Frequently Asked Questions about Voting Eligibility
How is it determined if an individual listener is eligible to vote?
To be eligible to vote in the 2012 Local Station Board elections, a listener must have made a minimum contribution of $25 or provided at least three hours of verifiable volunteer work between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2012.
If someone has made a pledge but not paid it by September 1, will they get a ballot?
No. Pledges are not sufficient. Payment (by cash, check or credit card charge) must be completed, and received by the station between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2012.
What about multi-person households?
If a contribution of more than $25 but less than $50 has been made jointly by two or more members of a household, they are entitled to share a single membership and a single vote.
If a joint membership has contributed $50, or more, they are entitled to split the joint membership into individual memberships with one vote for each member up to the multiple of $25 contributed.
Members who gave joint contributions in excess of $50 who wish to make sure their membership gets divided into separate memberships (each with a separate vote) should contact their station to request this. Volunteer hours may not be shared in this manner, but can only count for the individual performing the volunteer work.
What sort of volunteering can count towards the minimum three hours per year for listener-membership?
The volunteer work must be service to the radio station that is under the general supervision of station management. This includes such things as answering phones during the membership drives, staffing a table at an outreach event, and volunteer work on station committees. It does not include such things as merely attending a station event, or efforts that may help the station but are performed independently of station supervision.
What if I believe I have performed the necessary three hours of such volunteer work, but the station records don’t include me as a member?
First try to resolve this with the station management who supervised the volunteer work you performed. If there is still a dispute, you can appeal to the Local Election Supervisor, who will hear from both sides and issue a decision on whether you are eligible to vote in this election. Remember, that you may also qualify by contributing at least $25 to the station before the record date.
What if an individual can't afford the $25 and is unable to offer volunteer help to station?
Listeners with financial and other hardships that prevent them from meeting the minimum requirements may apply for a waiver from the Local Station Board, which may at its discretion grant a waiver. Each Local Station Board is responsible for adopting policies and procedures for reviewing waiver applications. In general, the individual must demonstrate a sincere interest in being a voting member and have genuine hardships that prevent them from contributing either $25 or volunteering as required.
What If a member has contributed to more than one station – can that person vote in more than one station election?
No. Each individual must designate a single station that they wish to be affiliated with for the purposes of voting.
What if I have performed more than 30 hours of volunteer work, such as producing programs, in the past 3 months, does that also qualify me as a Listener-member?
No. Once an individual has performed more than 30 hours of program-type work for the station (not counting answering phones or committee work), under the supervision of station management, that individual enters a different member category, called “unpaid staff.” Such an individual may vote in the staff election for the staff seats of the LSB, but may not vote in the Listener-member election.
Who is eligible to vote in the staff election?
Both full and part-time paid staff, who are not in management positions, are entitled to vote in the staff election. Likewise, unpaid staff as described in the answer to the previous question (who have done more than 30 hours of unpaid work between June 1, 2012 and September 1, 2012 under station management supervision, or are members of a recognized unpaid staff organization) are entitled to vote in the staff election. These paid and unpaid staff may not vote in the Listener-member election, even if they gave more than the $25 minimum donation. Station management and Foundation employees may not vote in the staff election, but may vote in the Listener-member election of a single radio station, if they have made the usual $25 donation to that station. Donations directly to the Foundation, rather than a station, do not count.
