FAIR ELECTIONS? HOW to rig an election without even trying

Apparently fraud is big in HOA elections. Recently in Nevada a huge investigation has ended in jail sentences and death for a number of those involved. Many elections, unless run by third parties, are often not fair--sometimes it is unintentional and sometimes not.

What about our elections?

Electing a Board of Directors to manage the Association is a complex and time consuming process. Despite the best of intentions, sometimes things slip through the cracks, whether it's the qualifications of someone on the ballot or the manner in which votes are collected and tallied. Often, it is inintentional, and often Directors who do not want to lose their grip on your rights fudge things so that they can manipulate an election without really seeming to. 

Our current board may have fudged a bit. We already told you about how they are disqualifying votes that members (not now considered members) who have voted for years, pay their taxes and their dues--now are persona non grata. We already told you Tom LeFever has been told he is not a member. Who is next? Here are some easy ways to "fix" an election.

So the first way to manipulate elections is to disqualify votes you don't want.  Instead of asking Fred and Don, the developers of Hideaway, if they intended for people buying on contract to be voting (which they did) our board interpreted the covenants for their convenience and now a lot of land buyers who last year were considered owners have lost that privilege

The second way to manipulate votes is to "lose" and "find" ballots way after the fact. We saw that after the 2013 elections--After one member won an election with 4 tellers, including 2 impartial students from BYU--the ballots were mysteriously opened MONTHS after the election--recounted--and viola--the man they wanted won. How 'bout that?

A third way to rig elections is to ignore rules and bylaws. For instance, our bylaws state you cannot even run for the board unless you are paid up, "a nominee must be current on his or her assessments before the election" Two of our current trustees were NOT current back then when they were written in on a ballot--so the sitting board just ignored the rule (had an executive session) and let them serve anyway. We don't really know what happened because they didn't provide any records. Not cool guys. If you owed the association money do you think you would be allowed to serve? Apparently only if you are their friend!

The fourth way to manipulate votes is a parlor trick on the ballot itself. Research shows that the people at the top of a ballot are most likely to get votes. That is why incumbents often win because they are listed first on most ballots. The only fair thing is to list names alphabetically and say so on the ballot--so people think about the order before they vote. On this ballot for 2015 trustees Vicki Hill is listed last. Why? With her name, she should be first.

I question the order in which the names appear because I think this board intentionally wants to manipulate not who wins but who doesn't. The last names on the ballot are the ones who talk about protecting members rights. So please read all the platforms carefully--call the candidates who have their numbers listed--get to know them-- I know who I'm voting for, the ones that this board has listed last on the ballots because I think they did it on purpose. Ask yourself why.

Go to the webpage and download a ballot and read about the candidates--don't let a manipulative board continue. 

But whatever you do, please vote. Informed voters make for a better Community.

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