Just some food for thought here, nothing more...
What with the low number of ballots, it makes a person wonder how many of the over 2,000 (?) actual paid memberships are actually involved in the shooting hobby itself. As in any national or international organzation, there is always a segment of the membership that joins just to read the mag, they might be involved in a hobby business, a collector of old firearms, an Old West affecienado, or a simple hanger-on in the fringes who never, ever wants any part of the actual running of the org. For whatever personal reason these folks only want to participate from afar.
These members are every bit as important as those that shoot every weekend, even though they may never participate to any level other that reading THE SHOOTIST and thinking it might be fun to go to the Nationals someday just to observe, they are still paying yearly dues and as such are encouraged to cast a ballot and have their say as to what is done in the org.
It is doubtful that it is a problem with the price of a stamp or a delay in the mail, simply that many folks don't want to vote in an election like this since they don't participate, nothing more, nothing less, and thats it in a nutshell.
Human nature, as we all know, is such that its hard to change, most folks are set in their ways and can't be moved off dead center, so be it. We would hope that those folks who thought they didn't have any say could be convinced by articles in THE SHOOTIST that their vote is very important. Unforetunatly the posts here and on TFS urging them to vote are not read by a very broad audience even thought it is an international forum so to speak. It is simply that, as mentioned above, many only joined to read the mag and thats all, to vote means nothing to them as they probably feel it wouldn't make any difference one way or the other.
How to overcome this malady? Start a VOTE 'campaign' with letters to the Editor in THE SHOOTIST urging all members, wherever they are, to vote in every NCOWS election as it is of extreme importance that their vote be cast and counted, hopefully the reminders will generate a surge, or at least a noticable increase in numbers for next years slate of candidates.
Best regards and good stumping!
'Ol Gabe