ACF Elections

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Associate members mainly are novice people. Do they know well enough ACF as organisation and candidates with their platform to participate in voting ? I am playing 17 years in ACF events, more than 150 tournamens at all levels, and never saw an associate members.

Richard, what is real number of these people as-of-today ?

[Eric Strange]

Until this year, I always bought associate memberships because I did not want a bulletin. Seemed only logical to me.... I can only assume that if the associate membership was more obviously offered that more people would choose that. Maybe more people would sign up for ACF in general. Instead of focusing on how the state of affairs is now, we should be focusing on what we can do to bring more members into the ACF, and what will be better for doing that.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Eric, Increase membership is another question. We were talking about allowing associate members to vote. I understand we can compare this with voting process in USA There are two major restrictions:

1) People without full citizenship (with green card, working visa etc etc) who didn't live in country 5-6 years, can't vote. In some other European countries (Switzerland ?) you have to live about 15 years or more to get citizenship.

To get a citizenship in USA, you have to have green card (permanent rezidents) for at least 5 years. So ... people who came yesterday legally to USA can't vote tomorrow and this makes perfect sense.

2) People who are not 18 years old or more can't vote. Also make sense - life experience and some knowledges are necessary.

And now you propose to ACF ignore both restrictions ?

I understand - you just try to invite more people to our "country" - ACF and this is great. As more as better and everyone is welcome.

Today in ACF we usually have 5-6-10 voters (numbers from last elections) from 250-350 members. If you really want to increase participation - you can easy concentrate on current members.

We already allowed foreign members to vote in ACF 9 years ago but our life in ACF were not improved much and become easy due to this addition

So, my opinion is simple - I am OK with existing text of ACF Constitution on this matter. However - I am also OK if we (all current ACF members in good standing) re-vote in nowdays and re-approve Constitution and By-LAWS again. But it shouldn't be just one small piece of pie. We have to review and renew the whole text. I agree that something is obsolete indeed.

Regards,

Alex

[rich beckwith]

Richard, what is real number of these people as-of-today ?

Alex, I don't see anybody marked "associate" on the current roster. We had two Associate memb. purchases earlier in year, but I see an annotation for both about having paid some additioanl dues in person at a tournament, so perhaps they upgraded their membership.

[Eric Strange]

I understand your points Alex, and they make complete sense to me. What I saying is that ACF should have a discounted membership that is discounted because they do not want the bulletin. Only to be part of tournaments, and ratings. This does not mean they are new to the ACF, or green. This is just that they wish to pay a little less. It seems almost all of the ACF membership money goes to bulletins anyways.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

It seems almost all of the ACF membership money goes to bulletins anyways.

Yep, and Internet as comminication tool cannot replace it !

[Chexhero]

I think a more logical law could be: having at least a one year membership in order to vote. That makes sense as we don't want someone who is planning on quitting the ACF after one tournament to vote away. Yes, associate membership might be an extremely low number, but I am just talking about the current law itself not being a very good one.

[waynegober]

Vote early vote often !!

[waynegober]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but the savings of going electronic with bulletins for many of us, would save the ACF considerably. With some incentive this might work. I keep getting my paper bulletin mailed, and have been scanning my old bulletins to get them in pdf format. I would be willing to go paperless if the ACF would offer past acf bulletins in pdf as an incentive. Only the years in which I was a member and have already paid. However, considering the savings, it would seem logical to offer everybody who would go paperless, 3 or 4 years of past bulletins in pdf.

Just a thought,
Wayne

as far as voting via email, I see no problem as long as the member furnishes a little proof, such as current mailing address and phone number with the email. Easy to check any attempt at fraud if it is suspected with such a small club.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I vote for paper form of ACFB. In order to make savings and help ACF I am ready to pay annually $50 instead $40 if it helps.

[waynegober]

I vote for paper form of ACFB. In order to make savings and help ACF I am ready to pay annually $50 instead $40 if it helps.

I accept. You send me the 50 and I'll pay both our dues. for next year and years to come. Will get you the paper.
I'm your man !!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Lets wait voting about ACFB form.

[liam stephens]

Hmm................... how would an electronic Bulletin result in more funding for the ACF ? The figures don't quite add up.

Assuming a membership of 200:
ACF subscription $40
200 X $40 = $8,000

Bulletin cost of production $600 X 6 = $3,600 (based on Mr Acker's figures)

Net profit to ACF - $4,400

Associate membership is $15, so if everyone changed to that:
200 X $15 = $3,000

Net loss to ACF from such a change = £1,400.

[Chexhero]

What would be nicer? Paper bulletins, which could easily be accessed online and saved, plus printed out for use or a lot more prize money at tournaments? Think about it, you need to spend normally 100's of dollars for travel, 100's of dollars in hotel costs and then only get about 50 dollars back in prize money, maybe a couple hundred if you win. Nationals being an exception. But if we cut costs by switching to electronic bulletins (make exceptions for those who don't have a computer) we could put so much more into the prize funds at tournaments and make them more worth going to. I also say we at least keep membership at 40, but I don't see why not even raise it to 60 a year per member, that is still very cheap, only like 5 dollars a month! Then we could even put more money into the prize funds.