Fia Karlsson Wins 2022 TAFF Race

By Geri Sullivan and Johan Anglemark: What an exciting TAFF race! We’re pleased to announce Fia Karlsson as the winner. TAFF will bring her to Chicon 8, the 80th Worldcon at the beginning of September. Fia will serve as the TAFF Delegate at Chicon and wherever else her travels take her as she journeys from Sweden to visit fans in North America.

The intial count shows there were 237 valid votes cast, more than in any TAFF race since 2006, and during a global pandemic at that. By standing for TAFF, Fia Karlsson, Anders Holmström, Mikolaj Kowalewski, and Julie Faith McMurray helped spread the word about the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund and inspired fans to participate by voting for them. Voters sent a total of £735.47, €605.82, and $947.73 in voting fee donations along with their ballots! 

TAFF Administrators Johan Anglemark (EU) and Geri Sullivan (NA) congratulate Fia and thank all of the candidates for making it such a lively, high-participation race. We also thank Dave Langford for a multitude of services supporting TAFF, especially the online voting platform on his unofficial TAFF website, and Claire Brialey, who ran the TAFF operations at Eastercon. Kudos and appreciation to those who nominated such a fine slate of candidates and to everyone who voted, donated time and money to TAFF, shared our announcements, and cheered the candidates on.

The exact numbers in this announcement are preliminary, but the result was clear and is final. We will publish the usual voting details and the list of voters shortly. 

[Editor’s note: File 770’s WordPress does not support a special character in Kowalewski’s first name, so a Latin “L” has been substituted.]

TAFF 2022 Race Begins 12/15

Beginning December 15, you can help decide which European fan is going to attend the 2022 Worldcon in Chicago as the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund delegate.

The candidates are: Anders Holmström (Sweden), Fia Karlsson (Sweden), Miko?aj Kowalewski (Poland), and Julie Faith McMurray (UK).

Each has been nominated by five other fans to travel to Chicon 8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, being held next year in Chicago from September 1-5. Then the winner will assume their duties as the next European administrator of TAFF.

Voting commences December 15, 2021 and closes April 18, 2022. These dates coincide with DisCon III in Washington DC and Reclamation (Eastercon) in London, respectively. When the race opens you will be able to read their platforms on David Langford’s TAFF site. This is also the place to go to learn more about TAFF, to read the rules for voting, to make the necessary monetary donation needed for voting, and to cast your vote.

For more information, contact Johan Anglemark, European Administrator ([email protected]) or Geri Sullivan, North American Administrator ([email protected]).

TAFF Taking Nominations for 2022 Race

The 2022 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund race is now officially open for nominations.

After two consecutive eastbound races, it is time for a westbound race. Johan Anglemark, European TAFF Administrator, and Geri Sullivan, North American TAFF Administrator, say ”These are still uncertain times, but we think it is realistic to proceed with the race. It seems unlikely that the pandemic will make a TAFF trip impossible in 2022.”

Therefore, European fans who want to stand for TAFF for an East to West (Europe to North America) race should round up their nominators and contact one of the administrators by December 10.

Voting to elect the TAFF delegate will commence December 15 and close April 18, 2022. The winning delegate will attend Chicon 8, The 80th World Science Fiction Convention, in Chicago, Illinois, (chicon.org) from September 1 to September 5, 2022 and take over as TAFF’s next European administrator upon returning home.

This year candidates will need three European fans and two North American fans known to the Administrators to nominate them: these people must contact the current Administrators by December 10, 2021, informing them of whom they are nominating. Potential delegates will also need to send an official statement to the administrators that they are standing for TAFF (contact information provided below) listing their nominators, plus a 101-word platform statement, and a £10/€12 bond fee sent via PayPal to [email protected].

Note: When counting the votes, if there are more than three candidates, we will not apply the “20% rule” until the candidates with the fewest votes have been eliminated and there are just three candidates left.

More details about TAFF can be found at David Langford’s excellent website, taff.org.uk. If you are interested in standing for the 2022 TAFF Race or would like to nominate some deserving fan, please contact Johan Anglemark, the European Administrator ([email protected]), or the North American Administrator, Geri Sullivan ([email protected]).

[Based on a press release.]

No TAFF Race For 2021

Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund administrators Johan Anglemark, Geri Sullivan and Mike Lowrey say “After much thought and consideration, [we] have come to the conclusion that we need to postpone the 2021 TAFF race due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

The TAFF race for 2021 was intended to go East to West, from Europe to DisCon III. They will now wait until 2022, and instead have a race from Europe to Chicon 8, the 80th Worldcon.

The administrators explained the reasoning behind the delay:

The general expectation of expert epidemiologists is that the pandemic will continue to rage well into 2021. For example, the British government has announced that they expect severe restrictions, including the bans on public events, to be in place for another half year. We think that DisCon III likely will be one of the first large conventions after the pandemic has been successfully beaten back or we have learnt how to live with it. Our concern is with having a TAFF race in the midst of the pandemic, without any physical conventions to attend. It would be much more difficult to enthuse people and get them to vote and to donate.

Postponing the race reduces the uncertainty for the eventual westbound TAFF delegate, and it greatly increases the probability that Michael Lowrey — this year’s TAFF winner — will get to take his postponed trip first.

“We don’t want to increase the inventory of TAFF delegates waiting to travel,” say the administrators. “And it’s not just TAFF and Mike Lowrey. Fandom has two more fan fund delegates waiting to take their trips: Alison Scott (GUFF) and Erin Underwood (DUFF). We think there will be a lot more excitement for another race once we start having in-person conventions again.”

[Based on a press release.]

2020 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund Delegate Announced

“Orange Mike” Lowrey

By Geri Sullivan and Johan Anglemark: We, the administrators of the 2020 TAFF race, are pleased to announce that Michael Lowrey will be the 2020 TAFF Delegate. He will attend Concentric: Eastercon 2020 to be held in Birmingham, UK on April 10–13, 2020 (see their website at www.concentric2020.uk), and he plans to travel to Swecon (the Swedish national convention), continental Europe, and maybe Ireland before arriving in the UK.           

From TAFFish #1, here is some biographical information about “Orange Mike”:

“I stumbled onto the early-1970s version of the U. of Chicago SF club (there have been several over the eons) through the SCA in 1971, and thus learned about fandom. When I returned to Tennessee, I joined the good ol’, much-maligned N3F, which for this country boy was a lifeline to the broader world of fandom, including my first exposure to fanzines. When I got to Nashville, I discovered the local SCA and through them the Nashville SF club. Through the SCA I discovered D&D (thanx, Daishi-san!) and through the Nashville club I learned that there were SF cons I could go to! That first con (it was a Midwestcon) was a glorious revelation: this was my tribe, these were my people! I’ve been to well over a couple of hundred cons since then, and my opinion has not changed. It was in those Nashville years that I fell into the habit of wearing head-to-toe orange.”

Following his return home, Mike will become the next North American administrator of TAFF, and will conduct the 2021 TAFF race in association with Johan Anglemark, who has to suffer through yet another year of adminship.

Fans throughout Europe who may be interested in standing for TAFF in 2021 should make a point of talking with Mike and Johan at Swecon, Eastercon, or elsewhere on Mike’s trip, if at all possible, to begin the process of becoming involved in one of the best experiences a fan can have. The 2021 TAFF race will be westbound, going to Discon III, the 79th Worldcon.

And do not forget to attend the Fan Fund auction at Eastercon where you will find a wealth of fannish and sf-ish loot from across time and space. All proceeds benefit the fan funds. For more information about the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund – past, present, and future – please visit David Langford’s excellent TAFF website at www.taff.org.uk.

Here is the breakdown of the voting results by first preference. As you can see, Mike won by simple majority in the first round of counting.

RESULTS

Candidate                          NA+RoW  Europe      Total

Michael Lowrey   56    27    83
Ann Totusek     3      2      5
Hold Over Funds     4      0      4
No Preference     6      5    11
         Total votes    69    34  103

We wish to thank Mike and Ann for a fun TAFF campaign, and hope that Ann stands again in the future. Our most sincere thanks to all who voted in, contributed to, or otherwise supported the 2020 TAFF campaign. See you in Birmingham!

The fund received $866.55, £232.05, and €176.14 in donations (before deducting Paypal fees).

Lowrey Wins TAFF

Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund administrators Johan Anglemark and Geri Sullivan announced today:

These are the preliminary results. A final announcement with full voting results with be made shortly, but given the magnitude of the win, we’re able to confidently announce the 2020 TAFF delegate today.

103 votes were cast: 67 in North America, 34 in Europe, and 2 in the rest of the world. 

Of the votes cast, 11 were for No Preference. Of the remaining 92, 83 votes were cast for Michael “Orange Mike” Lowrey, who won this race with a simple majority in the first round of voting. We, the administrators, wish to congratulate Mike on his win!

We would also like to thank everyone who voted, everyone who donated money to TAFF, everyone who shared our announcements, and most of all, Ann Totusek who ran against Mike. Thank you all!

2020 TAFF Race Starts 11/4

Michael Lowrey and Ann Totusek are the candidates in the 2020 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund race. One of them will be voted North American fandom’s representative to Concentric: Eastercon 2020, taking place in Birmingham, UK from April 10-13.

Geri Sullivan, North American TAFF administrator, and Johan Anglemark, European TAFF Administrator, say voting opens November 4 and closes on January 12, 2020. The ballot will be made available at taff.org.uk together with an online voting form.

TAFF Taking Nominations
for 2020 Race

Nominations are open for the 2020 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund race, which will pick a North American fan to attend Concentric: Eastercon 2020 in Birmingham, UK. This will be the second consecutive eastbound race because, say the administrators, “Looking at the next five Worldcons and Worldcon bids, that makes the most sense, we think.” The nomination deadline is October 31.

Once the nominations are settled, voting to elect the TAFF delegate will run from November 4 until  January 12. The winner will attend Concentric: Eastercon 2020 from April 10-13, 2020, and  assume the duties of the next North American administrator of TAFF upon returning home.

If any North American fan is considering standing for the 2020 TAFF race, now is the time to line up your nominators and have them contact the administrators informing them of the nominators’ intentions. This year candidates will need three North American fans and two European fans known to the Administrators to nominate you: these people must contact the current Administrators by October 31, 2019, informing them of whom is being nominated for this distinct honour. Potential delegates will also need to send an official statement of standing for TAFF to the administrators (contact information provided below) listing their nominators, plus a 101 word platform statement, and a $20 (USD) bond fee sent via PayPal to [email protected]. Again, the official nominating period will close on October 31, 2019.

More details about TAFF can be found at David Langford’s excellent website, taff.org.uk

If you are interested in standing for the 2020 TAFF Race or would like to nominate some deserving fan, please contact North American Administrator Geri Sullivan, at [email protected], or Johan Anglemark, the European Administrator, at [email protected].

2019 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund Vote Count Released

Geri Sullivan

Geri Sullivan won the 2019 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund on the first round of voting. The administrators today provided a breakdown of the voting results by first preference. (“RoW” stands for “rest of the world.”)

RESULTS

Candidate  N. Am. Europe RoW Total
Teresa Cochran   13      2      15
Sarah Gulde   18    10        2    30
Michael Lowrey   13    12      25
Geri Sullivan   87    44        5  136
Hold Over Funds        
No Preference     4      1      5
         Total votes 135    69    211

Following her return home from Dublin 2019, Geri will become the next North American administrator of TAFF, and will conduct the 2020 TAFF campaign and election in association with Johan Anglemark.

Fans throughout Europe who may be interested in standing for TAFF in 2020 should make a point of talking with Geri and Johan at the Dublin Worldcon, or elsewhere on Geri’s trip, if at all possible.

Because Worldcon will not take place in North America in 2020, it has not yet been decided whether the 2020 TAFF race will be westbound, as is traditional, or eastbound for a second year in a row, which has occasionally happened in the past for similar reasons.

For more information about the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund – past, present, and future – visit David Langford’s excellent TAFF website at www.taff.org.uk.

Sullivan Wins TAFF

The 2019 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund winner is Geri Sullivan. She will be the North American TAFF delegate to the 77th World Science Fiction Convention in Dublin, Ireland from August 15-19. 

Co-administrators John Purcell and Johan Anglemark report 212 voters participated. The other candidates were Teresa Cochran, Sarah Gulde, and Michael Lowrey.