The Official Voice of Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. ®
An organization chartered by the U.S. Congress
March/April 2003
ELECTION COMMITTEE REPORTAnd So It Starts
BY JOHN KAHLER, CHAIR Vietnam Veterans of America will conduct its election of all National Officer and Board positions during the 11th National VVA Convention. This convention will be held from July 29 to August 3, 2003, in St. Louis, Missouri. All prospective candidates were required to submit a Letter of Intent to the VVA Election Committee by March 15.
POSITIONS OPEN FOR ELECTION
VVA National President, VVA National Vice-president, VVA National Secretary, VVA National Treasurer, VVA National Board of Directors (At-large) [All Ten Seats], VVA National Board of Directors (Regional) [All Nine Seats].
TERM OF OFFICE
All National Officer and National Board positions are for terms of two years, beginning at the close of the 2003 VVA National Convention, through the close of the 2005 Convention.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligible candidates submitted their Letters of Intent to the Election Committee by March 15.
CANDIDATES' PACKETS
The Election Committee will mail Candidates' Packets to those candidates who submitted Letters of Intent. To avoid possible loss or destruction of these packets, they will be sent via Certified Mail-Return Receipt Requested.
These packets contain information, instructions, and rules regarding the conduct of the election process that are of vital importance to every candidate. Included in these packets will be some forms. Candidates are required to complete them and return them to the Election Committee.
Note: The Candidates' Packet will include a Cut-off Date Calendar listing specific events and dates that are very important to each candidate's campaign. Failure to meet any of the deadlines will be grounds for disqualification.
CONDUCT OF CAMPAIGNS
(1) Candidates may not use the VVA National Logo or Flag, nor that of any State Council or Chapter in or on their campaign materials. Campaign materials include (but are not limited to) buttons, pins, brochures, and the like. A photograph of a candidate wearing his or her VVA National, State Council, or Chapter lapel pin is acceptable. Additionally, a photograph of a candidate who is wearing a coat, jacket, shirt, or hat that has a VVA National, State Council, or Chapter logo on it is also acceptable.
(2) Candidates may not solicit or accept campaign contributions in any form from VVA, or from any VVA State Council or Chapter. Campaign contributions include (but are not limited to) money, paper, envelopes, postage, free printing, free phone calls, use of web sites, or e-mail.
(3) Candidates may not solicit or accept any campaign endorsement from VVA, any VVA State Council, Chapter, their newsletters, newspapers, web sites, or electronic mail sites.
(4) Candidates may solicit and accept campaign contributions and endorsements from any member of VVA, provided that any contributions or endorsements are not in violation of Rules 2 and 3 above and any written endorsements are on the individual's personal stationery. It is strictly prohibited for any person to use VVA National, State Council, or Chapter letterhead stationery, web, or electronic mail sites for the purposes of writing letters of endorsement for a candidate.
(5) A candidate's own web site or electronic mail may be used to campaign, but the restrictions listed in Rules 1-4 above remain in effect.
It is neither the wish nor the intention of the VVA Election Committee to inundate candidates with unnecessary red tape in order for them to have their names on the 2003 VVA National Election Ballot. There are, however, certain procedural steps that must be followed by all candidates in order to keep the election process within the guidelines of the VVA National Constitution and to make the process fair and even for all candidates.
The rules, instructions, and requirements set down in this announcement, as well as those that will follow in the Candidates' Packets, are easy to read, understand, and follow. Therefore, the failure of a candidate to play by the rules or meet the requirements of the VVA National Constitution and the Election Committees will be cause for that candidate to be disqualified and his or her name removed from the ballot.
The VVA Election Committee welcomes those members who are about to step forward and take part in a most important part of VVA, the election of the Officers and Board Members who will guide VVA for the next two years.
MEMBERS OF THE 2003 ELECTION COMMITTEE
John Kahler, Chair, 713-794-3662 (w), 832-216-6368 (cell); Scott DeArmen; Jill Mishkel; and Cheryl Nicol.
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