Night. Let us put
>>>>>> behind
>>>>>> us any hard feelings that may be in our chests and move on to bigger
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> better things for the sake of NABS if for nothing else.
>>>>>>  At your service,
>>>>>>  Nijat
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>  _______________________________________________
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>>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>  --
>>> Arielle Silverman
>>> President, National Association of Blind Students
>>> Phone:  602-502-2255
>>> Email:
>>> nabs.president at gmail.com
>>> Website:
>>> www.nabslink.org
>>>
>>
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>
>