Members can cast their online balloting for AAPG officers beginning next month, continuing an electronic voting option first used in 2004. Also, the Executive Committee voted to mail paper ballots as well, giving members a choice in the manner of voting.
Watch for the online ballot availability on www.aapg.org.
E-voting was perceived as a possible factor in garnering a higher percentage of members voting for Executive Committee positions last year.
Last year a total of 6,644 ballots were cast of the 17,501 possible votes from Active AAPG members. Of those, 2,035 ballots were cast via the Internet and 4,609 were mailed on paper ballots. Last year was the first time members had the option of using either method of voting.
That compares with a total of 4,836 ballots cast in 2003; 5,615 in 2002; and 5,138 in 2001.
The use of the new technology is hoped to make it easier for all members to vote, and preclude the necessity of non-U.S. members to pay postage to submit their ballot.
As part of the transition process to an all-electronic ballot in the future, printed ballots were mailed to all eligible voters. The same regime is being followed this year, with an eye to all-electronic voting in the future.
Survey & Ballot Systems Inc., in Eden Prairie, Minn., will again handle the printing, Web technology and ballot counting. Last year an AAPG member monitored the ballot collection and counting process.
Each printed ballot and logon code are matched to preclude the counting of more than one vote. If both a printed ballot and an electronic ballot are case, the printed ballot will be the one tallied. The codes on the paper and electronic ballots are exclusive to each other and are not linked to the identity of the member, ensuring voter anonymity.
All ballots should be cast and paper ballots received at the address provided by May 15. Results will be posted on www.aapg.org and will appear in the June EXPLORER.
Information on this year’s slate of candidates can be found in a special insert at page 14-15 of this issue.