[Mt-blind] sb358

[Rik James]

Thanks, Jim, for drawing the parallels about mail balloting.
I think it would take an act of the state legislature to override the
multitude of arguments from the ain't broke don't fix it, and besides what
about the folks too old and poor to go to convention so why can't they vote
defense. Attempts there have been to revise the MAB's constitution to change
the election process.  

But hey, I think it would mean more than the SB 358 would.  
On the proposal, I really have to read it before I form any opinion. And so
far I have not. Has anyone?  Likely as not I would not support it for
reasons already stated by others.

Have a happy day everyone.  And stay out of the wind!! They don't call it
wind chill for nothing.  I just got in from my hour walk, Drifted over
sidewalks, and breezes that like to creep right through my good wool get up.
My cane plum froze to my mitten.  Maybe I shoulda not put my hand in the
minner net when I was fishing.  (smile.)  No. I was not fishing.  Just
hunting snow snakes.


Rik

-----Original Message-----
From: mt-blind-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:mt-blind-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of James Aldrich
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 4:08 PM
To: Montana Association for the Blind List
Subject: Re: [Mt-blind] sb358

I certainly second this notion.  Of course, we would need to determine 
whether districts should be retained or done away with in favor of getting 
the best possible candidates for office no matter where they'd be from.  I 
guess the question is how can this change be implemented!

Jim Aldrich


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Marks" <blind.grizzly at gmail.com>
To: "Breslauers" <bjb5757 at bresnan.net>; "Montana Association for the Blind 
List" <mt-blind at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 2:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Mt-blind] sb358


I agree with Joy.  A mail ballot would create some accountability
problems.  Something as important as voting should be done the right
way, which means either going to the polls or voting absentee.  Mail
ballots may be more convenient, but what our state needs is more
pro-active participation, not convenience.  Our existing system
excludes no one, even those who are house-bound.  Who are the main
people behind the mail ballot?  What do they hope to achieve?

One last thing to mention is that the MAB elects its board members
through a mail ballot.  I've never like this system because it gives
the power to those who never show up to conventions or chapter
meetings.  Our mail ballot also never gives members a chance to get to
know who the candidates are.  A better system would be for votes to
occur at convention.  Candidates could speak there and be interviewed
by the members.  Then we could vote on how our leaders would be.  I
realize this would exclude those who could not attend conventions, but
this problem is less of a factor than the denial of choice to those
who do show up.  We ought to reward those who show up, not those who
do not even when the reasons for not showing are valid.  For example,
I've heard many a potential member say they do not want to join the
MAB because our election process does not empower active members and
because the mail ballot is passive.  People want to know that their
participation is valued, and the mail ballot actually values those who
do not participate over those who do.  Besides that, voting at
convention would be easier to administer, less expensive, and far more
fun than mail ballots.  We could celebrate the election process rather
than waiting on the unpredictable mail ballot turnout.

Jim Marks
blind.grizzly at gmail.com




On 1/31/07, Breslauers <bjb5757 at bresnan.net> wrote:
> I wouldn't trust something as important as my vote to the mail system.
> Besides, I'd have to have someone else fill out the ballot and there would
> go my privacy.  I would prefer to use a voting machine, either on election
> day or by voting absentee.  You can vote absentee before the deadline at
> your convenience.
>
> Joy
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mt-blind mailing list
> Mt-blind at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/mt-blind
>


-- 
Jim Marks
blind.grizzly at gmail.com
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