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Your Vote Counts

by Deb Cook Lewis

As members of the American Council of the Blind, we are responsible for electing a slate of individuals to provide leadership as officers, board members and the board of publications. ACB was unable to conduct elections in 2020, so at this year’s ACB convention, we will be electing all 5 ACB officers, five members of the ACB Board of Directors, and the three elected members of the Board of Publications. And with so many elections, there are likely to be a few vacated positions up for grabs as well. Here are important dates to remember with an explanation following:

  • May 31: Submissions for the candidates’ web page are due.
  • June 15: Candidates’ web pages are posted and announced. Candidates’ radio promos (optional) are due.
  • June 29: first Candidates’ Forum on Zoom and ACB Radio.
  • June 30: second Candidates’ Forum on Zoom and ACB Radio.

The ACB Candidates’ Web Page

If you plan to run for any ACB elected position, the ACB Candidates’ Page is where you can introduce yourself, post links to your social media pages, and provide responses to the following questions. (Please note: Your response to each question will be cut off at 300 words; the BOP will not edit your responses for spelling or grammar.)

  1. Introduce yourself, indicate which position you seek, and explain why you wish to serve in this position.
  2. What do you consider to be your strongest contribution to ACB at either the national, state, special-interest affiliate or local chapter level and why?
  3. What do you consider to be the most important challenge facing ACB? How will you work to address it?

Instructions for Candidates’ Page Submissions

  1. You must be an ACB member in good standing.
  2. Submissions must be in hard-copy braille, hard-copy print, Word document, text file, or in the body of an email.
  3. Email electronic submissions to [email protected] with the subject line “Candidates’ Page Submission.” Or mail print, braille and electronic submissions on a thumb drive to: American Council of the Blind, Attn: Candidates’ Page, 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311.
  4. The deadline for all Candidates’ Page submissions is May 31, 2021 at 4 p.m. Eastern. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.
  5. All candidates who submit information will also be invited to produce a promotional announcement to air on ACB Radio.

Get to Know the Candidates at the Candidates’ Forum

This year, because we expect so many candidates, there will be two Candidates’ Forums. All candidates who post information to the ACB Candidates’ Page will be invited to participate in one of two ACB Candidates’ Forums to be held June 29 and 30 at 9 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Pacific) via Zoom and ACB Radio. Join us at both of these sessions to meet the candidates, to ask questions and hear their responses. Please note: You must register as a candidate on the ACB Candidates’ Page in order to participate in the ACB Candidates’ Forum as a candidate.

Remember that every ACB member will be able to vote even if they are not attending the 2021 conference and convention. Participating in the Candidates’ Web Page and Candidates’ Forum will be very important in reaching our membership!