Ballot confusion! (Retiree ballots)

From Lenora Wood, April 8, 2009

COLLEAGUES

WHAT GIVES? CAREFUL READING OF OUR BALLOTS TELLS US THAT THEY WILL NOT COUNT IF THE SQUARES BESIDE CANDIDATES NAMES ARE NOT "FILLED IN WITH PENCIL OR BLACK PEN." IN SMALL LETTERS IT IS SHOWN THAT THE (ENTIRE) BOX MUST BE FILLED IN NOT JUST A PORTION OF IT. ALSO, IT SHOWS THAT IF WE MARK OUR BALLOT WITH THE USUAL "X" or "CHECK MARK" IT WILL NOT BE COUNTED EITHER.

BUT... ON THE BACK OF OUR MAIL-BACK ENVELOPE THERE ARE TWO BOXES WITH X's IN THEM, AND ON THE BACK OF THE STRS ENVELOPE THERE IS A BOX WITH A "CHECK MARK" IN IT.THIS IS MISLEADING AND DECEPTIVE.

WE INSIST THAT ALL BALLOTS MARKED WITH WITH AN "X" OR A "CHECK MARK" BE COUNTED ALONG WITH A PARTIALLY FILLED IN SQUARE. EITHER THIS OR A REPRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF BALLOTS TO ALL RETIREES.

CALLS TO MY TELEPHONE CONTACTS INDICATE THAT THEY HADN'T NOTICED THE SMALL-PRINT INSTRUCTIONS AND HAD ALREADY WRONGLY MARKED AND MAILED IN THEIR BALLOTS.

LENORA M WOOD