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

[Nallym Bravo]

Hello Dan and all,

I have to say that I cannot agree with such an amendment. While I understand the need for a timely election process, we all know that even one vote can make a difference. It is idealistic to believe that in an organization where many of us have known and worked with each other for years knowing how one person votes would not create friction and hard feelings. Having the choice to request a secret ballot on an individual basis insures that every member can feel comfortable voting for who he/she believes can do the job best and not whose feelings will be hurt etc.

Yes, last year the elections did take a long time, and of course it is not fun to sit there for a couple of extra hours. However, what's a couple of hours when compared to the two years the elected member will be in office?

I agree that it would be great if votes could be dropped into a sealed box to maintain total secrecy and prevent ballots from being damaged or lost. 

When I was an active member of my sorority, all of our voting was done in secret if there were more sisters running for a position than those who had been slated by the nominating committee. Often, voting would go on long into the night, but it was one of the ways we ensured we would have the best board possible and it was a safe environment for everyone. The same was done even for voting on amendments to bylaws and even on the girls who would become pledges. It was time consuming and not the most glamourous part, but it ensured the strength and endurance of the organization. Just my thoughts.

Best,
Nallym
On May 19, 2012, at 1:47 PM, Dan Hicks wrote:

> 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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