President’s Memo: Vote Early and Often

Posted on November 1, 2016 in ATSC News

In this unprecedented election season, there’s a lot of voting going on this November.  Certain ATSC members from Chicago like to say they “vote early and often.”  I’m campaigning for all ATSC members to do the same.

Seriously, of course our bylaws dictate one vote per member – but my point is that it’s really important to cast your votes. We have quite a few member ballots teed up for voting in our own November elections, if you will.

Several worthy “candidates” (aka ATSC 3.0 Candidate Standards) – A/332 Service Announcement, A/333 Service Usage Reporting and A/343 Captions and Subtitles – were just elevated by the TG3 Technology Group to Proposed Standards, and the membership ballots for approval as ATSC standards should be issued this month.  The A/326 Recommended Practice for ATSC 3.0 field test planning also will be balloted for member approval shortly.

Members also are encouraged to vote in November on the slate of candidates for election to three-year terms on the ATSC Board of Directors to fill three vacant seats for board members whose terms expire at year-end.  Another important member ballot relates to updating the ATSC’s bylaws to provide the board the flexibility to extend the term of service for a TG Chair, taking into account factors like project continuity.

As they say in Washington, elections have consequences.  Make your voice heard. 

Vote early and often.

I’m Mark Richer, and I approve this message.

-ATSC President Mark Richer         

The cynical phrase “vote early and often” is variously attributed to four individuals – three famous Chicagoans: William Hale Thompson, mayor from 1915-23 and 1931-35; notorious gangster Al Capone (1899-1947); and Richard J. Daley, mayor from 1955-76; and one infamous Washingtonian, Mark Richer. It’s widely believed that Thompson invented the phrase, and Capone, Daley and Richer later repeated it.

Posted in ATSC News