1983-84 TAFF Ballot

What is TAFF? The Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular fans across the Atlantic. Since that time, TAFF has regularly sent North American fans to European conventions and brought European fans to North America. TAFF exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates are voted for by interested fans all over the world, and each vote is accompanied by a donation of not less than 50p ($1.00). These votes, and the continued interest and generosity of fandom, are what makes TAFF possible.

Who may vote? Voting is open to anyone who was active in fandom (clubs, fanzines, conventions, etc) prior to August 1982, and who contributes at least 50p ($1.00) to the fund. Contributions in excess of the minimum will be gratefully accepted. Only one vote per person is allowed -- no proxy votes -- and you must sign your ballot. Details of voting will be kept secret. Write-in candidates are permitted. Postal orders, money orders, and cheques should be made payable to the appropriate administrator, not to TAFF.

Deadline: Votes must reach the administrators by 30th April, 1984.

Voting details: TAFF uses the Australian ballot system, which guarantees an automatic run-off and a majority win. You rank the candidates in the exact order you wish to vote. If the leading first-place candidate does not get a majority, the first-place votes of the lowest ranking candidate are dropped, and the second-place votes on those ballots are counted. This process goes on until one candidate has a majority. It is therefore important to vote for second and third place and onwards on your ballot. It is also a waste of time to put any name in more than one place.

Hold Over Funds: This choice, similar to 'No Award' in Hugo balloting, gives the voter the chance to vote for no TAFF trip should the candidates not appeal to him/her, or if he/she feels that TAFF should slow down its trip frequency. 'Hold Over Funds' may be voted for in any position you wish.

Donations: TAFF needs continuous donations of money, and material to be auctioned, in order to exist. If you are ineligible to vote, or do not feel qualified to vote, why not donate anyway? Just as important as donations is publicity -- in fanzines, letters, convention booklets, and by word of mouth -- to increase voter participation.

Candidates: Each candidate has promised -- barring acts of God -- to travel to the 1984 Worldcon in Los Angeles if elected, and has posted bond and provided signed nominations and a platform, which are reproduced overleaf along with the ballot.

Send ballots and contributions to:

European Administrator

North American Administrator

Kevin Smith
53 Altrincham Road
Gatley
Cheshire, SK8 4EL
England

Avedon Carol
4409 Woodfield Road
Kensington
MD 20895
U.S.A.

Reproductions of this form are encouraged provided the text is reproduced verbatim. Anyone reproducing it should substitute their own name(s) below.

This version produced by Kevin Smith
[HTML conversion by Dave Langford]

side 2:

1983-84 TAFF BALLOT

Rob Hansen

Obviously, something called 'TAFF' should be won by a Welshman, and as the only Welsh candidate I'm your man! Not only that: as a fan active since 1975 (contributor of artwork and writing to innumerable fanzines; editor of the NOVA award winning fanzine Epsilon) and long interested in American fandom, I am well-suited to rpresent British fandom at the 1984 Worldcon. Having enjoyed meeting the American fans to visit Britain recently I want to discover what they're like on their home ground -- the truth behind the tales told by previous visitors. I mean, they can't really be like that....

NOMINATED BY: Harry Bell, Mike Glicksohn, Dave Langford, Arthur Thomson and Ted White.

D. West

D. West would be quite happy to stay at home, since he considers that most of American fandom falls into two categories: Worthy but Dull, or Worthless and Dull. However, he feels that retaliation is long overdue for the practice of American women coming over here and stealing all our men, and also that just for once TAFF voters should be offered a real choice instead of the usual selection of eager wimps. If elected he will not give speeches, attend banquets, appear on panels, or wear funny badges. His Trip Report will either be very long or very short.

NOMINATED BY: Jim Barker, John Harvey, John Jarrold, Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden and Tom Weber Jr.


I VOTE FOR (list 1-2-3)

( ___ ) Rob Hansen

( ___ ) D. West

( ___ ) Hold Over Funds

SIGNATURE:

NAME & ADDRESS:



Enclosed is .......... as a contribution to TAFF -- cheques etc payable to Kevin Smith or Avedon Carol, please, not to TAFF. If you think your name might not be known to the administrators, then in order to qualify for voting please give the name and address of a fan or fan group to whom you are well known:


PLEASE READ VOTING INFORMATION OVERLEAF