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. Interested fans all over the world vote on the candidates, and each vote is accompanied by a donation (now 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 2014 race is open to anyone who was active in fandom prior to April 2012, and who contributes at least $3 or £2 to the Fund. Larger contributions will be gratefully accepted. There is only one vote counted per person; you must have provided enough information for us to validate that vote if necessary. You may change your vote at any time prior to the deadline by voting again, and the last vote you send us is the one that will be counted.
Deadline: Votes in this race must reach the administrators by 11.59 p.m. (23:59) PST on 22nd April 2014. (This is 07.59 a.m. in the UK on 23rd April.)
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% of the first-ballot first-place votes on each side of the Atlantic. 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% 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% 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 50 years. TAFF is fandom’s oldest travel fund, and one of its worthiest causes – 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, if elected, to Loncon 3 (the 2014 Worldcon: http://loncon3.org), and has provided validated nominations and a platform.
Send your ballot and donation to:
North America – Jacqueline Monahan, 2991 El Cajon Street, Las Vegas, NV 89169, United States. (Checks payable to: Jacqueline Monahan. Email jaxn8r at msn dot com with any questions / comments.)
Europe – Jim Mowatt, 273 The Rowans, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6ZA, UK. (Cheques payable to: TAFF. Email jim@umor.co.uk with any questions.)
Reproduction of this form is encouraged. It is the official voting vehicle and must be reproduced verbatim. Online voting (via PayPal) also available at http://tafftrip.com/taff-voting-using-paypal/
For more information on TAFF, visit:http://taff.org.uk/ Anyone reproducing this form should substitute his or her name here: Jacqueline Monahan.2014 TAFF Ballot – North America to Europe
Brad and Cindy Foster
Why Brad and Cindy? Because they are one mind in two bodies. (They wish they had two minds, but that’s asking too much.) Because between them they have covered almost all the fannish bases. And, because this is probably the only way they will ever get to see London. He draws pictures – lots of them, and has lived the life fannish through zines and locs. (A paper-person.) She has been social (a people-person) through conventions and conversations. He’ll have to look you up in his files to remember which zine you pub, but she’ll remember your name, face, and family history.
Nominators: Mike Glyer (US), Andy Hooper (US), Steven Silver (US), David Langford (UK), Yvonne Rowse (UK).
Curt Phillips
I am a fan. I guess I always have been; I think I always will be. I’ve collected more science fiction than I’ll ever have time to read, but I keep on collecting more. I’ve written for and published fanzines; I’m the OE of FAPA. Have done many other fannish things in my time, both usual and unusual. But I’ve never traveled outside America. I’d very much to meet some of the wonderful fans in the UK and from across Europe as your TAFF delegate, and then come home to write about my adventures for you.
Please support TAFF! Vote!Nominators: Randy Byers (US), Ulrika O’Brien (US), John Purcell (US), Claire Brialey (UK), Pat Charnock (UK).
Randy Smith
Fandom is a conversation that began in the letter columns of the 1920s pulps and now extends around the world. As active participants in that conversation, we can look for new ways to expand, strengthen, and create new and divergent paths of exchange. We truly never know where it will take us. The TAFF delegate to LonCon 3 will be able to contribute in some small and unforeseen ways to that creative conversation. I would be honored if that person were me. I also promise a speedy appearance of my trip report.
Nominators: Christopher J. Garcia (US), Mark Olson (US), Kevin Standlee (US), Colin Harris (UK), Patrick McMurray (UK).
I vote for (rank 1, 2, 3, etc.):
[__] Brad and Cindy Foster
[__] Curt Phillips
[__] Randy Smith
[__] No Preference
[__] Hold Over FundsName:
Address:
Phone number or email address:
(We need your contact details. TAFF may need to contact you regarding your ballot or to send out newsletters. We do not publish this data or pass it to any other organisation.)
Enclosed is __________ as my voting fee / contribution to TAFF.
If you think your name may not be known to the administrators, then 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:
Additional non-mandatory information – Please tell us a little about your vote. Did you vote at a convention or via PayPal or as the result of a mailshot?