BARRY REFUSES TO SET BALLOT MAIL DATE
USCF Secretary Doris Barry has declined to announce the date when ballots will be mailed for the coming Executive Board election. The Bylaws allow the Secretary to choose any date between 30 and 40 days prior to the Delegates meeting for this mailing, but it is a long established tradition that the Secretary reveals this date well in advance to all candidates, to insure that no one has an advantage. Under the previous USCF Secretary, Rachel Lieberman, the date was announced over a month in advance.
Candidates often time a final mailing to arrive with the ballots, or a few days before. Once the ballots are received, many electors vote within a few days, greatly reducing the value of a mailing that arrives late. The timing of a candidate's next to last mailing is also often affected by that of the final mailing.
The Delegates meeting this year at Framingham, MA begins August 11, so the ballots may be mailed any time between July 2 and July 12. Candidate plans to campaign at the World Open and other July 4th weekend events could also be affected; the World Open ends July 8. Possible campaign meetings on the weekend of July 14-15 could be valuable if the ballots go out July 12, or worth little if they are mailed on or close to July 2.
While Barry has promised to "advise all the candidates when I am able to get the mailing ready to mail," such last minute notice makes mailing and travel plans inconvenient- except for any candidates supported by the Secretary, who could be privately notified.
While the Bylaws do not require the Secretary to provide adequate notice of the mailing date, an oversight that I hope is corrected via an amendment at Framingham, this is obviously the only fair way to run an election. Doris Barry says, "The timing of the mailing of the ballots is the perrogative of the secretary," and she apparently plans to make full use of all powers inherent in her office to benefit the candidates she supports.
Following is all the discussion we are aware of regarding this subject. It has been over four days since the original request for a mailing date. The ballots could be mailed in as soon as 17 days, yet no date has been announced.
----- Original Message -----Hi Doris:
From: Chessdon@aol.com (Don Schultz)
To: pistola@worldnet.att.net
Cc: Recmate@aol.com ; RJM19@bryph.dmh.state.sc.us
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 1:48 PM
Subject: Ballots
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Forwarded
Message:
Subj: Re: Ballots
Date: 06/11/2001 5:27:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Pistola@worldnet.att.net (Doris Barry)
To: Chessdon@aol.com
Within the time frame required 30-40 days before the Delegates Meeting. I
still have a great deal of work to do. Once the ADM's,Delegates lists and
Committee reports are taken care of ,I can concentrate on the ballots. Doris
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__________________________________________________---- Original Message -----
From: Recmate@aol.com
To: Pistola@worldnet.att.net
Cc: Chessdon@aol.com ; RJM19@bryph.dmh.state.sc.us ; Secretary@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2001 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: Ballots
Doris,
Don forwarded his question (below) to you of June 11 and your reply.
While I appreciate that the Secretary's job requires a lot of work, in the
past, candidates and their supporters have been given a date well in advance
on which the ballots will be mailed. The Bylaws allow them to be mailed this
year any time before July 2 and July 12 (30 to 40 days before the Delegates
meeting), and the date you select will affect campaign strategy such as the
timing of mailings, candidate plans to campaign at the World Open, etc. The
World Open ends on July 8 this year and if many voters will have already
voted by then, the candidates should know that now, as travel plans may be
affected.
If you are currently too busy to commit to the earliest possible date of July
2, then I suggest you choose a later date you feel comfortable with, even as
late as July 12, and inform all the candidates now, to insure a level playing
field for all.
Bill Goichberg
Subj: Re: Ballots
Date: 06/13/2001 8:10:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Pistola@worldnet.att.net (Doris Barry)
To: Recmate@aol.com (William Goichberg)
Bill, The timing of the mailing of the ballots is the perrogative of the secretary.My limitations are within 30-40 days. I am trying to complete the current immediate requirements of the secretarial postion. To my knowledge, Rachel did not announce the time of the mailing of the ballots. In any case I will, as I told Don, mail them in required time frame. I'm sure that is sufficient for any political mailings. I intend to give every candiate an equal opportunity. Doris.
| Subj: | Re: Ballots |
| Date: | 06/14/2001 12:40:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time |
| From: | Recmate |
| To: | Pistola@worldnet.att.net |
| CC: | Secretary, Chessdon, RJM19@bryph.dmh.state.sc.us |
Subj: Re: Ballots
Date: 06/13/2001 8:10:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Pistola@worldnet.att.net (Doris Barry)
To: Recmate@aol.com (William Goichberg)
Bill, The timing of the mailing of the ballots is the perrogative of the secretary.My limitations are within 30-40 days. I am trying to complete the current immediate requirements of the secretarial postion. To my knowledge, Rachel did not announce the time of the mailing of the ballots. In any case I will, as I told Don, mail them in required time frame. I'm sure that is sufficient for any political mailings. I intend to give every candiate an equal opportunity. Doris.
| Subj: | Re: Ballots |
| Date: | 06/14/2001 3:24:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time |
| From: | Secretary (Rachel Lieberman) |
| To: | Recmate, Pistola@worldnet.att.net |
| CC: | Chessdon, RJM19@bryph.dmh.state.sc.us |
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-----Original Message-----
From: Doris Barry <Pistola@worldnet.att.net>
To: john mccrary <mccrary@axs2k.net>
Date: Friday, June 15, 2001 12:33 PM
Subject: Re: Ballot mailing
I received your message and have already replied to Don and Bill. I will advise all the candidates when I am able to get the mailing ready to mail. I am aware of the window of 30-40 days. Every candidate will have equal opportunity. Doris
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