I recently ran for president of National Honor Society (I am a junior) against one other candidate (also a junior). We had elections just days ago and she was named the new president. Now normally, I wouldn’t take such a loss to heart, but it was an unfair fight.
We had the election at the same time that an AP test, varsity softball game, and play rehearsal were happening. Several NHS members were missing, myself included. The election lasted five minutes and the ballot was determined right there on the spot and publicly posted within the same day. The other presidential candidate won by 9 votes. There were more than 9 people missing at the election (people who had informed me that I had their vote). Speeches weren’t allowed before the vote and nobody knew who all of the candidates were for each officer position prior to election time. I couldn’t be there to represent myself because of the AP test. Any missing NHS members were not allowed to vote, even if we showed up mere minutes after the meeting was called.
I don’t think it was fair at all that I couldn’t be there to at least show my face. I didn’t have a chance to explain why I would be the most qualified for the position I was running for. It was also unfair that the affected body was underrepresented.
I started a petition for a “re-vote” because I am not the only NHS member who believes that that election was just a bunch of baloney. If it doesn’t work, then I’m resigning. I’ve been a coordinator for NHS for the past two years and I’m tired of trying to turn things around here when the people in charge won’t give me the time of day.
Am I being unreasonable? Do you think resigning from NHS will hurt me when I apply to college? I still plan to do community service, just not with NHS, and I’m currently ranked #1 in a class of 300+ so I don’t think I need NHS to prove that I’m a qualified student.
Take a chill pill. I barely even remember my NHS executive board (I was elected VP in an election that sounds a lot like yours). It won’t matter for admissions, and it won’t matter two years down the road.
I’m not a sore loser. I think that what happened at the election wasn’t right. The other candidate got voted in by the few people who could show up at the meeting. Those who didn’t show up got no say. Someone who was running for secretary and someone else who was running for treasurer couldn’t represent themselves at the meeting either because they were also taking an AP test. Half of the people who showed up were sophomores who didn’t really know any of the candidates and just voted for whoever was present.
NHS is not necessary but it does look great on an application. If you do plan to be valedictorian, and are volunteering, I believe you should be fine. It’s an unfortunate situation but your stats seem to be good enough to do very well without it. I would stay to still continue with it, though if you choose not to, I’m sure you will succeed.
I didn’t protest the arrangements before the vote because we were supposed to be done testing 20 minutes before the election, but it took longer than we expected. Those of us who were absent tried to vote as soon as we could get there but we were not allowed to.
Some of the members who were there tried telling our advisor and executive board that the election should wait and that there should be speeches made by each candidate. They were told that they didn’t have time for it. It became evident once the election started that several people weren’t going to show up, yet they proceeded anyway.
Also, I already have 24 signatures for my petition. I know at least 20 more NHS members who will sign it. Our chapter is quite small, so I don’t think it will be a problem getting signatures; I’m more concerned that our advisor will dismiss it.
You will never know unless you try. If advisor says no, just stay in NHS. My kid’s school, by the end of this year, everyone hated the NHS President and the members went to the advisor when President tried to keep them from getting chords unless they did some stuff He decided to require. The group prevailed.
And, to be honest, we’ve never had any controversy.
But here’s how I see your story from your advisor’s point of view:
I announced the date and time of the election, and nobody had an issue with it ahead of time. Everyone was aware of the date and time, and no one suggested any change because of any exam schedule. Had any students mentioned a possible conflict with the timing of the vote because of the AP exam, I would have been happy to change the time or date. No one did.
I had the election, and the people who came to vote voted. A candidate won.
The candidate who lost is protesting the fact that another commitment kept a number of students from voting.
How on earth would I explain to the winner that this vote, that was announced ahead of time, and that no one had an issue with, is now invalid? What if HIS friends are unable to make the next vote-- will it also be invalid?
Sorry, the vote would stand.
If that meant that the second place candidate resigned, I would certainly accept his resignation. But it would absolutely flavor my opinion of his character.
My petition calls for vote in which all members have a chance to cast their ballot. That doesn’t necessarily mean all bodies must be present at one time. In the official NHS handbook, it suggests that you not announce the results until all members have had a chance to vote, “allowing those who missed the meeting to vote through the chapter advisor following the planned meeting.”
Your chapter must have bylaws which address voting issues, particularly what constitutes a quorum. You’re not trying to change those after the fact are you?
I should also add that the idea of a petition originated with members who did show up for the election and were, as they put it, “disgusted”. I simply put the plan in motion.
Yeah, it’s supposed to be part of a national organization.
See, this election isn’t the first controversy. It just happened to be the last straw in my case.
There’s a certificate and all on display but no publication of bylaws lying around that I can see. There was also no induction ceremony for those of us older members. They only started doing those this year. I didn’t even get a certificate because “there was no paper left.”