2018 Advisory Board Elections
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In 2018, NASPA is holding an election for three members of its Advisory Board (AB).
The composition of the AB over the years under NASPA is available at this website.
Contents
Electoral Districts
This year’s election will elect members in:
- US Northeast: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
- US Midwest: IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI
- Canada: Any Canadian NASPA member in good standing
Nominees
US Northeast
| Candidate | Candidate Statement |
|---|
US Midwest
| Candidate | Candidate Statement |
|---|---|
| Wes Underwood
|
My name is Wes Underwood. I’ve been playing club and tournament SCRABBLE with NASPA Club #518 in La Grange Park (IL) since late 2009. I was hooked after just one visit, when Director Tom Tremont welcomed me and provided a brief tour of tournament SCRABBLE, the Cheat Sheet, and Zyzzyva. I was recently certified as a NASPA Director and I’ve run two tournaments. I just want others to enjoy the game and our NASPA community! On the Advisory Board, I would work to protect and advance SCRABBLE and NASPA for the benefit of all who enjoy it, and I would be open to the opinions of others. Administration and detail is my thing. I ask questions and seek appropriate solutions to problems. I listen to others and think through issues. I have a background of administrative experience in tournament chess. For many years I ran a club and served as an officer in the Chicago Industrial Chess League (CICL). I compete in the International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF), where I am also a Tournament Director. I earned the ICCF International Arbiter award and currently sit on the ICCF Appeals Committee. I have also served on the Elder Council at my church. If I’m not playing SCRABBLE it’s probably only because I’m working (as a CPA at a bank in Chicago), tending my garden, birdwatching, playing correspondence chess, or admiring my new granddaughter! Feel free to reach out to me (w.underwood@ameritech.net) anytime. |
Canada
| Candidate | Candidate Statement |
|---|---|
| Jackson Smylie
|
I believe in a positive future for SCRABBLE and am seriously invested in everything to do with SCRABBLE's success. You can expect me to be open-minded, fair-minded, and analytical in every decision I make! |
Voting
Voting will take place from June 3–30 inclusive, Eastern Time. Votes will be accepted by paper or electronically. Any current NASPA member can vote for (at most) one candidate for each of the three contested seats, regardless of the region of residency.
Paper votes may be sent to NASPA by postal mail, and must arrive during the voting period to be accepted. Paper votes are not anonymous and must identify the voter and their vote.
Electronic votes should be made through the Member Services link at the NASPA website. Electronic votes will be anonymous, except inasmuch as a skilled person with access to the NASPA server could eventually reconstruct voting information.
The winner of each election will be determined by plurality. If an election ends in a tie, a lottery or coin toss will be used to break the tie.
Winners will be announced at the beginning of July, as soon as the votes are tabulated.
Any disputes about the elections process will be decided by the AB, excluding those members running for reelection.
Nominations
Electoral candidates must meet all of the following criteria:
- They must be a NASPA member in good standing.
- They must accept the nomination during the nomination period of May 1–31, 2018.
- They must be at least 21 years of age.
- They must be prepared to comply with the obligations of NASPA committee members.
- They must submit a platform statement.
They do not need to be a certified director, have a high tournament rating or serve on another committee, but neither do these qualifications exclude them. Incumbent members may stand for reelection.
Nomination Process
Nominations will take place from May 1–31 inclusive, Eastern Time.
To nominate yourself, send your name and platform statement to info@scrabbleplayers.org.
To nominate someone else, send the candidate's name to info@scrabbleplayers.org. Nominated candidates will be contacted by the AB and asked if they agree to run. If so, they will be asked to send their platform statements.
Platform Statement
A platform statement is a brief statement that describes a candidate's qualifications, background, platform, and any other information that might be of use to voters, for posting to this webpage.
You can view the platform statements of previous candidates here.
“Good Standing”
For the purposes of this election, a NASPA member is considered to be in good standing if:
- Their membership has been valid since the beginning of the 2016 North American SCRABBLE Championship - August 6, 2016
- Their membership will be valid at least through the end of the 2018 North American SCRABBLE Championship - August 8, 2018
- They have not been under suspension at any time since the beginning of the 2016 North American SCRABBLE Championship - August 6, 2016
Background Information
The AB acts as a liaison between the membership and the Executive Committee (EC), helps the EC decide matters of policy, and adjudicates appeals on decisions made by other committees.
AB members should possess:
- Good communication skills
- The ability to work well in a group situation
- A willingness to make tough decisions on sensitive or controversial issues
AB members serve a 2-year term. The upcoming term runs from the 2018 North American SCRABBLE Championship (NASC) to the 2020 NASC.
Most AB business is conducted during monthly conference calls and over email which AB members are expected to participate in. Also, many AB members take on additional projects.