2019 National Meet Poll

[Russ Blair]

Alright fellow Ameraucana Alliance members, we have three bids for our 2019 National Meet. Granted the board will decide where to place it but I would like to see where the greatest interest is for our members. So this poll is designed for one vote, which can be changed and will only last for 7 days. Please let everyone know to take part in it, thanks

[John W Blehm]

FYI...below is a map indicating which states currently have the most members.

[Mike Gilbert]

FYI...below is a map indicating which states currently have the most members.

The biggest surprise to me was the number of members in Washington state! 

[John W Blehm]

FYI...below is a map indicating which states currently have the most members.

The biggest surprise to me was the number of members in Washington state!

Even though we have many more members the states with the most members isn't too much different from a year ago.
I think OH lost the most, while CA and WI had the biggest gains.

[Russ Blair]

I find it hard to believe only 14 people have voted so far? Apparently most members don’t look forward to our National Meet like I do lol

[Suki]

I am not surprised by where the Poll is going with Ohio as the Eastern winner.   did think the Westerners would show up in more force.  I have to wonder if it changes as the week rolls on.

[John W Blehm]

I find it hard to believe only 14 people have voted so far? Apparently most members don’t look forward to our National Meet like I do lol

Considering most of our members are not into exhibiting let along going to our National Meets I wouldn't think we would get much more response.  Also some don't participate on our Ameraucana Forum and won't participate in the poll.   
Back when we had "Breeders" in our club name some folks thought all members should be breeders of Ameraucanas.  When they came up with a new "B" word to replace "Bantam" I think "Breed" would have been better.  We are just a club that represents a breed of chickens and not necessarily a club of chicken breeders.  Some of us are breeders, some exhibitors, some are both and some are neither.  Some members don't even have chickens, yet they continue to support Ameraucana chickens and our Alliance with their dues.    Our Alliance is very inclusive and we only have a problem with those that do anything "harmful to the Ameraucana breed and/or this organization".

[Russ Blair]

Great point John 

[Suki]

You cannot switch your vote once its in. 

[John W Blehm]

Personally I would have preferred the poll to ask only those that plan to attend to vote and each member would vote for 1, 2 or all 3.  Those that don't plan to attend, but are only chiming in to vote on where they think it should be shouldn't participate.  If a member would only go if our meet was in UT he/she should vote just for that show.  If say, Jeff, plans to go only if it in in OH or MI and doesn't care which he should vote for both.  And if say, Max, plans to go wherever it is then he should be able to vote for 1, 2 or 3, but he wouldn't vote for all 3 if he preferred one over the others to sway the poll.     

[Jeffery Vance]

Good point John and that is how I would have voted,if possible.

[Beth Curran]

All are more than a 10 hour drive for me, so I can hop a plane to one as easily as the next. 

[Russ Blair]

I also held a poll on our open Facebook group as well with the option to vote more than once. Here are the results from that poll:
UFPA- 16
DFFC- 15
MPF- 9
I know several people from Utah area were not members yet but were waiting to join in January. I also know several southern, and east coast members that voted for DFFC expressed the extra 5-6 hours of driving to reach Birch Run was a deciding factor and put it just out of reach for them. Either way our board goes I think it has become clear we will need to really think about a west coast National Meet. Our numbers and interest in our Alliance has really grown and I feel we need to accommodate our members. Not to mention the promotion it will give could really boost our membership. Which I have always thought was our primary purpose of having meets, more importantly our National Meet.