Fellow Board Members, I would like all of you to consider very carefully the question of the April 1 cutoff date. While I am aware there appears to be a movement by some folks, to adopt counties for the sole purpose of being able to vote in a region, establishing the April 1 date is just as wrong as those folks are. I know it's an old saw with me, but I still believe that, online or offline, two wrongs never equal one right. Establishing the April 1 cut-off date smacks just as much of vote manipulation as what the folks adopting counties for no other reason than to gain a vote are doing. Personally, I find any attempt at manipulation, no matter who is doing it, highly distasteful and really question what this organization is degenerating to. This is supposed to be a hobby folks. I like and respect the chair of the EC but find his statement as to the reasoning behind the April 1 cutoff date to be either a lame excuse for the real reason or patronizing in the extreme. To the best of my knowledge there has never been a "probationary" period in USGW, neither have we ever tested voters to see how informed they are on the issues. I'd like to urge you all to have a little courage and show some faith in the membership of the USGW Project. I still believe that the good folks far outweigh those that would engage in less than honorable tactics. I think it would behoove us far more to encourage folks to get out and vote than to attempt to prevent some folks from voting. Ginger gingerh@shawneelink.com -----Original Message----- From: Tim Stowell <tstowell@chattanooga.net> To: BOARD-L@rootsweb.com <BOARD-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, June 12, 2000 1:59 AM Subject: [BOARD-L] Motion 00-17 - 'Cut-off date' >This motion made by Ginger and I believe seconded by Virginia?: > >I move that the April 1, 2000 cut off date for voter >eligibility be declared contrary to the Bylaws of the >USGenWeb Project and that this Board instruct >the Elections Committee that all members of the >USGenWeb Project are eligible to vote in accordance >with the duly adopted Bylaws of The USGenWeb >Project. > >is numbered 00-17 - and the floor is open for discussion on it. >