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

[Cathy Koyanagi]

I agree.

Original message:
> 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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