Does anyone think that their elections are based on popularity. Just wanted to see if anyone thinks that their election is nothing but a popularity contest. Ours is a little of both or more 50/50.

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Yes and no i think Im the explorer captain and i go to every fire meeting, i cant vote but atleast im there if they have questions about the explorers or something. But its a yes and no answer some departments our good on who's been in the longest and some our on popularity. Like this year all our line officers who are fairly popular are running for chief and the 2 assit chief positions and all the chiefs are backing down because in my case they know they know there going to lose because of the popularity. And its nothing personal i like all of the chiefs and officers but its based on popularity this year i think.
Who knows next year it may not be maybe it just depends on the year and whos running for the position.
Its kinda sad though because you lose members after an election sometimes and its the good ones you lose too.
ARE ELECTTIONS ARE 100% POPULARITY. IF YOU ARE IN THE THE CLICK AND YOU ARE RUNNING FOR LINE OFFICER YOU COULD WIN. OTHER THAN THAT YOU MIGHT AS WELL FORGET IT.
We voted against the popularity vote just last week and thought everything was ok.Found out in a meeting 2 nights ago our chief was pissed because we voted out someone he wanted because they weren't doing there job.Can't win for loosing!!!
Ours are pretty much soley on popularity. Been with this dept. for 4 yrs. now and have noticed that pretty much every election. We had a Capt. that was never around this year untill around Sept. and everyone wanted me to run against him. So I did. Then came all the crap with our trustee and bam!!!! He's the popular one and wins the election because he stood up for the guys. Then and only then he was doing what they wanted him to do.
This why i am against electing officers. The board of directors should post the job of Chief and Assistant Chief. Hire them as if they were doing a job placement. The Chief and Assistant Chief should then hold interviews for the Captains/Lieutenants. With the Board of Directors Approval Choose the Captains/Lieutenants based on Experience/Qualifications. Then every year have a "Vote of Confidence" by the membership and if over 50% of member is displeased with an officer they are removed. If over 50% are pleased, the officer remains in this position. System of Checks and Balances in the fire service.
I agree because we just had our elections and a person who always turns down a position when he is nominated excepted this time and the out going chief and i don't get along and we haven't for awhile so she did not want me to have the position so she went around and got people to vote for him. This Isn't the first time this has happened. I believe that everyone should vote for whom ever they want not who someone else tells you to vote for.
ours is 100% popularity and its pretty sad its to the point where sooner or later someones going to get hurt because of it
I have been a line officer for 8 years of my career. I Ran unopposed for Lieutenant and First Assistant Chief 11 years appart. This was my most nerve racking election, it's the BIG ONE. After the election, I knew that the only thing that the only thing that was going to change was the color of my helmet. Not my dedication. Not my drive, Not my commitment to my company, community or brotherhood. I wont attempt to participate in any less calls, drills or meetings. I wont lie, that night lying awake in bed all night long, IT HURT LIKE HELL! I second guessed all sorts of things, re-evaluated every conversation and intreraction I had with every member from the time I commited to run till the time the ballots were cast.

I have been told by two friends of mine that both lost when the ran for Chief, the both offered me advice: "Everything happens for a reason" and "DONT GIVE IN! You know you are better than that." They also tell me that the self abuse will end in one or two weeks.

For the other "losers" out there who may feel slighted, take a look at my header on my page. I heard it in a country music song or a western movie, but it is the honest truth: "Sometimes the good guys wear black".
Popularity comes into play during elections? I thought everyone used common sense regarding who is the most qualified for the positions when they cast their votes.
Just to add to the good guys wearing black addage, wearing black means you get to play more as well. I know people that should run for officer positions, but they wont simply because they love to do the work. It never hurts to have someone that could be running the show, instead running the pump/saw/jaws and whatever else they have mastered. Keeping your head up and not holding a grudge, while getting out there and doing the job as good or better than everyone else, might also help them remember why they had originally put you in the officer spots that you were in.
Yes deffinately we hold ours every two years and if you are not with the "in crowd" dont get your hopes up. I am a captain because the guy who was elected did not do his job and was removed from the position. I was appointed by the chief but we are voting on officers on sunday and I already know who will get positions they dont deserve.

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