GLA Voting Process is Seriously Flawed - Suggested Reforms
Mar 25, 2016 16:50:51 GMT -7
chris and dorothykeeler like this
Post by Admin on Mar 25, 2016 16:50:51 GMT -7
GLA Voting Process is Seriously Flawed - We suggest the following reforms
The GLA election process is severely flawed and has been for many years. In 2011 one landowner mailed his absentee ballot a few days before the annual meeting. Upon arriving at the Annual meeting he was presented with a fresh ballot for casting at that meeting. Being an ethical individual he never used the ballot but decided to test the system. For the next four years he mailed his absentee ballot a day before the meeting. Then he attended the meeting and upon checking in received fresh ballots which he still has today. After relating his story to friends in 2015 the GLA at least took notice of him and he did not receive extra ballots at the 2015 annual meeting. It is impossible to tell how many other landowners or even sitting directors discovered this flaw and took advantage of it by casting multiple votes.
Another serious flaw in the GLA annual vote is the creation of absentee ballots that contain the landowner's name, address and parcel information directly underneath a series of check boxes for various candidates. By design, the absentee ballot is NOT secret; everyone who reads it from the vote counters to sitting and future directors can easily discover who voted for whom. The ballots are carefully archived and legally available to all sitting directors at any time now or in the future.
We have recently experienced how the GLA resorts to publicly humiliating landowners who do not agree with them. Another common tactic is to publicly ostracize them. If they are a Church Universal and Triumphant member they can be kicked out of the Church and told that they cannot reapply for membership for 6 months or more.
It has been our experience that many Church members have expressed fear of retribution at speaking their true feelings on vital community issues. Thus it is reasonable to think that they may not vote at all if non-Church candidates dominate the ballot. That is exactly what happened in the 2015 GLA Board election for South Glastonbury candidates in 2015. Two of the three candidates were not associated with the Church and the voter turnout was historically low.
It has been our experience that many Church members have expressed fear of retribution at speaking their true feelings on vital community issues. Thus it is reasonable to think that they may not vote at all if non-Church candidates dominate the ballot. That is exactly what happened in the 2015 GLA Board election for South Glastonbury candidates in 2015. Two of the three candidates were not associated with the Church and the voter turnout was historically low.
One way to insure that all absentee ballots remain 100% confidential is to adapt the following procedure:
I hope these comments are helpful. Please leave your thoughts, suggestions and comments below.- Remove the landowner's name, address and all other identifying information from the absentee ballot.
- Include a return envelope with the landowner's name and address in the return address corner. Print the GLA address on the envelope and put a postage stamp in the upper right hand corner. The instructions should state that ONLY the original ballot mailed in the enclosed envelope will be officially recorded. A Business Reply envelope may also be used to save on postage costs.
- When the envelopes containing ballots are received they should be saved and not opened until the Annual meeting. At the meeting a group of six landowners and directors with three landowner lists should carefully record each return address on the outside of every sealed envelope. Then we will have an accurate record of which landowners mailed in absentee ballots without having to open the envelopes.
- After all of the envelope return addresses have been recorded the envelopes should be opened and the single ballot folded in three inside should be deposited in a clear plastic tote with a slotted cover. If there are two ballots in an envelope then one must be a copy and both should be discarded. The ballots should not be opened or viewed. The empty envelopes should be saved so they can be rechecked against the voter list in case of questions.
When all the envelopes are opened and all valid absentee ballots are in the clear plastic bin an audience member should shake the bin vigorously so ballots are randomly sorted. All return address checking, envelope opening and depositing ballots in a clear bin should be done by an even mixture of church and non-church people in full view of landowners. - The clear plastic bin can then be opened and one landowner should carefully inspect each ballot to insure that it is original and properly signed. Then another landowner should double check his work. Then the voting choices should be carefully checked. If three candidates are not chosen then the not selected candidates should be highlighted in yellow. This prevents anyone from simply checking the remaining boxes on ballots where only one or two of the three or more candidates are voted for. A better ballot design would require the voter to write in his choices rather than simply check a box. While one landowner is working, the previous six landowners and directors can check his or her work and deposit the checked and valid ballot into another clear plastic covered bin.
- Then the final tally can begin. Three groups of two should count and tally all votes and then reconcile their totals. The ballots, which are completely secret and valid may now be saved and inspected by any landowner or director without compromising the identity of the voter.
- Walk in voters would no longer receive anonymous ballots when checking in. They would have to present their sole absentee ballot which would be stamped with the phrase "Annual Meeting Ballot" and the date. Then that ballot could be cast at the annual meeting. Stamping the ballot prevents photocopies from being cast and counted.
