[PaQSO] OT: ARRL Section/Division Election Ballots

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Good evening,

 

Sorry for the somewhat off-topic note.  I do apologize, but this is too
important.

 

Now, if you are reading this and are not currently an ARRL member living in
Western PA, you can skip this right now, and my apologies again for
bothering you.

 

However, if you ARE currently an ARRL member in WPA, please read further: 

 

As you know or should know, we are currently in the midst of the elections
for ARRL WPA Section Manager, ARRL Atlantic Division Director, and ARRL
Atlantic Division Vice-Director.

 

I learned earlier today that many people have not received their ballots for
one or both sets of elections.  Personally, I got my ballot for SM, but not
my ballot for Division Director/VD.

 

What happened?  Not sure yet, but the ARRL sent out an email in mid August
announcing that they were going to start implementing electronic (on line)
voting as an option.  Not everyone got that email, for a variety of reasons.
Worse, if you didn't read the whole thing, you wouldn't have learned until
the 5th or 6th paragraph down that you were being switched AUTOMATICALLY to
e-voting, UNLESS you went online and opted out be a certain date.  (Hard to
do if you never got the email!)  

 

As a result, many people didn't get the paper ballots, because they were
switched without their knowledge or consent.

 

Worse, it looks like the record keeping in Newington on who got switched,
and when, has been mucked up to say the least.  I was told via email that I
had missed the deadline & was swapped to e-voting. yet I got a ballot in the
mail the next day.  Go figure.

 

So:  

 

If you are an eligible ARRL member, and wanted to vote in the elections (and
votes are due by mid-November, 14th for SM and I think the 22nd for the
Division offices), if you have not received ballots or heard anything else:

 

Please email Phil Theis K3TUF at phil at k3tuf.com this weekend, or as soon as
you possibly can.  Phil found out about the problem, and he is working with
the ARRL brass to get this resolved.  Phil is going to send a list of
eligible members who didn't receive their ballots to Newington , and will
make sure that you get your ballots in time to vote.

 

I know that to many people, the elections are not a big deal.  So be it.
But these offices are our elected representatives to the ARRL, the Division
Director is OUR rep on the ARRL Board.  They should not be held by someone
who won a popularity contest, or who had the highest name recognition but is
unqualified for the job - and the winner of the election shouldn't do so
because a hundred or more ballots were never sent out (and yes, in many of
these races, 50 or 100 votes makes a huge difference between winning and
wait-till-next-time)

 

If you have any questions, please let me know.

 

And feel free to pass this around to other ARRL WPA members.

 

73, ron w3wn



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