In 2010 the Valley of the Sun will play host to a treasure trove of ACB political talent at our convention in Phoenix. The board of publications again hosts an Internet candidates' page at www.ACB.org.
The candidates' page is a portion of the ACB web site where people declaring candidacy for office have a chance to share their thoughts with the ACB membership. Entries on this page do not constitute nomination for any office. That process doesn't happen until our convention starts. People may campaign for office without submitting entries to the candidates' page. All candidates are asked to respond to a set of questions.
With our convention being held later in July this year, we have extended the deadlines for candidates to get their submissions to us. We are also offering those with social networking and personal web sites a chance to promote their candidacy via our page. But you won't get to take advantage of this great opportunity if you don't submit!
Many members have told us how much they appreciate the opportunity to participate more actively in ACB's democracy because of the early dissemination of information from the online candidates' page.
In 2010, ACB members will elect five people to fill ACB board positions and three to fill positions on the board of publications. The appointed members of the board of publications have developed the following items to be addressed by each candidate.
1. Introduce yourself and talk about your experience within ACB and other organizations.
2. If you could change one thing about ACB, what would it be and why?
3. List three issues you plan to work on should you be elected and how you plan to effect change in those three areas.
Candidates for the board of publications should answer question 1 and may skip questions 2 and 3. Anyone seeking a seat on the board of publications should answer the following questions.
4. What specific talents and experience qualify you for the board of publications?
5. How do you see the role of the board of publications as it relates to ACB's Internet and social networking presence?
In 2010 we encourage candidates to include addresses for any social networking or personal web sites related to their campaigns for ACB national office at the end of their submissions. We will only accept social networking or personal web sites. You may include your e-mail address but no discussion or distribution list addresses. Links will not be live from the page to these sites. This information will not count in the word count of any answer.
Candidates may address each item with a maximum of 300 words. Submit material in any of the following accessible, readable media: hard-copy print or braille, computer disk (in ASCII text, WordPerfect 5.1 or Microsoft Word formats), or via e-mail. Pasting the text into an e-mail message is preferable to sending attachments, but attachments in ASCII text, Microsoft Word or WordPerfect 5.1 will be accepted. Please note that the national office has Word 2003, and is unable to open documents in newer versions of Word. Submissions will not be accepted via telephone, voice mail, audiocassette, or in handwriting.
Note that we will not edit submissions for spelling, grammar, or content. Submissions will be coded into HTML for placement on the web site. It is our webmaster's role to convert documents into HTML; we will not accept submissions which you have coded in this format yourself.
Word counts are based on the total number of words in each answer, with each answer being a maximum of 300 words. Word counts will be determined through the use of Microsoft Word's "word count" feature, in which every word contained in the answer enters into the total word count. Hard-copy submissions will be converted into electronic format then counted. Entries for each answer will terminate at the end of the sentence containing the 300th word.
When submitting answers electronically, candidates should place name, address, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses at the top of the body of the submission. When submitting information in hard copy, place the requested identifying information at the top of the first page and name and a page number at the top of each subsequent page. Place any complete URLs for social networking sites or personal web pages at the end of the submission.
Send completed submissions to the following address: American Council of the Blind Candidates' Page, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. E-mail submissions to [email protected] with "candidates' page" in the subject line.
Time Lines
Submissions should be mailed, either by postal delivery or electronic mail, so that they reach the ACB national office no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on June 15, 2010. When we receive a declared candidate's materials, we will check the membership database to ensure that he or she is a member in good standing. The online candidates' page will be available at the ACB web site as soon after the submission deadline as possible. The pages will be available online no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on June 25, and will remain online at www.ACB.org until the conclusion of convention.
We encourage ACB members who have computer access to share the contents of the candidates' page with members who do not. Anyone who does not have Internet access to the candidates' page may call the ACB national office and request the information in an accessible format. An announcement will go out to all ACB lists when the page is up and ready for viewing.
The board of publications will also host the Candidates' Forum, a live question-and-answer session for all declared candidates, on Thursday of convention week at 7 p.m. Phoenix time, which will be broadcast live on ACB Radio. We want to hear from you! Submit questions in writing to the Communication Center and stay tuned for more details about this exciting event.