Some Thoughts on FAR's Election

Running From the Floor - I realize some may think that "Running From the Floor" (RFtF) is a bit unconventional for the Florida Association of Realtors, but this isn't the first time this has happened. We only have to look back one year to see that we not only had one candidate, but two RFtF; Cynthia Shelton, our current President-Elect and Wendell Davis, a current candidate for President-Elect. The fact that both chose to use the entirety of the election process and not just the Nominating Committee portion indicates that both were compelled to run because they did not agree with Nomination's recommendation and wanted to take their case to you, the directors. I'm sure they faced many obstacles on the path to that election. When all was said and done, you made it very clear that you wanted to be part of the process.

The Ballot - Some have been questioned whether or not I will be on the ballot. I received the following statement from FAR after asking that question:
“Since the candidate nominated by the Nominating Committee is known and since it is known that a qualified candidate plans to run from the floor, it would be proper to assure both candidates that both names will appear on the ballot”.

Your duty as FAR Director - I won't quote chapter and verse, however you can find reference to your duties as an FAR Director on pg. 128 of the 2008 LRG. In summary, it is your duty as director to act in the best interest of the corporation you represent (FAR) and not your local associations who elected or appointed you. I couldn't agree more! So your decision as to who you will vote for comes down to who is the best candidate to serve as FAR's leader in 2010, not who did Nominating Committee select to be on the ballot. The whole purpose of visiting with local associations and districts is to get candidates and members/directors to meet face to face. When boards endorse candidates, they are indicating they agree that their candidate of choice is the best choice for FAR. This is the only process before the NC interview that gives the associations input to the system.

The convention is days away, and I'm looking forward with great anticipation to seeing each and every one of you as we endeavor to strengthen our commitment to the Florida Realtors.