Reassigning your AOPA proxy

Lindberg said:
What problem would online voting solve that having proxies doesn't?
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Proxies have to be voted by a person in attendance. Having any real effect would require soliciting 30,000 proxies from members assigned to a few people who would attend. The board gathers proxies during membership renewal and via the AOPA website, methods inaccessible to the rank & file, giving the board a tremendous advantage. In fact, the board threatened legal action against the “Save AOPA” website and forced its closure, so good luck trying to organize a proxy agency of some sort.

The AOPA could establish an independent proxy agent that could vote in accordance with member direction. Many companies are using proxyvote.com to do this. There are other methods.

The board claims to have been working on a revision to the bylaws since 2024. In that time, they haven’t even investigated a practical method for the members to vote. That says to me they have no interest in empowering the membership.
 
Proxies issued to board members only reinforce the board positions. Basically it allows members to be complacent and inattentive to issues at hand. A complacent membership typically doesn’t help the members’ best interests. A proxy vote is better served if it is issued to another member that holds the same position as the one issuing the proxy. If there were a membership contingent that agreed to have a single member represent them-similar to the representative for the group-this would help move along true membership interests. That is the difference: electronic voting gives every member an actual vote.

It sounds like Luke’s non-committal might be a recognition of some of the potential difficulties in implementing the program. There is no way to guarantee this method can be implemented without other trustees being influenced to do so. It’s not a matter of talking to one or two trustees. Rather there needs to be the kind of uprising that occurred after the Pleasance termination. I don’t think most members were thinking forward to electronic voting as a potential solution to the disconnect.

Right now, everyone who pulled their proxy votes needs someone to vote for them. Without that, the board does have the power-because that power was handed to them through the revocation of proxy approvals and the inability to have all of the members physically in one place to vote in person. Can we at least have someone that can voice our concerns and cast our votes through a proxy? Again, Half Fast, I’d like to know if you are going to the meeting and if You would be willing to cast my vote. It seems that you have a grasp on what needs to be done. As long as you don’t give up, it could really help provide a voice for a large portion of the membership. If you aren’t going, can you recommend someone that could represent similar thinking members?
 
No, I’m not planning to attend. This meeting’s outcomes are predetermined and the proposed bylaws updates are still in progress and won’t be settled until fall.

I suspect that Luke knows there’s no board support for enabling membership voting, but if he was in favor, as chair he could advocate for it and open the curtain to let members see which board members oppose it. He’s not doing that. Nothing but soothing talk meant to placate the angry mob.

Just to illustrate the problem - there were only two board members at the AOPA town hall meeting at SNF. Board members do not have (name)@aopa.org email addresses like staff members. This board is out of touch with the membership, is not interested in member input, and is unwilling to change.
 
I agree-the board is out of touch, but giving up won’t help.

Doesn’t the FAA call this attitude “resignation”?
 
I propose that we nominate @Half Fast to attend the meeting and we give him our proxy.

That would be better than mail-in-voting. Look how much angst that causes in National Elections. We could even take up a collection to pay his per-diem.
And I'll personally buy him a bottle of what I am drinking right now.
 
IPS-Legacy said:
I agree-the board is out of touch, but giving up won’t help.

Doesn’t the FAA call this attitude “resignation”?
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Who’s giving up? I will continue to engage, at least until my membership expires at the end of the year. If there’s no positive motion by then I might just say “buh-bye!” I don’t see a need to pay dues to an organization that ignores me.
 
Half Fast said:
Proxies have to be voted by a person in attendance. Having any real effect would require soliciting 30,000 proxies from members assigned to a few people who would attend. The board gathers proxies during membership renewal and via the AOPA website, methods inaccessible to the rank & file, giving the board a tremendous advantage. In fact, the board threatened legal action against the “Save AOPA” website and forced its closure, so good luck trying to organize a proxy agency of some sort.
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That's an access problem. If you can't reach 30,000 to collect proxies, how will you reach 30,000 people to get them to vote the way you want? And online voting only gets you votes for items the board puts up for a vote in advance. If you want to have any impact at the actual meeting, you can only do that with proxies. I have no idea what was on the Save AOPA website that might have been an issue.
 
JOhnH said:
I propose that we nominate @Half Fast to attend the meeting and we give him our proxy.

That would be better than mail-in-voting. Look how much angst that causes in National Elections. We could even take up a collection to pay his per-diem.
And I'll personally buy him a bottle of what I am drinking right now.
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You expect a lot for a bottle of warm Dr Pepper....
 
Lindberg said:
That's an access problem. If you can't reach 30,000 to collect proxies, how will you reach 30,000 people to get them to vote the way you want? And online voting only gets you votes for items the board puts up for a vote in advance. If you want to have any impact at the actual meeting, you can only do that with proxies. I have no idea what was on the Save AOPA website that might have been an issue.
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Yes, it’s an access problem. Online voting is a first step, and an essential one.
 
It appears that because the lead on the Save AOPA site was a former employee, there was an employment agreement violation. If any other member were to restart it, I doubt there would be legal ramifications against it.

I second sending Half Fast.
 
Actually, I think the first step should be changing how proposals can be brought up. That is the most important issue. Right now it can only be done through a trustee.@Half Fast is right about the top heavy governance. Only a change in how the process works can induce actual membership interests.
 
Lindberg said:
Ok. Poof. Online voting is now enabled for the next AOPA meeting. What's your step two?
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I would follow the NRA model. With a grassroots effort involving gun forums, other websites, podcasts, local organizations, etc., we’ve managed to replace the majority of the board, a larger board (and organization) than the AOPA’s. It took several years and board member term cycles, but it’s obviously doable.

But it wouldn’t have been possible without mail-in ballots.
 
IPS-Legacy said:
Actually, I think the first step should be changing how proposals can be brought up. That is the most important issue. Right now it can only be done through a trustee.@Half Fast is right about the top heavy governance. Only a change in how the process works can induce actual membership interests.
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I don’t disagree, but the only way to make that change is through membership pressure, and direct voting is the most effective means. There are other ways to bring pressure, but they’re cumbersome and less sure.
 
Half Fast said:
I would follow the NRA model. With a grassroots effort involving gun forums, other websites, podcasts, local organizations, etc., we’ve managed to replace the majority of the board, a larger board (and organization) than the AOPA’s. It took several years and board member term cycles, but it’s obviously doable.

But it wouldn’t have been possible without mail-in ballots.
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And it wouldn't be possible even with mail-in ballots. How are you going to use mail-in ballots to replace any of the AOPA board?
 
Lindberg said:
And it wouldn't be possible even with mail-in ballots. How are you going to use mail-in ballots to replace any of the AOPA board?
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Have you read the proposed bylaws changes, which include term limits and a means for members to nominate board members?

Online voting is a necessary first step. It is not the only step, nor is it the only means to bring pressure.
 
Lindberg said:
What problem would online voting solve that having proxies doesn't?
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Well, for one, not finding someone to vote your proxy vs just voting your preference. You understand a proxy just assigns your vote to another person. They have no obligation to vote the way you want.
 
I canceled my membership. Thousands of others have also (or say they have), but still too few to result in the drastic change that is needed. A massive decline in membership seems to be the only way.

Instead of AOPA, send your dues money to an organization more closely attuned to your values and needs. If such an organization doesn’t exist, consider starting one.
 
TCABM said:
I turned auto-renew off and let my membership lapse. My proxy is no longer able to he given or taken.
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My auto renewal is turned off. From what I’m seeing from the board, it probably won’t get renewed. I’ve heard from many with similar thoughts too. The board, and organization, doesn’t seem to get it.
 
Initial Fix said:
My auto renewal is turned off. From what I’m seeing from the board, it probably won’t get renewed. I’ve heard from many with similar thoughts too. The board, and organization, doesn’t seem to get it.
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OTOH, I think the Organization Staff gets it and is run by the Board who doesn't.
 
IPS-Legacy said:
I agree-the board is out of touch, but giving up won’t help.

Doesn’t the FAA call this attitude “resignation”?
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The board's not out of touch. They're completely aware of what's going on. It's much of the membership that probably isn't aware of the status. The members have exactly and precisely the same control over the direction of the organization that you have as a guest at a Holiday Inn on the operation of the hotel - you can make comments to the management, you can make public comments, and you can choose to stay somewhere else.

I don't say that as a joke, or with any angry tone. The board will operate the organization as it sees fit. They will solicit comments on their direction, and take them under advisement. They may even act on some of those suggestions. Changing programs, suggestions on how to try to shape lobbying, etc. Just as you might suggest a different type of towel rack in a hotel.

The only part of it that bugs me is that I initially thought it was a straightforward membership based organization where members elect the leaders - it really isn't. And because of that, it's not even a little bit like the voice of pilots. It's the voice of a dozen or so people, many of whom probably do care about aviation, and who claim to speak for 300k, and where most of 300k probably don't realize that the board elects the board. Which leads to my initial comment of the board being aware. It's the 300k that are out of touch.

This isn't a hazardous attitude question. This is a pre-flight question. Are the controls free and clear? The pilots, the members, have no control, and for most this is not clear. I took a positive step, didn't renew, and joined EAA. That's not resignation. That's me, being PIC of me, and doing what I believe is the right choice for me. If I wanted to be a passenger in an organization I wouldn't be here.
 
meeting day is here - may 12

I can’t attend. I’ll be very interested to hear if they actually make not only the proposed little change's, but anything broader. The 20 minutes of member floor time will be interesting too.
 
Initial Fix said:
meeting day is here - may 12

I can’t attend. I’ll be very interested to hear if they actually make not only the proposed little change's, but anything broader. The 20 minutes of member floor time will be interesting too.
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The proposed bylaws changes won’t be voted on until the fall. They might get a few comments, though, in tiny 2-minute pieces.
 
Years ago, when the EAA was rather wonky, Jim Weir tried collecting proxies to get a board seat. It pretty much turned out to be as futile as his attempt to run for governor of California. The game is rigged in favor of the incumbents.

I've been involved in a real honest-to-God proxy battle once where we unseated a board member (taking control of the company). This only worked because we had nearly 50% of the votes and we used cumulative voting to force out one of the "incumbent" board members (it was like 4-3 in favor of the other faction and we managed to get it 4-3 in our favor). This isn't going to happen with these organizations.

The only way likely is to get a large enough block to badger the existing trustees into doing something to make you go away (we successfully did that with the EAA/VAA). I had published the contact information for the existing trustees but my fellow MC decided that was "doxxing" these figures that threw themselves into the public light. I sit on several boards of non-profits and my information is out there as a result.

VAA at least puts the contact information of their board right in the magazine they send out every month.
 
avbrief.com

Not With a Bang, But a Quiet Reckoning - AvBrief.com

AOPA board vows to move forward with transparency during its annual member meeting, declines to disclose current membership total.
avbrief.com avbrief.com

Pretty low attendance from membership. If AOPA was serious they would hold these meetings at sun n fun, Airventure, or an event they actually put on themselves where members were already going to be. But that would mean more members would actually show up and voice their displeasure.

As an aside, Im now an eaa member. I got curious on their membership compared to aopa. It's interesting membership to EAA has been increasing while AOPA has been hemorrhaging. EAA has almost the same number of members at this point.
 
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