08-08-2013, 06:18 PM
I am eligible to attend AGM although don't intend to do so. I'll list reasons here.
1. First of all from my understanding main purpose of AGM is to elect office bearers. Since there are currently no contested seats I have a choice of one candidate (or in some cases zero candidates) to vote for so outcome is a foregone conclusion.
2. Even if I did turn up I don't really know all of the candidates nor what they stand for. If we hypothetically had a second candidate for any post only criteria I would have is do I like the guy and failing that have I heard of him. Things like how they would approach position and the ideas they intend to implement don't even enter decision process despite that being a critical issue.
In the end all I can hope for is people elected have best interests of game at heart and that they'll do a good job. I know several people who put in a lot of work and it is often taken for granted and unappreciated by the masses while there are other people who do work behind the scenes that I'm completely unaware even exists yet alone understand.
I suspect many people would be more interested if rather than being political and involving question of who gets elected that pre-AGM talk is more directed towards issues. For example recently chess scotland lost our grant that must be a pretty big hole in finances. I find a lot of voter apathy occurs when voters are unable to distinguish any tangible difference between choices proposed.
On the subject of proxy votes I am actually quite strongly opposed to it. Personally I feel that if someone isn't committed enough to turn up in person then they shouldn't vote. Only exception would be if someone sends their apology in advance in a public area stating they can't make meeting ideally with an excuse and have asked a specific person to vote as per their instructions since they cannot make it. Otherwise it's quite possible that I've cast proxy votes I'm completely unaware I've even given or that someone gets my vote cause I figure it's easier than declining if person asking makes it personal. Either way it should be a transparent process and before the meeting all the designated proxy votes should be public that way people can't hide proxy votes up their sleaves.
P.S. Is it possible to cast a proxy vote to vote on side with least proxy votes thus becoming an anti-proxy proxy vote =)
1. First of all from my understanding main purpose of AGM is to elect office bearers. Since there are currently no contested seats I have a choice of one candidate (or in some cases zero candidates) to vote for so outcome is a foregone conclusion.
2. Even if I did turn up I don't really know all of the candidates nor what they stand for. If we hypothetically had a second candidate for any post only criteria I would have is do I like the guy and failing that have I heard of him. Things like how they would approach position and the ideas they intend to implement don't even enter decision process despite that being a critical issue.
In the end all I can hope for is people elected have best interests of game at heart and that they'll do a good job. I know several people who put in a lot of work and it is often taken for granted and unappreciated by the masses while there are other people who do work behind the scenes that I'm completely unaware even exists yet alone understand.
I suspect many people would be more interested if rather than being political and involving question of who gets elected that pre-AGM talk is more directed towards issues. For example recently chess scotland lost our grant that must be a pretty big hole in finances. I find a lot of voter apathy occurs when voters are unable to distinguish any tangible difference between choices proposed.
On the subject of proxy votes I am actually quite strongly opposed to it. Personally I feel that if someone isn't committed enough to turn up in person then they shouldn't vote. Only exception would be if someone sends their apology in advance in a public area stating they can't make meeting ideally with an excuse and have asked a specific person to vote as per their instructions since they cannot make it. Otherwise it's quite possible that I've cast proxy votes I'm completely unaware I've even given or that someone gets my vote cause I figure it's easier than declining if person asking makes it personal. Either way it should be a transparent process and before the meeting all the designated proxy votes should be public that way people can't hide proxy votes up their sleaves.
P.S. Is it possible to cast a proxy vote to vote on side with least proxy votes thus becoming an anti-proxy proxy vote =)