Since the September AMC meeting, Mensa e-lists and publications have been flooded with requests for members to sign a proxy form to correct AML's Articles of Incorporation. Region 6 Vice Chairman Dan Wilterding used his November monthly column in that region's newsletters to explain the situation simply. Although Going Forward takes no stand and has no opinion on the matter, we reprint RVC Wilterding's column here, with his permission, for your information on a topic that will continue to be the focus of national efforts for many more months.

Hello, Region 6,

Ever notice how odd things crop up while you're going about your business? They do at my house and I'll bet they do at yours; they do also in the house of American Mensa.

Some time ago, while research on an unrelated subject was going on, it became known that our balloting and election procedures are not in compliance with our Certificate of Incorporation as issued by the State of New York (we're still incorporated there, even though our national office is in Texas). Turns out that we have been out of compliance ever since our incorporation. Now, aware of the situation, we are ethically and legally bound to take corrective action.

The problem? Oh, yeah … Seems that by not specifying otherwise, our C-of-I requires that a quorum be present at the Annual Business Meeting for any business to be conducted — that quorum is 50% of the [full] membership, physically present. It also seems that ballots by mail are not legitimate, although proxies are. The solution, therefore, is to amend the C-of-I to set a quorum at a reasonably achievable number (in this case, 100) and to include the appropriate provisions to allow mail ballots in the election of AMC members.

An effort has begun to provide information; contact your LocSec or editor, contact me, read the Bulletin, or go to "Proxy Information" on the AML Website. Both hard copy and electronic proxies will be allowed, the latter to be made on a yet-to-be-implemented part of the AML site.

As mandated by the applicable laws, it will be necessary for us to have, in hand and verifiable, proxies in favor of the changes to the Certificate of Incorporation at least equal to one person more than 50 percent of the membership at the time of the next Annual Business Meeting, in July 2004. When you see a proxy in the Bulletin, on the Web, or wherever they are made available, please sign and return it.

Comments, anyone?

—Dan Wilterding, RVC 6

[EDITOR'S NOTE: After the above column was printed in regional newsletters, the American Mensa Website did establish an area for voting proxies electronically.]