SR - ballots results (long!)

[C.L. Ward]

Donal said:
>In the case of a certain vocal barony, TWO were sent - one to 
>the outgoing seneschal and one to the incoming - sent to the 
>addresses provided by the two people inquestion. 

Donal, I realize that you have to spring to the defense of your lady, but I've
spoken to both Lady Nara, the outgoing Bjornsborg seneschal, and to Lord Dominic,
the new seneschal.  *Neither* received a ballot.  I don't know Dominic well
enough to speak for him, but I've known Nara for a l-o-o-o-n-g time.  She is
extremely efficient and well-organized, and if she says she didn't get it, then
she didn't get it.

Now, I'm perfectly aware that things go astray.  But two of them?  Well, we
can chalk it up to the Post Awful, I guess.

I would recommend, as a peer, that any officer in the SCA who is conducting
business such as this and fails to get an answer should follow up.  It may be
that the business did not arrive as expected (apparently the case here).  It
may be that they have the wrong address, the wrong person, etc.  A follow up
phone call or email would clarify the situation, and then if needed the deadline
could be extended, etc.  Sending the ballots "Registered, Receipt Requested"
would have also provided follow-up, and I'm sure there are other ways to get
the same result.

I also have to mention, as a peer with a duty to advise the Crown, that I'm
advising the Crown that tagging the region with a name right now is extremely
premature.  "Apathy" is the best summation of the response that has been garnered
by this whole process.  Unless a majority of the total population, not just
those who happen to show up at a meeting, are polled, I'm unwilling to accept
any results as valid.  If *all* of the people are not voting, then it's a pretty
sad excuse for a ballot.  

The people in the North didn't really start out with the avowed idea to select
Nordsteorra as a name.  It sort of evolved, from the same joke that used to
call our part of the kingdom "Baja Ansteorra".  Still, it has become a part
of the regional identity of the North.

My personal belief is that we have plenty of strong advocates for the Southern
Region as "the land where Lions roam".  That central imagery, that of the Lion,
is the one constant that everyone agrees on pretty well.  For now, we can rally
behind that Lion.  When the time is right, people will be much more excited
about selecting a name.

I'd consider taking a straw poll at the Southern Regional Event and seeing what
happens then.  You'll always get lots more people at an event than at any set
of meetings.  But even then I wouldn't worry about registering a name.

::GUNNORA::
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