ABATE of Wisconsin Corporate Election Continues

The candidate profiles for the ABATE of WI State Officers and the Board of Directors at Large (who represent the entire state on the board, not just their own districts) are contained in this issue of the newsletter. A ballot to vote in this election will be printed in this issue and in the September issue of this newsletter.

Every ABATE of Wisconsin member that is current as of September 15, 2020 will be eligible to vote by mailed in paper ballot in this election. New members or returning expired members who are processed after September 15, 2020 may still vote in the election, but to do so they will need to attend the ABATE of WI annual state meeting held at the Best Western Green Bay Inn, 780 Armed Forces Drive, Green Bay, WI (920-499-3161). The reason behind this is that the tabulators that tally the election will be provided with a membership list generated on September 15, 2020. They will only accept votes from members that are current on that list. New members signing up at the state meeting will also be eligible to vote that day.

For now, take some time to look over the candidates listed in this newsletter and start deciding who you would like to provide the leadership for your organization over the course of the next two years. In accordance to our By-laws the ballot will also include space for write in candidates for all offices.

The election ballots are printed on page 14. Two copies of the ballot are included in each issue to allow for separate entry ballots due to couples’ memberships. Be certain to include your name (your name as printed on your membership card) and zip code for the confidential use of the tabulators to verify that you are a member and have only voted once. Please print clearly. If we can’t read your name, we can’t verify your voting status and the ballot will not be counted.

Be certain to mail the ballots to the address printed on the ballot (ABATE Election, PO Box 336, Black River Falls, WI 54615). Any ballots mailed to other ABATE of Wisconsin addresses will be not counted and will be destroyed.

To elect a full Board or 14 people, you will be asked to vote for up to seven people to fill the seven open Board at Large positions which will bring the number on the Board to 14. Seven people have already been elected to the new board as District Directors. One District Director slot (District 5) was not filled during the District Director election as they had no declared candidate or accepted write-in winners**. Because of this opening, the “at large” positions on the board were increased to seven in the general election and the new board will appoint individuals elected as at large members to fill the duties of the District 5 Director. In this election, as in all ABATE of Wisconsin elections, simple majority of votes will declare the winners. For the Board at Large election, the seven candidates receiving the most votes will be declared the winners.

The results of the District Director Election are as follows:

District 1 – Stan “Stash” Rygh                                                         District 2 – Robert Worm Grasse

District 3 – Bronson Smith                                                                District 4 – Tom Babbitt

District 5 – open **                                                                            District 6 – Ken Nelson

District 7 – Dave Van Dyke                                                              District 8 – Jason “PeeWee” Cartwright

These District Directors, as well as the Executive Officers and the Board at Large that we now ask you to vote for, will be seated and assume their duties at the State Meeting on October 11, 2020 once the tabulation of the ballots is completed.

The Election Committee would like to thank everyone that participated in the District Director election and ask that all members take an interest in the balloting to elect the rest of the state leadership for your organization for the next two years. If you do not want to cut apart your newsletter, you may place the ballot on a copy machine and make a copy to use. Multiple ballots may be mailed in a single envelope. Remember to send your ballot to ABATE Election, PO Box 336, Black River Falls, WI 54615. Now read the candidate profiles, discuss them with your friends, and vote. Thank you.

The Candidate Profiles begin on PAGE 8 of this issue.

I cannot stress enough the importance of your vote. Being head of the election committee for many years now, I am honestly appalled to see how few of our membership votes. Voting is a right and a privilege in any organization and in these United States, and I am proud to say that I have voted in each and every election since I was 18 years old. Please make voting your priority in our organization’s election process. The people you select will shape the future of ABATE of Wisconsin. Let’s do it right. And don’t forget that this year is a presidential election year – your votes will count there too.

Speaking of being around for many years, I have decided that after 20+ or so years as your Membership Director, it is time. Time to give someone else the opportunity to bring new ideas to the job, to meet the great folks within our organization and to get new members fired up. It goes without saying that the friendships that I’ve made here cannot be replaced, are too numerous to mention and will have a special place in my heart. I’m not going away, it’s just time.

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