[nabs-l] proposition for amendment to constitution

Sat Jun 18 16:29:26 UTC 2011

This is the NFB we're talking about here, they've got a lot of 
funds!

 Chris

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 ----- Original Message -----
From: Briley Pollard <brileyp at gmail.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:21:04 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] proposition for amendment to constitution

If you actually read my response, you'd see I addressed the 
issues bring up..  Of course I understand the financial burden, 
which I mentioned.  But there is a lot of assistance available, 
and not just from the NFB itself.  If people want to come, 
funding can be found.  I'm in no way suggesting that people who 
can't attend aren't federationists or don't care about the 
organization.  But proxy voting is not allowed for some very good 
reasons.  Perhaps there could be an Absent-T system instituted 
similar to what the government has for legitimate circumstances.  
But, I'm not sure we as an organization have the funds or the 
resources necessary to take on that undertaking.  It is an idea 
though.

Best,
Briley
On Jun 17, 2011, at 10:14 PM, Jorge Paez wrote:

 Right,
 but tell me,
 does everyone have the money to spend around $1,00 on convention 
costs?

 You specially as a student should know that.

 And as for me,
 I have so far been a strong supporter of the federation, yet  
only have gone to one national convention.
 So if I don't show up this year are you suggesting that I am not 
a "true federationist?" Because that's where your  language is 
pointing towards.

 On Jun 17, 2011, at 10:04 PM, Briley Pollard wrote:

 I'm hesitant to even weigh in on this debate since most relevant 
arguments have already been made.  However, it is important to 
note that being present at the Nabs meeting every year indicates 
a certain amount of investment in the organization.  I know 
convention is expensive, but there are multiple ways to procure 
funding outside of paying for everything yourself.  I know that 
as students we don't have much expendable income.  However, the 
yearly meeting of the organization as a whole and the division 
shows the membership and is a chance for us as members to make 
our wants and needs known by how we vote.  If one cares enough 
about the organization to make that kind of time investment, then 
one has earned that right to participate in organizational 
positions and decisions.

 Best,
 Briley
 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, you’d need to 
manage passwords and data security.  There would be issues such 
as validity and integrity of the ballot (who’s 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.  I’m not sure you’re going to find support for that amongst 
Federationists at large—particularly 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 wouldn’t 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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