[Steppes] Baronial Succession Pages and Polling form

[Diane Rudin]

--- Barbara W <alysd38 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> May I point out that this is not a  VOTE but a POLLING.  We are not voting
> for the next B&B, but giving our opinion to Their Majesties.  

I've been hearing this phrase for years in the peerage circles.  It is
inaccurate.  This is a common misconception and misunderstanding about the
meaning of the words "poll" and "polling".  A "poll" is a means of collecting
*votes*.  We go to "polling" places to vote in elections.  The most ancient
meaning of "poll" is "the head of a man or beast"; it later became transferred
to the act of counting heads, and therefore votes.  (Oxford English Dictionary,
Compact Edition, p. 2228-2229; Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, p. 1159)

It is, however, quite true that their Majesties are not bound by the results of
the voting to choose the person we chose.  Therefore, technically, what we're
doing is casting a "non-binding" vote.  One can also think of it as an opinion
survey if that communicates the idea.

And as far as the form is concerned, there's plenty of white space, and if one
wants to express the opinion "none of the above" or "Donald and Daisy Duck",
one is free to do so.  I've never let my ability to express my opinions be
limited by the form with which I'm presented.  I just believe that in this
case, it's pointless.  It would be more helpful and constructive, as her
Excellency Alys pointed out, to write their Majesties a letter explaining why
one feels that way.

It's also worth pointing out that one doesn't *have* to designate three people
if one doesn't want to.  If one only supports two candidates, or one, just put
down those.

Far more important to this process than putting numbers on a form is *writing a
letter* to the Crown to let them know your personal views as to the strengths
and weaknesses of each candidate.  When I judge a piece of artwork using the
Ansteorran A&S Static Arts Judging Form, I am less concerned with the numbers
than the commentary I'm writing.  The numbers are meaningless without context.

--Serena

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