How to Best Make Your Votes Count

It is nice to see we have so many candidates for the position of ANA Governor this election cycle. Since you can vote for no more than seven for governor, you will have to choose from the fourteen candidates who will occupy just seven seats. However, it is not necessarily a good idea to vote for all seven if there are only 3 or 4 you want to see on the board. If you vote for all seven, you could be helping your candidates lose by giving competitors more votes. So vote wisely. But do vote! This election is another very important one. For the most part, a few of those running for reelection, if reelected, will make the foundation for a VERY strong board. It is not my intent to tell you specifically who to vote for, rather to provide guidance for making sound decisions and voting in a way that increases the chances of those you want most on the board.

Regarding those who are running for reelection, I would hope that you would vote for those who talk in terms of team work and accept ownership of all board decisions, especially when making regular posts to discussion boards and forums talking in the "me and I" instead of the "we and us." Strength comes in numbers. Board members are certainly allowed to disagree with one another and communicate their concerns. However, just because one disagrees with others on a vote made in executive session does not give that one the right to go public and discuss the way individual board members voted, including one's self. This is very divisive behavior. Details of how each member of the board votes in such instances is just as privileged as the discussion itself.

Regarding new candidates; are they qualified? For the most part it is easy to determine who is or is not qualified. Are they interested in the overall health and productivity of the association? They sure should be! Unfortunately that is not always the case and this election is no different. Some of the candidates have just one or two personal agenda items to fulfill. These people are almost always ultimately counter productive to a strong board.

This year we have more access to information to use in making informed decisions than ever before. Details will be published in the association's official journal as well as along with your ballot. Also, for the first time, the candidate's forum was streamed live from New Orleans and may be reviewed  at www.youtube.com

http://youtu.be/AlKJmdEcsAc .

You may skip the first 17 and a half minutes and know that the presentation gets easier to understand the farther you go into the forum. It also gets clearer to understand what the candidates are really there for! Yes, this includes me. I am glad of what I stand for. I stand for all of you. I will be voted for by the membership so it is the membership I will represent.

Of the 14 candidates applying for seven seats several of them will make good board members. Become fully aware of who they are and what they stand for! More qualifications are required than just thinking their normal job experience is enough. Those who clearly love the ANA and ALL its members regardless of their station in life are very likely the best candidates.