Change in KPFK vote count results

A write-in candidate placed first in the vote count.  Ahjamau Makalani was not listed on the ballot due to a shortage of nomination signatures, and chose to run a write-in campaign.  He got enough votes to elect him on the first round.  After the results were published, a board member raised a challenge  regarding Mr. Makalani’s membership in the Pacifica Foundation.  Because he had not submitted enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, his membership credentials had not been verified.  Upon inquiry with the subscriptions department, it was found that Mr. Makalani was not in the database as a member during the qualifying year of September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007.  Upon conferring with Mr. Makalani, he was unable to produce evidence of membership, and acknowledged that for the good of KPFK another candidate should be seated in his place. 

There has been some discussion of a possible recount of votes excluding Mr. Makalani as a candidate.  Already, the excess value after he had been declared elected, 21.3% of each ballot cast for him, was redistributed in the second round of the vote count using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representation.   Those ballots that had identified Mr. Makalani as other than first choice had previously been allotted to the candidates designated as first preference on each such ballot. 

Without knowing the names of the individuals involved, our foundation counsel and other attorneys and colleagues have agreed that the appropriate course of action is to follow the procedures set forth in Pacifica Bylaws Article Four Section 10, “Filling of Vacancies.”  That provides for the vacancy to be filled by “the highest-ranked candidate from the last election of Delegates.” 

The Listener Sponsors of KPFK have already voted to name Israel Feuer as First Alternate in case of a vacancy.  In conformity with Pacifica Bylaws, Mr. Feuer is duly designated to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Makalani.