[Nfbf-l] Important: Submitted for your Approval --ProposedConstitutional Amendment.

[Cathy Koyanagi]

Easy fix is to have each person put their ballot into an envelope and 
seal it, then they can be picked up by designated election officials.  
Cathy-Alice

Original message:
> Holly,
>         Do you mean that you observed people tearing off an additional
> corner or tearing off a corner when there was no corners torn off? I really
> do not see any way around that. I want each person to put their ballot in
> the container for counting so there can be no alterations.

> Kathy


> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Holly
> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 7:26 PM
> To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Important: Submitted for your Approval
> --ProposedConstitutional Amendment.

> Kathy,
> I tend to agree with you. I would also like a different way to collect the
> secret ballot, as well. I have seen people change the ballots as they were
> past down the isle. At that point, I did not feel that I could do anything
> about it.
> Holly

> Sent from my iPhone

> On May 19, 2012, at 7:18 PM, "Kathy Davis" <kdavisnfbf at cfl.rr.com> wrote:

>> Hi Dan,
>>    I totally oppose your proposed amendment to the NFBF Constitution.
>> You and I have always held differing opinions on the matter of secret
>> ballots.
>>    The fact is that I do not want to stand up publically or even raise
>> my hand so members will know exactly how I vote. I may respect several
>> members running for office but I do not want them to be cognizant of
>> how I choose to vote.  Hurt feelings that can be long-lasting in
>> nature would likely result.
>>    Even though the majority of the voting members are blind, many have
>> enough vision to see how folks cast their votes and of course, we have
>> many sighted members who will also be part of the election process.
>> Don't think for a minute that a given candidate will not learn from other
> members what
>> they observed pertaining to how others cast their votes
>>    To take my position a bit further and a little more concrete, let
>> me add an example. It's a really terrible situation when two of my
>> really good friends are running for the same office such as Second
>> Vice President. This situation has occurred on numerous occasions
>> throughout the years I have been part of the NFBF. For example, let's
>> say that Sherrill O'Brien is running against Gloria Hicks. I may
>> choose to vote for Gloria but I would feel horrible for Sherrill to
>> know that I voted against her because I value both candidates'
>> friendship. After all, we are an organization that has worked for
>> years and years for voters to have the right to vote in secret and in
> private.
>>    Sorry my friend, but I can never support your amendment! Moreover,
>> elections are far too important to get caught up in making our
>> elections be over and done with in the quickest manner possible. If
>> only one voting member is uncomfortable about voting publically, that
>> member should have the right to call for a secret ballot. I hope
>> others will jump in and share their views on this matter.


>> Your friend and longtime colleague,

>> Kathy Davis


>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Dan Hicks
>> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 1:47 PM
>> To: 'NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List'
>> Subject: [Nfbf-l] Important: Submitted for your Approval --
>> ProposedConstitutional Amendment.

>> Fellow NFBF Members,



>> As Rod Serling used to say in the beginning minutes of "The Twilight
> Zone,"
>> 'Submitted for your approval."



>> Some of you may recall that at our 2011 NFBF Convention, we approved
>> an amendment to the constitution which changed and simplified the way
>> chapters designate their representatives.



>> During this convention, I mentioned another amendment that I wish to
>> see passed, and will be voted on at this year's convention.





>> ARTICLE IV:  ELECTIONS



>> Now reads:



>> ARTICLE IV:  ELECTIONS



>> Elections shall be conducted by a majority vote of the active members
>> present and voting at an annually held business meeting.  Election
>> shall be by voice vote, standing vote, show of hands, roll call vote,
>> or secret ballot.  Secret marked ballots shall be required upon the
>> request of any active member present and voting.  There shall be no
>> proxy voting.  If no nominee receives a majority vote on the first
>> ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes shall be
>> dropped from the list of nominees, and a second ballot shall be taken.
>> This procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has received a
>> majority vote from the active members present and voting.





>> Proposed Change:



>> ARTICLE IV:  ELECTIONS



>> Elections shall be conducted by a majority vote of the active members
>> present and voting at an annually held business meeting.  Election
>> shall be by voice vote, standing vote, show of hands, roll call vote,
>> or secret ballot.  Secret marked ballots shall be required upon the
>> request of a majority of the active member present and voting.  There
>> shall be no proxy voting.  If no nominee receives a majority vote on
>> the first ballot, the name of the person receiving the fewest votes
>> shall be dropped from the list of nominees, and a second ballot shall
>> be taken.  This procedure shall continue until one of the nominees has
>> received a majority vote from the active members present and voting.



>> I am putting this out now so that we can talk about it and debate its
>> merits via NFBF-L before the start of convention.



>> Let me just say that we spend something like 45 minutes each
>> convention passing out, collecting, and counting secret ballots at our
> conventions.
>> This year, the number of offices up for vote could make this time grow
>> to an hour or more. We usually have about 120 people voting the final
>> day of convention. That's 120 collective hours - the equivalent of
>> five twenty-four hour days - of valuable convention time that we waste
>> on a procedure which a majority of us may not want.



>> Please note that my proposed amendment does not eliminate secret
>> balloting; it just changes our constitution to call for a secret
>> ballot only if the majority of the members present and voting wish to have
> it.



>> Please take a look at this and give it your consideration. Feel free
>> to share your thoughts.



>> Dan Hicks, President

>> NFB of Florida





>> "It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars."


>>                                                     -Garrison Keillor





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