The NRA Board of Directors is comprised of 76 members. Why so many? Largely because it tends to promote stability. This is both good, and bad, but in my opinion mostly good. The upside to a large board is that no single board member or faction within NRA’s membership wields a tremendous amount of influence. In order to make macroscopic changes at NRA, it really does require a broad and sustaining consensus among the membership. The downside to a large board is what I just mentioned. Rapid, macroscopic changes are very difficult to affect.
Board elections happen every year. Board members are elected to a three year term, and at no time is more than 1/3rd of the board up for election in any one year. Board members don’t run against one another directly. The top 25 vote getters are the ones who get a seat on the board. If you are a life member, or have been a continuous NRA member for five years, when you get your ballot in the mail, you can vote for up to 25 people. I typically don’t use all 25 of my votes, as I try to only vote for the candidates I have good information about.
But 25 seats over three years is only 75, and there are 76 board members. Well, the 76th board seat is elected only to a period of one year, and the 76th board member is voted on at Annual Meeting (in Phoenix this year). If you go to Annual Meeting, you will notice people campaigning for 76th board member. It’s common for someone who almost made it in the mail-in ballot election to try for this seat, and then run again the following year for a three year board seat.
The NRA board process is mostly good but there is one drawback. It is hard to get an anti off of the board. Rarely do we see anyone campaigning for or against a candidate except at the annual meeting. That is why an anti like Joaquin Jackson can be re-elected with ease.
He has not been re-elected since the video came out, FWM. Was there widespread evidence that he made anti-gun statements before his last election? As I recall, he was elected in the spring of 2007, and the video and comments did not become widely known until late summer of 2007.
His incident is actually one reason I suggested that Sebastian do a post on the board composition and how elections happen. Last year there were people asking how they could vote against Jackson even though he wasn’t on the ballot. I believe Jackson’s term expires next year. I would be shocked if he decides to run for re-election, so I don’t think it will be an issue.
But, if you have other examples where the timing fits that NRA voting members have consistently supported an anti-gun board member, please share.
Actually I was using the Jackson example as something that could happen rather than something that has happened. I just don’t think there is enough info out there about the candidates sometimes and I also wonder how many members take the time with the materials they have received or even to complete the ballot. I mean if Jackson’s name did appear again, I am sure the bio would not mention his anti colors and some would just recognize the name as an author or an “only one”.
Thankfully, I can not think of any other antis serving on the board now other than Jackson. (Though I can think of several RINO supporters.)
I was pretty discouraged though to see a ginormous poster of Jackson hanging at Louisville last year proclaiming “I am the NRA”. That combined with the McCain Love fest did give me pause I will admit.
I wouldn’t honestly classify Jackson as an “anti” in the same sense that I would classify Sarah Brady, Paul Helmke, or Peter Hamm as one. I would classify Jackson as someone who does not share the same vision I do in regards to the breadth and depth of the Second Amendment. Jackson supports gun rights, in general, it’s when you get to the specifics that I think he has some trouble.
Nonetheless, I don’t consider his views acceptable in an NRA board member, so I will definitely not be endorsing him or voting for him, and to be honest, I agree with Bitter that he’s not likely to run again, because he’s not likely to win. That’s even if he does get the nomination, which I think is doubtful.
I think if you read the post put up today about what hoops people have to jump through to even be on the ballot, you’ll find your concerns are pretty much addressed.
As for “RINO supporters,” that’s not an issue for NRA. NRA is non-partisan, and their board reflects that with folks like Harold Volkmer, Bill Brewster, and Dan Boren. I know I consider that to be a very good thing.