Based on this experience, I want to express my support for most portions of
our existing election process. My primary argument is most students and
many FCAS' are not familiar enough with candidates and issues to make a
fully informed decision on electing candidates. Only after the last year of
extensive work with the bodies do I consider myself to be a reasonably
informed voter, but I still do not know most potential candidates. Roger
Haynes wrote,
"We should have nothing to fear in making the selection of our
leaders more the responsibility of our members and not just that of the
board and the nominating committee."
I do have fear of a totally open election process because I trust the more
informed nominating committee to nominate candidates that will serve the CAS
well. Irene Bass (I believe she is the correct member from the panel of
former CAS presidents) summarized this idea well during the 1999 Annual
Meeting when she described being CAS President as a position of total
service for which one should not campaign. Since this position required
great sacrifice by the CAS member and his/her employer, the nominating
committee works hard to find an experienced CAS volunteer who has the time
and the supportive employer to best serve the CAS. I do not consider it
feasible for me as a CAS voter to become this informed to vote between CAS
nominees for president-elect. I would extend my argument to not wanting to
vote for CAS Vice-Presidents either.
Since the CAS Board is the true decision-making body of our profession, I
would endorse maintaining open elections and the idea of requiring position
statements on key issues. While I still will struggle with being informed
enough to make a sound decision, this is the moment when I as a CAS member
must expend the effort to make myself adequately informed. To the extent
the we required candidates to provide more information, this should improve
the process.
Visit the CAS Web Site at http://www.casact.org
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