We are all aware of the need for an election process that is flawlessly error-proof. The types of voting allowed at Holliday Park, in congruence with our By-Laws, are by mail ballot, by walk-in ballot, or by proxy. Each year there is an election for Board Members who normally serve two-year terms. In the odd years, like 2009, three Board Members need to be elected or re-elected; in the even-numbered years, four of the seven Board Members need to be elected or re-elected.

Here at Holliday Park, there is a small group of people that is called up every spring to oversee the annual Board Member election. Even before the actual work is considered, the persons who make up the group are newly-chosen or chosen from past experience. Those are invited who have the ability to withstand the time-frame required to participate, and who have the qualities of character that give confidence to the members in casting their vote.

Preparatory meetings help the group members to focus on the task in a unified way, with agreement among the group as to procedure and manner. Ten to fifteen people are able to now accomplish in one day, the election event and the process of counting votes. First of all, the mail ballots are counted. The group then recesses. While staying confined to the Clubhouse, they then attend the Annual Meeting of which the in-person election is a part. During the election itself, each group-member carries out a certain role, for which he/she has prepared. Two challengers, previously instructed as to the parameters of their roles, are allowed. The election itself is usually completed within two hours. All the procedural work is honorably performed with a realization that strict confidentiality is required which prohibits disclosure of anything that occurred during the election or in the counting room. Understanding the role of confidentiality is the most necessary quality for any election worker or challenger.

The whole election process has been examined and discussed by members who have the well-being of Holliday Park at heart. The legally-established By-Laws, which served this well-functioning cooperative for many years, are strictly followed. An accompanying procedure is followed with the same exactitude.

Within a couple hours after the event of the election, the walk-in ballots are counted and totaled along with the previously counted mail ballots. The results are then announced to the membership re-assembled in the Clubhouse, and posted on the Holliday Park marquee.

Each time the work-group accomplishes this task, they experience the satisfaction of a job well-done, and honorably executed. New or remaining Board Members then set out to plan organizational meetings and get on with the business of the Cooperative.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 5:47 pm and is filed under Holliday Park. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.