USA Team Handball is currently having an election for one of its 9 seats on the Board of Directors. Voting is online for members only and concludes early Sunday morning (30 August 0300 (US ET)) Here are a few thoughts on the election and my 1st and 2nd choices
Ranked Choice: The Right Way to Conduct an Election
I’ve been around awhile and I’ve seen a lot of consequential Board of Directors elections. Elections that have most definitely changed the course of direction for the sport in the U.S. Seriously, who can forget Mike Hurdle edging out Bob Djokovich back in 2004 get elected Board President. An election so consequential it eventually led to the USOC decertifying USA Team Handball.
I won’t rehash ancient history, but I’ll state unequivocally that a one ballot winner take all process is super problematic for a low turnout election involving multiple factions. On multiple occasions (if not every time) this has led to the winner not having a majority (50% +1) and sometimes nowhere even close to a majority. For the past several elections I’ve eve warned candidates with similar positions there was a good chance they would cancel each other out if they didn’t drop out and settle on one candidate. Amusingly, these attempts to organize all failed because as it tends to happen… candidates always think that it’s the other candidates that should be the ones to drop out.
Here are the results of the last 3 elections conducted without ranked choice voting:
It’s impossible to know how the results might have been different with ranked choice voting, but I suspect that none of the top vote getters would have won their election if it had been conducted with ranked choice. And, a side note, one of the candidates for the current election, Max Littman actually did a guest commentary advocating for ranked choice voting. I’m not sure if that was the catalyst for a change to the By-Laws, but maybe it was.
My 1st Choice: Kevin Hutchinson
As I alluded to, in previous elections I was always careful to make sure that I was voting for a candidate with a solid chance to win. Under the old system voting for a long shot most likely was a wasted vote. With ranked choice voting I have less concern and it frees me up to vote for more of a long shot: Kevin Hutchinson.
Why is he a longshot? Because, while he has a solid resume he’s been away from the game awhile (for good reasons) and doesn’t have a club base of support. I’ve known Hutch for years. Played against him and even played on the same USA team at an International military tournament in 1997. We’re only casual friends and I’ll admit my bias is related to having similar backgrounds. Retired military officer, Service Academy graduate and a former national team player that was more of a role player, we’re cut from the same cloth. Maybe an entire board shouldn’t have that sort of resume (although it would be incredibly efficient), but from what I’ve seen this current board would really benefit adding someone who’s seen it all before and won’t be afraid to speak out with common sense logic. Most definitely he would be a Canary in the Coal Mine that would be hard, if not impossible, to gaslight.
My 2nd Choice: Josh Hetterick
With my 2nd choice I’m selecting a candidate who’s done some great work developing the Minnesota Team Handball Club: Josh Hetterick He’s been around the handball scene for 17 years and knows the lay of the land. I’m not sure exactly where he stands on a lot of issues, but he’s bound to have a club first mentality. I also have some insight as to how some of the different factions are aligned and I suspect he’s going to be the 2nd or 3rd pick for a lot of voters. Committed to handball, but not overly partisan. He’s the type of candidate who might never have won under the old system, but could clean up with the ranked choice process.
The Missing Option: Lewis Howes
I think it’s worth mentioning that one candidate is notably missing from the ballot: Lewis Howes. Rumors are flying, but I don’t know what’s real and what’s just a rumor. Maybe it has something to do with a $50k donation to handball wheelchair athletes… that didn’t pass through USA Team Handball? Maybe?
I, for one, still don’t know why he was the left off the ballot. I contacted both USA Team Handball CEO Mike King and Lewis Howes regarding the matter. USA Team Handball responded back stating in part “that USATH does not generally disclose such information to unrelated third parties absent a legitimate organizational or operational purpose or authorization for doing so.” And, I have to yet to get a formal response on the matter from Lewis Howes.
I could be wrong… but, I’m guessing there will be a lot more news to report on this in the future.