[Magdalen] Annual Meetings, votes, was test

[Charles Wohlers]

Back in Mass., my little parish has never had paper ballots. Contests for 
vestry positions are almost unheard of - it's always a major struggle just 
to get folks to serve on vestry, never mind contested elections. There is a 
sheet passed around for folks to sign, that they agree to adhere to by-laws, 
etc. We usually have a pot-luck lunch preceding annual meeting to encourage 
folks to attend. I don't ever recall recall anyone's attendance being 
questioned - again, it's a struggle to get people to come at all.

IME, this is how things go at most Episcopal parishes, especially smaller 
ones.

Chad Wohlers
Woodbury, VT USA
chadwohl at satucket.com



-----Original Message----- 
From: Jo Craddock
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 12:56 PM
To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Annual Meetings, votes, was test

So, let's talk some more about annual meeting time. Besides the
recurring theme of deficit budgets, how does your parish handle vestry
voting? Paper ballots? Voter qualifications? Disfranshisement?

Perhaps I'm imagining as I age, but there seems to be a growing
possibility to see faces not even seen at C&E; some whisper that they
sent in a check in December to meet "known to the treasurer," and a
tendency toward adult children "coming for a visit" who haven't been in
church since their wedding.

Our service leaflets are stuffed with prepared ballots. In similar
groups (homeowners associations, etc.) I've always experienced a sign-in
for ballots that insured only those with current accounts, etc. rec'd
their ballot(s).

It may say more about me than the practice (and that would be correct; I
am a miserable offender with a conniving mind) that I find this
disturbing, but I'm wondering what the practice is where you are.

Peace,
Jo