Vote now!!!

Hello everyone.

As you know -I hope- there is a postal ballot as to whether WSDC should abolish the "x+1 rule" which prohibits former WSDC debaters from judging at the WSDC championship immediately following the one in which they debated as school students. That subsequent championship can occur any time between 6-18 months after the championship at which they debated. Currently, they have to wait until the championship after that, hence the name "x plus 1."

This issue was discussed at length in the adjudication working group, the emails of which you can still read if you subscribe to the topica mailing lists and search through the group archive. As a result of a series of motions proposed by South Africa and seconded by Greece, a postal ballot has been convened so that we can resolve the issue one way or the other before the next WSDC Championship at Dundee in August 2011.

The ballot closes on 21 June 2011, which means at midnight on 21 June 2011 in your nation (midnight being just before 22 June begins!) Ballots are to be sent to our trusty secretary Hayah Eichler at hayah.eichler@gmail.com

Some nations have already voted. The Executive Committee thanks them for doing so and acknowledges receipt of their ballots. However, a large number has not voted. As at this morning the nations from which Hayah had NOT received ballots were:

Argentina
Bangladesh
Bermuda
Botswana
Chile
Indonesia
Ireland
Japan
Mongolia
Namibia
Peru
Qatar
Sweden
USA

I apologise if some of you have in fact sent Hayah your ballot in the meantime, but for those of you who haven't, I do invite you to have your say and cast your vote. We will welcome your ballot whether you wish to say "yes" or "no" or "abstain". We value your contribution to the decision-making process.

If you have lost or have not received the ballot papers please contact Hayah at the address above and she will only be too happy to send ballots and accompanying explanatory documents to you. If you are not your nation's delegate but you know who is, contact them and encourage them to vote.

Thanks for reading this. And...VOTE NOW!!!

Kind regards,

Claire Ryan
Chairperson
WSDC Executive Committee