Finally, some results–and what do we see? Participation is down. (Or something else is going on… I don’t even want to think about that.) The polls opened on almost the same day both years, btw.
Come on folks, jump in and cast those ballots!
While you’re at it, vote for Christine Hage for ALA president.
If you don’t have your ballot yet, contact membership@ala.org or call ALA at 1-800-545-2433 and make a ruckus.
The following via Gerald Hodges of ALA staff as of 1:39 p.m. PT today:
As of April 8, 2005:
Web ballots submitted: 5,756 Total eligible: 41,409
% Response: 13.90%
Paper ballots submitted: 1,226 Total eligible: 17,336
% Response: 7.07%
Total ballots submitted as of 4/8/05: 6,982 ( 11.89%, based on 58,745 eligible to vote)
As of April 8, 2004:
Web ballots submitted: 7,066 Total eligible: 42,626
% Response: 16.58%
Paper ballots submitted: 1,243 Total eligible: 13,483
% Response: 9.22%
8,309 ballots, or 14.81% (based on 56,109 eligible to vote)
Total votes cast in 2004 election: 12,562
Total votes cast in 2003 election: 9,844
Posted on this day, other years:
- Chocolate Pecan Pie - 2007
- ALA Election Update - 2006
Maybe it’s Gorman aftershocks?
Last year there was more discussion and promotion of e-voting, including updates on the election beginning with the first day the polls opened. This year we didn’t start to receive information about participation in the election until three weeks into the election. I tracked all this last year and I’m pretty sure that’s what’s going on.
There was also (at least for me) some serious usability problems with the e-voting this year. I found the multiple messages I received before the voting began confusing, as well the instructions on the screens once I tried to vote. I’m not even sure my vote counted.
The layout of the ballot for the bylaws portion sucked to be blunt. It will cause more people to vote yes by accident since there is no other way to vote within the biography for that portion.
I finally figured out what I was doing wrong – and I was right to think my votes hadn’t been counted. This voting design was terrible! I had to call the 800 number to get an explanation, and I told the poor man what I thought about it. I’d be willing to bet that there are a lot of folks who thought they voted, but in fact their votes haven’t been submitted.
I guess I should have said what I was doing wrong! Sorry … On each ballot there are some blue buttons at the top of the page. I was hitting “Save and Exit”, but instead you need to hit the middle on “Step 2: Ballot Summary”. That will take you to a page that gives you the option to submit (it takes a couple of clicks and a lot of wait time).
If you did what I did originally your ballot will be listed as “Pending” and it is not counted. If you never get to a screen that says “Submit Ballot” you haven’t voted.
When I save and exit, I see:
—
EXIT BALLOT
Are you sure you want to exit? Your ballot has been saved, but it has not yet been submitted.
NOTE: Please remember to return and complete your ballot before the voting period ends on April 22, 2005.
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Did you see that screen?