'Bullet Voting': Increase your NRA Board of Directors ballot power

All NRA members with five consecutive years of membership or a Life membership or above should be looking for the annual NRA Board of Directors (BOD) ballot in their NRA Magazine (or mailed separately). The NRA Board of Directors consists of 76 persons, with 25 elected each year for a three year term. (The 76th is elected at the NRA Annual Meetings).

When your ballot arrives, you will usually have more than 25 names to choose from. This list of names comes from either being chosen by the NRA 'nominating committee' or 'by petition' from the person collecting signatures from at least 250 valid voting NRA members. The Board of Directors is directly responsible for the future path the organization will be taking. This is why your vote is so very important - and read on for how to make your vote even more powerful.

The way the NRA BOD voting works is the 'top 25 names' receiving the most votes are elected. Each voting member (that is, you) can select UP TO 25 names to vote for. That is the important part - "UP TO" 25 names. To give each of your votes as much impact as possible, you should only vote for a person you know for certain you want on the Board. This is know as 'bullet voting'.

Many organizations - Buckeye Firearms Association included - issue endorsements for persons they know will serve gun owners well. Almost all persons on the NRA ballot will have a website or bio online explaining why they deserve your vote. Do an Internet seach and find them, make your picks and then vote only for the names you know you want to represent you, not just for names of 'famous people' that you recognize.

Like it or not, most of the top 12-15 vote getters will be 'famous names' that people select only because they know the name from movies, sports, politics etc. The power of bullet voting really helps for the remaining 10-12 names that are really out there working for your vote.

So do a quick Internet search for NRA BOD endorsements and start building your list of 5-6 names that truly have earned your vote.

Joe Eaton is the Buckeye Firearms Association Southwest Ohio Region Leader.