CHB Elections? When are they?

I suppose I could ask a member, but if I dont know, I'll bet others have the same questions.

When is the election?
Are there provisions for an e-vote?
Am I still a member?
When is renewal?

Thanks!

I have the same questions Sue, good thing you asked... Hopefully a CHB member will get back to us on this.

Schipperkesue wrote:I suppose I could ask a member, but if I dont know, I'll bet others have the same questions.

When is the election?
Are there provisions for an e-vote?
Am I still a member?
When is renewal?

Thanks!

Elections are this coming Saturday, Oct 6 at 1pm at All in One Pet Care in Red Deer. Liz posted a few weeks back with voting details, so you could look up her post. PM or email Liz with nominations and ask her about e-voting, can't remember of she said this was an option. I do know she said we could do conference calling on the day for sure.

k.r.l is the man to talk to about memberships. I think for the most part, memberships are up toward the end of the year. We are encouraging people to renew memberships around the end of the year to keep everything nice and smooth. The Urban Farm Show would be a great time and place to take care of your membership, but it can all he done through our website now too.

If anybody knows someone who would be a good fit for a seat on the board, please nominate them!

If it is not a possibility this election, could there be provisions in the future to mail in your vote? I belong to several Canadian animal clubs and due to the spread of membership across Canada votes are sent out and returned in the mail. This way you provide opportunity for all members to vote no matter their geographic location or schedule.

I will look for Liz's post.

Well, great minds think alike! I see Jonny has revived the post. Serves me right to wait so long to compose a post! So, no votes unless you are present at the meeting.

This up coming election has been something on my mind as of late....

I think it would be beneficial with the future growth of CHB and it's membership base, to incorporate a broader nomination/election process such as mentioned above.
Having a process where members can conference call is great, lets get that number more pubic so those whom can take the time to call in know which number to phone to participate.

The "mailing in method" as mentioned by Sue is another way to reach the membership base, and this in the long run, could also increase the number of participants whom cast their votes. The members receive and return their submissions/votes, giving those whom can not make it on election day in person, their say.

E-voting as well, would be a great option. I personally can see something like this happening in years to come perhaps even as early as next year.
Pretty sure a online voting program could be custom tailor/built at a reasonable cost.

The CHB Election should hopefully interest most if not all of the members, I think it's important if you are part of a membership or have any affiliation to have a say in whom leads and represents you.

I agree with Sue and Jonny. Because CHB wants memberships to grow the only way to do that is encourage membership from far away. And with that comes the members wanting to be included in this process and not have to drive 8 hours to do it.
Makes for a very small membership base and small voting group if you have to be there in person to do all this stuff...

Hidden River wrote:I agree with Sue and Jonny. Because CHB wants memberships to grow the only way to do that is encourage membership from far away. And with that comes the members wanting to be included in this process and not have to drive 8 hours to do it.
Makes for a very small membership base and small voting group if you have to be there in person to do all this stuff...

Count me as one who also supports e-voting or mailing in your vote. I realize CHB is still in its infancy but if it wants to grow it is going to have to come up with a much broader method in which the membership can be heard.

Talked to Jerry with Alberta Societies Act (Alberta Government) and was told that online voting is frowned upon because you have no idea who is voting from that computer/email address. In our by laws /constitution it states that voting is in person at the agm. With this being said we are not voting on the death penalty or pushing the red button. I am not done with this yet. I am very happy with the interest and having new people on the board could certainly spread the workload

Liz
I belong to many poultry clubs and I would also strongly suggest that if your club is taking memberships from out of area people that you go to mail in voting as it is the only way that you will grow the club, that is assuming you want the club to grow. The other thing is in order to keep the members a timely newsltter with all the info club members should be aware of is the single most important thing. Just some suggestions on my part.

Heather

I feel a lot better that the death penalty is now out of the question! Phew! :

I will work much harder to be there Saturday now! Hee hee!

I like the idea of mail in voting, but in this case, I fear it would cause problems. We have had this same discussion in our club a number of times and it gets back to the same old problem- there are not enough workers to do the job.

My fear with a mail-in ballot is that you have to have nominations by a deadline, and then close nominations so everyone has a fair chance to vote. With such a small board, as is the case in most organizations, who can afford to close the nomination period early enough to facilitate a vote?

I think if people want change, the best way to enact that change is to get involved. If you know you can't make next years' elections, go on the board this year and make the motion to ammend the constitution at the next AGM, and volunteer to be the election commissioner. I am not trying to target anyone with these comments, but I find so often it is easy to make suggestions from a distance, but if an executive is already exhausted or running out of gas, suggestions like these, with no outside assistance will only irritate, not promote change. If you want to promote change, and ultimately encourage growth, please get involved with the board. They will always welcome additional help.

Geez, do you think I may have something built up in here? I haven't had a rant like that in a long time. I just find so often we are very quick to criticize club leadership or constitutions, but very quick to hide the hands at election time and it honestly is very, very frustrating for the existing executive, who are all trying their best all the time.

Clayton

I always find a good rant clears the air, Cbotkin! Let it all out!

CHB board, what is our number of members anyway?

Just shy of 100 members now.

Clayton,

you make an excellent point...

This stood out to me,

I think if people want change, the best way to enact that change is to get involved. If you know you can't make next years' elections, go on the board this year and make the motion to ammend the constitution at the next AGM, and volunteer to be the election commissioner. I am not trying to target anyone with these comments, but I find so often it is easy to make suggestions from a distance, but if an executive is already exhausted or running out of gas, suggestions like these, with no outside assistance will only irritate, not promote change. If you want to promote change, and ultimately encourage growth, please get involved with the board. They will always welcome additional help.

Like I mentioned previously, the CHB Board Election is something that has been on my mind. My goal is to continue on my path to obtaining my BBA through NAIT, I am also looking at expanding my experiences on a professional level. While still having a focus on raising and breeding poultry.

I personally could see my self playing an active role within the CHB, and getting involved. To me this would be an opportunity to build upon my skills, experience something new and expand my networks, all while and developing myself in a professional manor. I have long wondered what goes on inside a group such as CHB, a curiosity one of my instructors at NAIT sparked inside me.
In my first Semester of studies, It was suggested as part of developing ourselves as business professionals, to get actively involved within a group or association. You can learn a great deal from your peers.

So if I was to "Go for it" and run for a position on the board, I would be focusing on something that I am passionate about, at the same time gaining valuable experience towards my overall goals,
all the while promoting heritage breeds. I am someone who is comfortable talking to people, and feel I could brush up on my public speaking.

Overall I would be willing to step up and participate in the continued Growth of CHB.

With Thanksgiving this weekend we have family visiting so I can't attend the AGM. I do wish to continue to be a member of CHB (and I think my membership was actually up in August ) I would also love to help out a bit more where I can but it is hard to stay connected as far away as I am. If there is a conference call option for this AGM please pass the info along, I seem to have missed seeing it.

It's great membership is around 100 people and I hope it continues to grow!

Would there be any way to hold a an update meeting, introduce board members etc. at an event like the Red Deer Urban Farm show? I know at events like that it is already crazy busy but it would give the opportunity for more distant members to attend.

Email voting is easily done. With mail in voting you dont know who filled in the form, just that you have an envelope from a certain address. The same goes for email voting. With a membership a single email addy is listed as the contact addy. If a person emails in a vote then one vote per email addy is allowed. It is effectively the same as snail mail.


I Nominate Jonny for Director and for Vice President.

Hmm, I wonder if in the future it would be possible to combine the AGM and elections with the fall show? After all, people are there anyway...

Many breed specific dog clubs do this at their annual specialties.

Agreed/ Having the AGM just before the show makes no sence. There could be a major board turn over just weeks before the big show. It is a poor choice of dates, especially with the Innisfail auction and the Rabbit show and other things the same day.

Schipperkesue wrote:Hmm, I wonder if in the future it would be possible to combine the AGM and elections with the fall show? After all, people are there anyway...

Many breed specific dog clubs do this at their annual specialties.

i will be there on the 6th for sure! and i would like to give a very special thanks to all the CHB board members for all the great work they have done the last two years,, all the great displays and a wounderful poultry show they organized especially that it was all volunteered time because most of board members hold down full time jobs and all live busy lives! these people have accomplished a great deal for just establishing this club last year!!!

Hi Folks,

I have been out of the country the last little while and unable to reply to some of the questions and comments about the AGM and elections.

The club must abide by our by-laws that are registered with the Alberta gov’t.

As far as nominations, they shall be accepted via e-mail or in writing prior to the setting of the agenda for the annual general meeting or can be accepted from the floor for all elected positions. Any member nominated will have the opportunity to accept the nomination before voting can commence.

Voting shall be by a show of hands and a simple majority shall elect.

Alberta Registry frowns upon and does not recommend voting by email. It is not accepted practice for elections. Voting by mail would be an alternative method. By mail the member’s number and signature must be on the returned ballot with the provided ballot on a self-addressed stamped envelope. The club was not prepared to go down this road this time. The much time and money required to do it this way.

As to the date of the AGM and election, that is also set by our by-laws. It quotes that the AGM be shall be held no later than October 15th. This date can be changed to an earlier date if the board agrees and sets the date. We had thought of having the AGM at the show by the by-laws would need to be changed to accommodate this. Changing the by-laws also takes time.

Let’s all work together to make this club work and come to the meeting. Send in your nominations so we can get them on the list.

Hope to see at the meeting.