This is the electronic version of the ballot. It was produced by Jean Weber. You can vote using the form at the end of this page. For a printed copy of the ballot, download the PDF.
Voting deadline is midnight on Monday, 10 November 2003 (GMT).
What is GUFF? Known as the Going Under Fan Fund or the Get Up-and-over Fan Fund, depending on which direction it's running, GUFF was created in 1979. Like TAFF (the Trans Atlantic Fan Fund, between Europe and North America) and DUFF (the Down Under Fan Fund, between North America and Australia), GUFF exists to provide funds to enable well-known fans from Europe and Australia to visit each other's national (or other) conventions and get to know each other's fandoms better. GUFF, like other fan funds, exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates for each trip are voted on by interested fans, and each vote is accompanied by a monetary donation. These votes, and the continuing generosity of fandom through auctions and other donations, are what make GUFF possible.
Who may Vote? Voting in the race to send a European fan to Australasia in 2004 is open to anyone who was active in fandom prior to Easter 2001, and who contributes at least £5 or A$10 to the fund. Larger contributions are encouraged and will be gratefully accepted. Voting is by secret ballot; only one vote per person is allowed, and you must sign your ballot.
Voting Details. GUFF uses a preferential ballot system which guarantees automatic runoffs until a majority is obtained. You rank your candidates in order of your preference for them. If the leading first-place candidate does not have a majority after the first round of counting, the first-place votes for the lowest-placed candidate are discarded, and the second-place votes on those ballots are counted as first-place votes for the candidates concerned. This process is repeated until one candidate has a majority of all the votes cast. Votes for second and third place candidates are therefore important; but you may not rank your favoured candidate in more than one position on your ballot.
Hold Over Funds. This choice, like 'No Award' in award balloting, gives you the chance to vote for no GUFF trip in 2004 if for any reason the candidates do not appeal. Hold Over Funds may be voted for in any position on the ballot.
No Preference. This is for voters who do not wish the GUFF trip to be held over, but who either cannot or prefer not to decide between the candidates.
Donations. GUFF gratefully accepts your freely given money and material for auction. If you're not eligible to vote, or for some reason you don't wish to vote, why not give anyway? (Give early and give often!) Money can also be donated through the website at http://www.ericlindsay.com/guff/donate.htm
Candidates. Each candidate has posted a bond of £10; promised that, unless struck down by an iceberg, meteorite or other act of a higher power, they will travel to either or both Australia or New Zealand in 2004, if elected; and provided signed nominations and a 100-word platform extolling their many interests and virtues (reprinted overleaf).
Doug Bell
As a fanzine editor I love conventions and fanzines but my main interest is making friends. During my first decade in fandom, I've met few antipodean fans but have always greatly enjoyed their company. It's time to redress that imbalance, brave deep vein thrombosis and broaden my horizons by travelling to Australia and New Zealand to meet fans in their native environment. If you want a Scots fan that'll keep you up late at night with witty banter and single malt whisky then I'm your man. That way I'll make some new friends and get some material for that report thing.
Nominators:
Claire Brialey, Tim Jones, Linda Krawecke, Yvonne Rowse, Damien Warman
Pat McMurray
G'day. My name is Pat McMurray. I run conventions, I'm an occasional fictional character in other people's fanzines, and I'm obsessive about collecting convention memorabilia. In 1999, I spent a total of eight days in Australia at the Worldcon, one of the best holidays I've ever had, not just for Melbourne and the Worldcon, but for the chance to meet fans from all over Australia. I want to meet more Aussie fans, to see more of Australia, to drink the decent beers!. In exchange, I'll bring myself, I'll administer GUFF, and I'll publish a trip report, eventually …
Nominators:
Stephen Boucher, Bruce Gillespie, Mark Plummer, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Martin Tudor
Deadline. Votes must reach the administrators no later than midnight on Monday, 10 November 2003.
UK Agent.
Australian Agents. Jean Weber and Eric Lindsay, PO Box 640, Airlie Beach, QLD 4802, Australia
You may vote and donate in either of these ways:
Credit Card in US Dollars
Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page and look for the
"Donation to GUFF" entry. We have set this up to accept multiples of
US$4.00, so you'll need to put "2" in the "Qty" field
to contribute the minimum for voting. Of course you can contribute more!
Credit Card in GBP
Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page and look for the
"Donation to GUFF" entry. We have set this up to accept multiples of
£5.00, the minimum contribution for voting. Of course you can contribute more!
Voting deadline is midnight on Monday, 10 November 2003 (GMT).
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