GeorgeInNePa Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Got mine last week, Ryans came in 3 days later. Still have not seen Austins yet. All at the same address. I am surprised there is no provision for lost ballots. That may be a little antiquated. We were having mail all mixed up with my neighbors , when I asked the post man about it he said the USPS had just implemented some new automated sorting machines. Me too, that is something we should bring up to the board after this election. If the ballots are serial numbered, they should be easy to track and if lost, replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Me too, that is something we should bring up to the board after this election. If the ballots are serial numbered, they should be easy to track and if lost, replaced. This is easier said that done. A key requirement of the USPSA election is that it be conducted by an independent CPA firm. If we get into "tracking by serial number", the amount of labor incurred by the CPA firm increases considerably - as they would have to maintain a database of ballots cast to either refuse the replacement if the original was submitted first, or to count the last identically serial numbered ballot to arrive. This could be done, but it costs money - my guess is that it would add thousands to the cost of the election. First Class mail rarely gets lost if properly addressed - what we're really talking about here is spending thousands each election to cover "bad addresses", and the literally one in several thousand chance of a legitimately lost piece of mail. Another option is to change the bylaw allow an independent election firm that is not a CPA firm to conduct the election. There are reputable companies that specialize in this, and that provide services like "mail, 800 or internet voting with provisions for lost ballots". Once again, we get to money issue . I spoke to one of these election firms at length and the salesman was calling me regularly. I obtained figures from Dave Thomas (# of ballots, mailing cost, CPA fee, etc.) and send the election firm a detailed letter saying I was interested in presenting their proposal to the board if they could do it for out current cost, but any bid that was substantially higher was not something that I would recommend the USPSA Board pursue. I never heard from their salesman again - it was like being put on their own do not call list. It's not that USPSA is not willing to spend money - We could run the election for thousands less by not using a CPA firm - but good business practice requires an independently verifiable process, not a "trust me" approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Would it not be possible to vote online, using your USPSA # to make sure there were not duplicate votes? This could be run by an independent firm and the postage issue would not be an issue, EVERYONE would have the opportunity to vote and it would be quicker and more efficient. I know nothing about the logistics of this suggestion, just that is seems viable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Would it not be possible to vote online, using your USPSA # to make sure there were not duplicate votes? This could be run by an independent firm and the postage issue would not be an issue, EVERYONE would have the opportunity to vote and it would be quicker and more efficient.I know nothing about the logistics of this suggestion, just that is seems viable. I have already investigated this. The reaction of the vendor was to discontinue talks with me (as USPSA's technology representative) once I told them it had to be done at a price point similar to what we are now paying. Postage *would* be an issue since the independence of an election would dictate that they mail an access code directly to every eligible to vote member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Would it not be possible to vote online, using your USPSA # to make sure there were not duplicate votes? This could be run by an independent firm and the postage issue would not be an issue, EVERYONE would have the opportunity to vote and it would be quicker and more efficient.I know nothing about the logistics of this suggestion, just that is seems viable. I have already investigated this. The reaction of the vendor was to discontinue talks with me (as USPSA's technology representative) once I told them it had to be done at a price point similar to what we are now paying. Postage *would* be an issue since the independence of an election would dictate that they mail an access code directly to every eligible to vote member. Being we would be voting online, couldn't the access codes be e-mailed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 We would then have to confirm each one arrived, and deal with bad addresses and misdirected emails - and hire someone else to take care of all this as doing it in-house would violate the independence the process requires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgkeller Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 >>A key requirement of the USPSA election is that it be conducted by an independent CPA firm.<< A key requirement should be hiring a CPA firm that does what it is supposed to. The current one has not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Suber Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 We would then have to confirm each one arrived, and deal with bad addresses and misdirected emails - and hire someone else to take care of all this as doing it in-house would violate the independence the process requires. What if a system were set up in which each member knew that the voting was to be done online. Then it is there responsibility to go to the USPSA website and register for the election (verify their data, email address, etc.). At that point, after membership is validated, a voting "pin" emailed back to the member. The member could then go to an online system to vote. I think it can be done. The problem would be auditing the votes. I think it could be done by an independent firm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted August 12, 2007 Author Share Posted August 12, 2007 Received my ballot today. North Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Received today in the Austin TX area. My ballot envelope was not postmarked in any way, so its impossible to tell how long the transit time was on mine.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Mine arrived today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 >>A key requirement of the USPSA election is that it be conducted by an independent CPA firm.<<A key requirement should be hiring a CPA firm that does what it is supposed to. The current one has not. How do you know that the current firm has not done what it is supposed to? That question sounds aggressive --- but isn't meant that way, I'm genuinely curious...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcarter Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Got mine today. Will be mailed tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M118LR Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 OK I got mine today. I have voted and will be putting it in the mail tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Rec'd Thursday, mailed Friday, 08-10. Don't put it off, mail that ballot (in it's plain white envelope) lest you put it somewhere and forget.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlockSpeed31 Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 (edited) I received mine on Saturday and it is filled out, placed in the return envelope, awaiting a stamp and dropping in the post office outgoing mailbox. Also, there wasn't a postmark date on mine as well. I think that is a sneaky way around from proving that they didn't mail before deadline. Edited August 12, 2007 by GlockSpeed31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgkeller Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 >>A key requirement of the USPSA election is that it be conducted by an independent CPA firm.<<A key requirement should be hiring a CPA firm that does what it is supposed to. The current one has not. How do you know that the current firm has not done what it is supposed to? That question sounds aggressive --- but isn't meant that way, I'm genuinely curious...... Because the USPSA by laws state that all ballots are to mailed first class BY AUGUST FIRST. And, obviously, the deadline was not met. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ampleworks Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 (edited) This so called CPA firm has created a lot more headache for themselves. They printed each ballot with a unique number so it would not have taken very much more to have a barcode on each box that was tied to election year, unique ballot number and a candidate number. Another thing that comes to mind is dot matrix and carbon copies (like the rebate checks always used to come) and a break-away envelope style like Netflix uses. Take the amount of time saved by tally off from the price of the election cost...and less time so they do actually get the ballots sent out on time. Edited August 12, 2007 by ampleworks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Suber Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 They are starting to arrive in South Carolina. Received emails last night and today from members around the state. My son's and mine arrived today . They will be in the outgoing mail tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopalong Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Have not seen one in Tennessee, but then again we have to pipe sunshine in. (too much here lately though) Hop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
et45 Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Got mine today,will mail it in the a.m.Also no date on the postmark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeInNePa Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Got mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbosik Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 got mine today in savannah , ga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJPoLo Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Beth's and mine finally both arrived today. -Chet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Received my ballot while I was out of town shooting the MN Section- mailed it out today. Saw one of the same candidates showing support yet again at the range! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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