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 familiar to those on both sides of the ocean across the Atlantic. Since that time TAFF has regularly brought North American fans to European conventions and European fans to North American conventions. TAFF exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates are voted on by interested fans all over the world, and each vote is accompanied by a donation of not less than $3 or £2. These votes, and the continued generosity of fandom, are what make TAFF possible.
Who may vote? Voting in the 2003 race is open to anyone who was active in fandom prior to April 2001, and who contributes at least $3 or £2 to the Fund. Larger contributions will be gratefully accepted. Voting is by secret ballot: only one vote per person, and you must sign your ballot. You may change your vote any time prior to the deadline.
Deadline: Votes in this race must reach the administrators by midnight, February 10, 2003.
Voting details: TAFF uses a preferential ballot system which guarantees automatic runoffs until a majority is obtained. You rank the candidates in the exact order of your preference for them. If the leading first-place candidate does not get a majority, the first-place votes for the lowest-ranking candidate are dropped, and the second-place votes on those ballots are counted as first-place votes. This process repeats itself until one candidate has a majority. Your votes for second and third place are important, but you may give your candidate only one ranking on your ballot. In order to win, a candidate must receive at least 20 percent of the first-ballot first-place votes on both sides of the Atlantic, separately. Any candidate failing to receive this minimum percentage on either side will be dropped, and the second-place votes on their ballots counted as first-place votes in the next ballot count. Thus candidates and their supporters will need to canvass fans on both sides of the pond. You may send your ballot to either administrator, but it will be tabulated with the other votes from the side of the Atlantic on which you reside. Votes from fans not resident in either Europe or North America will not count towards either 20 percent minimum, but are important to the outcome of the race.
Hold Over Funds: This choice, like "No Award" in Hugo balloting, gives you the chance to vote for no TAFF trip this year, if the candidates do not appeal. Hold Over Funds may be voted for in any position, and is exempt from the 20 percent requirement; thus, if it receives a majority of the votes on the final ballot, no TAFF trip will be held this year regardless of how many votes Hold Over Funds received on the first ballot.
No Preference: For voters who prefer not to choose between candidates, but don't want the trip held over.
Donations: TAFF gratefully accepts your freely given money and material for auction; such generosity has sustained the Fund for over 45 years. TAFF is fandom's oldest travel fund, and one of its worthiest causes Ð give early and often! Please contact your nearest administrator for details.
Candidates: Each candidate has posted a bond, promising barring Acts of God to travel to Seacon '03, the 54th Annual British National Science Fiction Convention, in Hinckley, Leicestershire, April 18-21, 2003, if elected; and has provided signed nominations and a platform (overleaf).
Please read both sides of this ballot before voting. Send entire sheet as your vote.
Name: ______________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
Phone or e-mail (we do not list or exchange this information):
____________________________________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________________
[ __ ] Check here if you are paying via PayPal. No more than two votes will be accepted per paying address. Your e-mail address (listed above) MUST correspond exactly to the address of the e-mail payment.
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Enclosed is ________ as a contribution to TAFF. Please make checks, etc., payable to "Victor Gonzalez" or "Tobes Valois," not to "TAFF," and in the currency of the administrator's country. If you think your name may not be known to the administrators, then in order to qualify your vote, please give, in the space below, the name and address of an active fan (not a fan group, a candidate or their nominator) who is known to them and to whom you are known:
side 1 ends; side 2 begins
Randy Byers
I'm not an old fan and tired, but I'm approaching middle age and feeling a little worn around the edges. I look across the Atlantic and see a veritable fountain of fanac (not to mention fetishism) erupting over there, and I want to discover the source of it and seek restoration. Better yet if the source is the local ale, which I've heard is almost as good as Seattle's. Most of all, I want to hang out with my British friends, meet the folks I've read about, and tell entertaining lies about it later. Nominators: Jae Leslie Adams, Eve Harvey, Robert Lichtman, Yvonne Rowse, and Ted White.
Colin Hinz
In 1990 I visited a few London-area fans during a stopover prior to ConFiction, and had a lovely time. Ten years later I visited London again, broadening my fannish experiences with more visiting and a few pub nights, and having an even better time. Additionally, I've been absolutely delighted by the numerous fanzines I received from over the pond. So overall, I think I'm well-versed in Britfannish ways, though my experiences are still incomplete Ð and thus, my enthusiasm for attending Eastercon.
And in return, paying forward to fandom for considering my candidacy, I'm jump-starting my return to paper fanac. Hurrah! Nominators: Sandra Bond, Nic Farey, Sue Mason, Jon Singer, and Steve Stiles.
Mike Lowrey
After mumblety-some years in fandom, I'm still a shamelessly goshwowoboy, sensawunder FIAWOL fan. I've pubbed zines; served on concoms; reviewed SF professionally; contributed to rec.arts.sf.fandom and various lists; married Cicatrice at X-Con (21 happy years); even done some "fringe" stuff (filking; gaming; SCA).
I still read the stuff anyway.
But I've never been to British cons. I'd like to experience more of these strange beings that speak to me over the wires and in fanzines. Ideally, I'd like to go farther, if money permits; Sferakon's a week after Eastercon, right?
Oh, yeah: I wear orange. Nominators: Arthur D. Hlavaty, Andy Hooper, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Dave Langford, and Vicki Rosenzweig.
Curt Phillips
I'm a traditional "books and writers" kind of fan. To me the heart of fandom is described in the writings of Willis, Berry, Tucker and White, and though it's changed, our foundation is still there and I stand upon it with you. I believe in a fandom united not by ideas themselves, but by the expression of ideas and the joy we find in the well written word. I believe in the people of fandom. I've never been to Europe but I want to meet the fans there and come home to write about them. Trip report? Count on it! Nominators: Julian Headlong, Joyce Katz, Rich & Nicki Lynch, Greg Pickersgill, and Bob Tucker.
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Please read and fill out both sides of this sheet. Send in entire sheet as your vote. Do not detach this portion!I vote for (rank 1, 2, 3, etc.):
[ __ ] Randy Byers
[ __ ] Colin Hinz
[ __ ] Mike Lowrey
[ __ ] Curt Phillips
[ __ ] Hold Over Funds
[ __ ] No Preference
Send ballot & donation to (see reverse for PayPal info):
Victor Gonzalez, 263 Elm Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
Tobes Valois, Les Pepins, Rouette a Pierre, St. Lawrence, Jersey, Channel Islands, JE3 1JF, UK
Reproduction of this form is encouraged. It is the official voting vehicle and must be reproduced verbatim. Anyone doing so should substitute their name here: Dave Langford