Envelope becomes important in election

I am not used to receiving images of an envelope in my e-mail. To say it was a surprise is probably an understatement.

What’s more, I will bet you are not used to seeing images of envelopes on Page 4, either, but there it is this week. (It’s OK if you want to peek back a page.)

What’s going on?

Well, the American Numismatic Association is taking no chances with this year’s electoral process and that is a very good thing, even if it means we have to examine images of envelopes.

A new president, vice president and seven members of the board of governors will be selected by the membership in a mail-ballot election.

The importance of the election could not be any more clearly underlined than by the presence on Page 1 of a story about the continuing battle between the ANA’s former executive director, Christopher Cipoletti and the board of governors. The current board dismissed Cipoletti.

The next board, which will be sworn in Aug. 8 at the annual convention banquet in Los Angeles will have to move forward from where the present board leaves off.

The reason for the image of the envelope is people remember the last election two years ago. Two things happened then that the ANA is obviously guarding against.

The first thing is that current ANA President Barry Stuppler sent out some election materials in 2007 that some members said might be mistaken for the election ballot.

The second reason is that the ballots seemed slow in coming to many ANA members who were anxious in 2007 to cast their votes.

The online game of “Where’s my ballot?” embarrassed ANA. The new leadership hopes to put that firmly behind them.

Hence, we have images of election ballots. If you see it, you obviously have gotten the real deal in the mail.

Included in this issue is a special three-page section of statements from all of the candidates, starting from the top office and then moving down with the names in alphabetical order.

So the two presidential candidates are listed as Patti A. Jagger Finner followed by Cliff Mishler.

The solo vice presidential candidate Tom Hallenbeck, is then followed by the 14 candidates for governor.

I hope you find this information useful, though I know how easy it can be to just keep turning the pages and going on to something more interesting.

That is a shame. I know all the candidates, some better than others, of course, but they all share a commitment to trying to serve the ANA membership and better the organization.

If you look at nothing else, though, look at the envelope on Page 4. Then in coming years you can regale newcomer ANA members about the importance of that envelope to the 2009 election.

A future ANA member might look at you funny after telling this story, but that probably will be less about the fact that the ANA went through some troubled times and more about technology.

That future member might simply ask: why were you still using mail ballots?