Elections Page

MNPS ELECTION SUMMARY FOR 2011 -- NEEDMORE VOTES!

Society Secretary and Principal member of the Electoral College, Patrick Plantenberg, reported the 2011 MNPS election results at the MNPS Annual Meeting.

Patrick reporte that the new officers, elected almost unanimously, included incumbents Dave Hanna (President), Jenny Tolllefson (Treasurer), and Judy Hutchins (Western-At-Large Representative).

This year’s gracious host, the Maka Flora Chapter, won the $100 prize for the chapter with the highest percentage of votes—again. Maka Flora has won the contest seven out of the last nine years. The 2010 winners, the Kelsey Chapter, came in second.

 Overall membership in the MNPS was down slightly from 2010, dropping from 698 to 686 members, and down from the record high 833 members in 2008. Much to the dismay of the MNPS Election Committee, the number of voters was down in 2011 with only 99 members voting, compared to 111 in 2010. The voters east of the divide beat the western voters. West-of-the-divide voters have never won this competition. Helena continues to be the city with the most voters—an honor they may never lose.

Jeanette Barnes from Butte; Karen Shelly, Beth Wright and Mary Lawrence from Missoula; and Sara Toubman from Helena cast the first ballots on April 9. Norm and Cathy Weeden from Bozeman were the last members to vote on June 14.

MNPS members from California asked for more detailed analysis of out-of-state “votering” in a “posthumorous” letter submitted to the Election Committee from a former governor of California and President of the U.S.

Much to the delight of the MNPS Public Perception Committee, MNPS members again used plant stamps more than patriotic stamps in 2011. The MNPS Electoral College thanks all MNPS members who voted.

See you in 2012 when we will tally your vote!