ALL PONDMEISTERS MUST EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE
We recently completed our electoral primaries for our vote on Why do you own a pond? See the Pond vote; election primaries thread for details and results.
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To understand the thrust of this election, let's borrow a brief summary from our primary election:
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This forum is based largely on owning and maintaining private fishin' holes. There is a base core of PB posters that eat, sleep, and drink the pond fishin' stuff. I wonder about the rest of the 3700-some other forum members. In my mind, the real common and binding thread is the pond itself. It just so happens that the most popular by-product is fish and fishing. This makes me wonder what the other pond uses are and who is using and enjoying them for those other reasons. Is it possible that, given a large enough sampling of the pondmeister cross-section, we might find pond-use applications that rival fishing? I say "let's find out".

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The final candidates are now prepared for voter selection. The voting booths are about to open. Let's lay out the ground rules:

  • You are already registered to vote if you own a pond or are seriously contemplating owning a pond.
  • A single ballot cast shall consist of your top 5 reasons to own a pond, starting with the most important and descending.
  • Each pond you own entitles you to one ballot (consisting of your top 5 reasons). For instance, if you own 3 ponds, the voter is entitled to cast 3 ballots; each with a top 5 list. Please keep multiple ballots separated within the post for ease of tally.
  • Make your selections from the available candidates within the Candidate List below. ALWAYS ENTER THE CANDIDATE NUMBER. The precinct captains also like to see the candidate reason following their number, but it is not mandatory (ie; 9 - swimming hole).
  • Should the voter be unable to locate his candidate reason within any of the broader categories within the Candidate List, it is acceptable to write in his own candidate. This write-in candidate shall be described as Other (instead of a Candidate Number from the Candidate List), and the voter shall add their own candidate reason (ie; Other - skinny dipping).

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SAMPLE BALLOT

Pond #1
13 irrigate crops
18 erosion control
1 quality private fishery
10 study aquaculture
5 wildlife for hunting

Pond #2
2 enhance land value
11 water livestock
18 erosion control
23 water for fire fighting
Other; racing radio control boats
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OK, there ya go. Enter the booth, pull the curtain, and cast your vote for Why you own a pond.
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CANDIDATE LIST
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
7) Fish hatchery (commercial)
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
9) Swimming hole
10) To study aquaculture
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
12) To water livestock
13) To irrigate crops
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski)
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
18) Erosion control
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
23) Water source for fire fighting
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends