RE: Pay to vote

[E L Wimett <SILVERDRAGON@Charleston.Net>]

Poster: E L Wimett <SILVERDRAGON@Charleston.Net>

I would be STRONGLY opposed to this measure.  

In many baronies some of the most important contributors
do not have paid memberships either because of $$$ issues or
as a matter of principle (due to disagreements over national issues).

I have lived in areas where people drew lots to determine who would 
buy memberships afat hmembership was required for office. The others
worked just as hard and were just as devoted, but they had real problems
with Board policies at the time.  (Ask old timers about the computer
boondoggles!!!)

I have also lived in and heard of areas where at least half of the folk 
who are always there to help at demos, clean up afat hevents, etc. 
do not have paid memberships.  When time came to do a polling, certain
individuals bought associate memberships for a large number of inactive folk
or folk who had never been to an event or meeting, hoping to "stuff the 
ballot box".  (Sadly, in some cases those attempts were successful, 
particularly when royalty bought into the canard that those who do not
have paid membership are "freeloaders".)

Alisoun

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