[nabs-l] proposition for amendment to constitution

Arielle Silverman nabs.president at gmail.com
Sat Jun 18 15:39:09 UTC 2011


Hi all,
Anyone who wishes to have a constitutional amendment considered by the
NABS membership can submit it to me in writing two days  prior  to the
meeting, so before July 2. It will be read, discussed, and voted upon
at the NABS business meeting. However, because this particular
amendment that we are discussing  would contradict a provision in
NFB's national constitution against proxy voting, I would  need to
obtain permission from NFB's national leadership to consider this
amendment.
I personally do not agree with the amendment both because I think it
is important for organizational business to be transacted at the
convention, and because from a chairperson's view, collecting and
verifying absentee votes would be an absolute logistical nightmare. I
also think that NABS members who are not going to convention can still
do a lot to support their candidate of choice by campaigning or
encouraging friends to vote for that candidate, which can actually
exert more of an effect than a single vote.
However, though I would personally vote against the amendment as
written, it's up to the membership to decide, not up to me. If you
guys feel strongly that this amendment should be considered by the
2011 convention business meeting, submit it to me in writing as soon
as possible so I can consult with national leadership and, if they
deem it kosher, I will have it read and voted upon. Keep in mind that
unless and until this amendment passes, members must be present at
convention to vote on it. George, you might have better luck if you
waited until you can make it to convention to introduce the amendment,
so you will be able to defend it to the rest of the membership at the
meeting.
Best,
Arielle

On 6/18/11, Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
> That could be a job for Dave Andrews if he wants to do it,
> considering he already monitors many of our lists.  :)
>
>  Chris
>
> "A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)
> To learn more about Camp Abilities and find a local camp near
> you, just click on this link to their national Web site:
> www.campabilities.org.
>
> The I C.A.N.  Foundation helps visually impaired youth in
> Maryland have the ability to confidently say "I can!" How? Click
> on this link to learn more and to contribute:
> www.icanfoundation.info.
>
>  Sent from my BrailleNote
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:08:54 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] proposition for amendment to constitution
>
> As far as online goes, it wouldn't be passwords.
> A stronger mechanism of security would be to make sure you enter
> something, say your name, and have the systems match your name
> against that of the registered member database.
> Besides: since it would be coming in at around the same time as
> the NABS business meeting,
> I'm sure the board would appoint a monitor to assure validity.
>
>
>
> On Jun 17, 2011, at 9:52 PM, T.  Joseph Carter wrote:
>
>  Right, and I will be sure to cast my vote for as many people
> whose names I happen to know as possible.  No, you뭗 need to
> manage passwords and data security.  There would be issues such
> as validity and integrity of the ballot (who뭩 observing to
> ensure the votes are not tampered with, etc.?)
>
>  What you are looking for is not proxy voting, but to change NABS
> elections from being held at convention to being held online.
> That means the elections process would need to happen (along with
> any runoffs and revotes) prior to convention so that the newly
> elected board members can meet with the old and arrange the
> transition plan as best they can.
>
>  If elections, why not resolutions and other business as well?
> Why would we then send delegates from the states to vote?  This
> would be a fundamental change to the organization as a whole, and
> one that could be exploited by those who have an axe to grind
> against the NFB.  Without becoming too confrontational, suffice
> it to say that such individuals exist.
>
>  It would also degrade our national convention from a
> policy-making body to the status of a trade show for blind ghetto
> tech.  I뭢 not sure you뭨e going to find support for that amongst
> Federationists at large뾭articularly since in order to do so you
> must first convince those Federationists who will be attending
> Convention because it is a policy-making body they wish to be
> part of that it should no longer be so.
>
>  You would not have my support, even though I have only been to
> two non-consecutive conventions now, because I wouldn뭪 want to
> see what naturally comes from the application of your suggestion.
> To me, going to convention is ABOUT something, whether I can
> attend or not.  I for one am not willing to give that up.
>
>  That said, though I may attend the NABS meeting if I am not
> needed elsewhere, I will not be voting.  I am not a student
> anymore, as I said, and NABS policy should IMO be set by those
> who are.
>
>  Joseph
>
>
>  On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 12:54:10PM -0400, Jorge Paez wrote:
>  So would I.
>
>  And, security measures such as comparing someone's name against
> a database can easily be developed as well with some php.
>
>
>  On Jun 17, 2011, at 12:41 PM, Ignasi Cambra wrote:
>
>  A web based system could easily be developed, that's for sure.
> I would be willing to help with that.
>  On Jun 17, 2011, at 12:32 PM, Jorge Paez wrote:
>
>  Marsha:
>  This is only theory to be aprooved--the web team would have to
> be in charge of developing some authentication method.
>  I'm sure we could make sure only absent people vote in some way
> such as having to enter with your name, and the site
> disqualifying you when you enter your vote if it sees that you're
> present.
>  This is where the database of contact information would come in
> handy.
>
>
>  On Jun 17, 2011, at 12:07 PM, Marsha Drenth wrote:
>
>  In theory this is a good suggestion.  But lets be realistic
> here.  This would
>  be a complicated process of tallying the votes.  If the students
> were to do
>  this, the general convention would want this too.  Its sad that
> those who
>  can't be there can't vote, but that is where those who can't be
> there,
>  should get involved to elect those who they feel would do the
> best job
>  possible.
>
>  Say if you were to have a online way to take votes, how are you
> going to
>  distinguish from those who are really not going to those who are
> going to
>  convention but who want to vote and add votes to a particular
> person
>  running.
>
>  Now correct me someone if I am wrong, isn't it true that you can
> run, not
>  necessarily be there, and be elected? Or must you be present?
> Different
>  divisions do this differently.
>
>  Marsha
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>  Of Jorge Paez
>  Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 11:57 AM
>  To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>  Subject: [nabs-l] proposition for amendment to constitution
>
>  Hello all:
>  I want to propose the following amendment to the constitution,
> to article
>  IV.
>
>
>
>
>  ---
>
>
>  Voting
>
>
>  Due to the fact that there are people who will not be present at
> the
>  convention due to issues beyond the membership's control, but
> who have paid
>  dues and do therefore, retain their right to vote, the NATIONAL
> ASSOCIATION
>  OF THE BLIND shall henceforth recognize
>  these members by allowing them to vote, in such methods as are
> legal and of
>  good practice, in all elections pertaining to the business of
> this
>  organization.
>
>
>
>  ---
>
>
>  end of amendment.
>
>  The defense I put forth for this amendment is simple: if we are
> to be a
>  democratic organization, and if we are truly the "voice of the
> Nation's
>  blind" we must realize there are students who will not be able
> to attend but
>  who have paid dues, and these students must be recognized and
> given the
>  chance to vote in elections.  If not, we are violating our own
> constitution
>  as article IV is doing as of this writing, by eliminating those
> members who
>  cannot attend convention, and therein setting only a certain
> portion of the
>  student membership to vote.
>
>
>  Jorge
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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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