USA Ultimate

One At-Large Seat, One Elite Athlete Up for Election this Fall

Colorado Springs, Colo. (Nov. 26, 2019)—Voting is now open for the 2020-22 USA Ultimate Board of Directors election.  All current and eligible USA Ultimate members are encouraged to learn more about the candidates and vote.

There are two board seats up for election this year – At-Large and Elite Athlete.  

All current USA Ultimate members in good standing are eligible to vote in the At-Large election.

Only elite athletes, as defined by Section 5.6(b) of USA Ultimate’s bylaws, are eligible to vote in the elite-athlete election.

As part of their campaigns, and to help voting members effectively compare candidates, each person running for the board of directors was asked to submit information regarding their candidacy using the guidelines outlined below.

Read on, or click on the links below to meet and learn more about the candidates. 

 

At-Large Candidates 

• Terrell Hoagland

• Vikram Makhija

• Ryan Natzke

• Steve Sullivan

• Kyle Weisbrod

 

Elite-Athlete Candidates 

• Angela Lin

• Ian Toner

 

 

At-Large 

Terrell Hoagland

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

Despite what most people in the disc community think, organizing ultimate is in fact not my actual job, although it does often give that appearance. My professional life spans 15 years in project management, as corporate sustainability director and now as a green building/sustainable design consultant. Managing large scale projects, finances and groups of people is what I do best. This career has led me to serve as a board member with many forward thinking non-profits at the local, state and national levels. These boards include Tulsa Sports Commission, Oklahoma Field Sports Alliance and the US Green Building Council. Non-profit service has been a huge part of my professional efforts specifically along the lines of advocacy through sport as a way to cultivate diverse inclusion and collaboration within communities. Combining my passion for chasing plastic with my skills in communication I have endeavored to elevate the perception of ultimate to a wide audience. Sport is powerful. I have seen it transcend age, gender and race to bridge gaps which have resulted in bringing starkly contrasted groups of people together. This game of ultimate is life changing for many individuals. The key is facilitating involvement, fostering growth and expanding opportunities for engagement.

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

Tulsa Ultimate is solid. We are not Boston nor are we Seattle. We are a mid-market city, akin to many of those across the country of similar size and developmental phase. We have fully embraced ultimate over nearly four decades. There has been a consistent pickup game running here since 1982. My involvement started in 1999 as captain of a team participating in our long standing Solstice tourney which I became tourney director of back in 2001. I founded a high school league in 2003 that has grown by leaps and bounds, annually stocking all the local college programs with a diverse mix of players. I banded the local groups together and formed the non-profit Tulsa Ultimate Federation in 2009. Now as we move into our next decade we are a strong, financially viable, highly respected organization that manages our own sports complex and runs over a dozen high level events each and every year. This includes leagues, tourneys, USAU College, Club and Masters series events all of which we produce with the goal of providing the best possible experience for all involved. Our leagues sell out, we field competitive spirited teams in all USAU divisions, we continue to support valued long standing tourneys from Solstice to GRUB to Poultry Days, we produce quality USAU Series tournaments and we help mentor other regional disc associations with whatever resources they require to facilitate growth. We have actively worked to implement many of the goals in the strategic plan organically in all our own efforts. Inclusion and participation growth especially at the youth level is the driving force behind our local organization's mission. Partnering with the YMCA we have rolled out programs to introduce ultimate to a wide ranging group of young people that would never otherwise have such an opportunity. These types of partnerships help promote ultimate to pre-existing audiences that are clamoring for positive and engaging programing. The underlying principles contained within the concepts of SOTG are precisely what young people need in their lives. There are many cities nationwide that have a similar size and developmental cycle. We have multiple lessons learned to share with other disc organizations. Our grassroots approach to ultimate rings true with many, and embracing these principals will be instrumental in advancing the strategic plan of USA Ultimate.

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

I am an ultimate player. This sport has been a core component of my life for over 20 years now. As an active and ongoing participant in every type of event from pickup games, leagues and grassroots tourneys to USAU Club and Masters series events there is no doubt that I have my finger squarely on the pulse of our sport. My network of valued teammates and respected opponents stretches across the USA. I hear their passionate voices from all sides. I have seen what initiatives have worked and what has fallen flat or worse yet, potentially alienated members. There are many concepts and ideas out there that have tremendous value which come from beyond our own respective bubbles. Time has granted me enough knowledge to respect the fact that many outside opinions may have creedence if given proper analysis. The success of our governing body parallels the success of ultimate in our country. I have a perspective on where our organization has been and see a vision for its future. Achieving that vision is a collaborative project that succeeds by distilling all the best ideas from our sports national leaders into actionable, highly replicable and impactful efforts. This board of directors campaign effort is for all of us. A core concept of any building endeavor is establishing a broad structurally sound foundation. In the case of USA Ultimate this base is our membership. It must be maintained, cultivated, and grown. I am the candidate of and for the everyday player, coach and organizer. A tireless advocate for the rights of our diverse membership to receive equitable treatment from our organization despite competition level, age, gender or race. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

_____________________________ 

Vikram Makhija

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

My playing experience is at recreational, organized and up to nationals levels, and these are some of my professional qualifications: as the general manager of a large software business, I’m responsible for a large community of employees, customers and partners. I have significant expertise in sales, investment, compensation, marketing and software technology development. I have operated, invested in and advised various technology startups - helping them to recruit, formulate investment, product and sales plans frequently working alongside other investors and board members. I’ve served on the PTO board at Stevens Creek Elementary for two years helping to guide policy, fundraising, budget and allocations for community programs within the school. Among other local and community initiatives, I’ve coached kids soccer and have been a volunteer for the Project Cornerstone program meant to foster inclusion and acceptance among kids of all backgrounds. 

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

As part of the Board of Directors, I will help further USA Ultimate’s conversation and progress on inclusion. As a minority myself, I’m passionate about building access and awareness in under-served communities. I’ll work to advance that conversation and together build a framework to broaden the awareness and access of our sport within all communities regardless of background, age, race or gender. Secondly, as technology continues to play a more important role in all sports, I’ll work towards strategy on how USA Ultimate can make cost effective, but innovative use of technology to enrich the community’s experience with USA Ultimate and drive athletic excellence. Above all, I’ll work with my fellow directors to steward the integrity and community of our sport and the operational excellence of USA Ultimate.

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

My connection with ultimate began fifteen years ago when my colleagues at the time introduced me to a lunchtime game. As an immigrant to the US, I’d played a lot of soccer and basketball, but was struck both by the unique beauty and camaraderie of ultimate. I haven’t stopped playing since. I hope to contribute back to our community by bringing my experience operating and building businesses as well as unique professional and personal perspective to build on USA Ultimate’s goals of inclusion, engagement and governance. 

I’d be honored to have your support and the opportunity to serve our sport and community on USA Ultimate’s Board of Directors. Thank You. 

_____________________________ 

Ryan Natzke

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

Professional Experience

I am the Chief External Affairs Officer for a large rural integrated health care system in Wisconsin with 12,000 employees.  In this role I oversee all marketing, communications and lobbying.  I started in politics and throughout my career I have worked to build coalitions and execute successful campaigns to achieve our goals. Building relationships and effectively communicating and marketing are skills I would bring to the Board and USA Ultimate. 

Board Experience

Currently I am a member of several state association-based health care-related boards, my graduate school alumni board,  and the Kidney Cancer Association Board (5 year survivor).  I have staffed a large organization as they have gone through significant board and governance change.  I understand the role and value of a board member is to help guide the organization’s mission, vision and values and not to micro manage staff, but also to be there as a resource as needed.

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

Youth Ultimate

The first goal of the strategic plan relates to youth development and I am deeply committed to this.  I started a middle school traveling team last year and am starting a high school team in rural Wisconsin this spring (Madison West, we’re coming for you!).  I have a 12 year old son that loves to play. 

(check out this bid! www.twitter.com/TheFrisbeeKid/status/1137752851080462336?s=20)  

Communicating Value

I want to leave this sport in an even better place for him and future generations as they grow up.  A lot of the goals revolve around communication and marketing, which is my profession.  As an organization I think we can do a better job of communicating the value that we provide.  Not only as a member organization for us as players (to both those that are members and those that are not yet members), but also as the organization that is the caretaker for the sport that we all love.  

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

tl;dr

I’m not good at ultimate.  I’ve never played at a high level, I’m not fast, and while I’m a fair poacher with decent throws, I’m a pretty significant defensive liability.  I have been playing or been involved with the sport for over 20 years and love this sport as much as anyone reading this right now.  Given my history with the sport, my involvement and passion for youth ultimate as well as my professional, executive and board experience, I believe I would bring value to the USA Ultimate Board in achieving its goals to further this crazy sport for the next 5, 10, 20 years and beyond.

_____________________________ 

Steve Sullivan

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

Much of my professional career has been spent working in the foundation and nonprofit sectors, and I have experience in a broad set of skills related to the successful management and governance of such organizations. Having served as an executive secretary for the board of a large national nonprofit, I know what it takes for a board to run well.

More recently, I worked full-time at a local disc organization, getting a first-hand look at what it’s like to navigate the relationship with a national governing body while serving a local audience. At the same time, I have spent the past four years serving as Executive Editor at Ultiworld, which means I am constantly engaged in staying on top of what is happening everywhere in the sport. I also served as the editor for the recently released second volume of the Ultimate History book. Even beyond professional work, I have volunteered within the sport on everything from organizing events to coaching at summer camps. Combined, those roles mean I both understand the current pulse of the ultimate community as well as the historical context on how we got to where we are.

Through all these roles, I have gotten to know and built relationships with a wide swath of people who play and are as passionate about ultimate as I am. I have been ever-present at the sport's largest events over the past two decades and am always excited to strike up sideline conversation with new people to hear about how they got involved and what they'd like to see from the sport.

I believe these experiences give me the broad perspective necessary to help USAU navigate the big decisions involved in delivering on their mission and think critically about how best to push the sport forward without leaving any current members or constituencies behind.

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

My professional experience and areas of expertise nicely dovetail with the major goals of USAU’s current strategic plan.

Increasing access, participation, and youth development: While at the Bay Area Disc Association, I got a close-up view as to what it takes to engage with populations new to the sport, both in terms of communicating with them and in designing programs to meet them where they’re at. For example, I helped the organization strategize for and win a grant to support Learn 2 Play programming at middle schools in several low-income communities in Oakland.

Enhancing excellent programs and events: I have served in a variety of volunteer roles for USAU previously, from Sectional and Regional Coordinator to being a player rep to the competition committee. I spent several years working on the ongoing evaluation and adjustment of the Triple Crown Tour to better serve adult club players across the full spectrum of competitive levels. Those roles give me both insight into what is reasonably possible within USAU’s current structural and resource constraints as well as institutional knowledge about what has been tried previously, why things have changed, and what it would take to push beyond the current boundaries.

Increasing awareness of the sport: In my role at Ultiworld, I work every day to expand the universe of ultimate fans by increasing the legitimacy and awareness of the sport. With a professional background in communications at nonprofit organizations, I’m used to finding ways to stretch limited resources and leverage existing assets to marshal support and action toward strategic goals. 

Most importantly, I am committed to approaching every situation with an eye toward equity, diversity, and inclusion. Respecting that there are many different perspectives within our growing community, I attempt to build bridges and consensus to drive things forward while working within the system, rather than pushing on the boundaries at either end of the spectrum or allowing myself to be bullied by those who yell the loudest. At the same time, I constantly work to be an ally to those pushing for equity in all its forms, generally preferring to elevate a diverse set of other voices over speaking out myself. While I know my candidacy here in many ways contradicts that approach, I am running for board in large part due to encouragement from a diverse group of people I’ve worked with in the past.

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

I have been lucky enough to be a part of the ultimate community for close to two decades. As someone who fully immersed myself in the sport from the time I learned about it, membership in this community has become a major part of my identity — as I know is the case for many others. 

Over the years, I have experienced the sport as almost every different type of stakeholder, from local league player to elite athlete, from event organizer to fan, from media partner to local disc org employee. I have volunteered in a variety of capacities within the sport as a way to pay it back for all that it has given me, and am excited to offer my time and talent to help strengthen USAU and its efforts to serve the entire ultimate community.

The sport has advanced a lot in the years since I started playing. Rapid growth has meant that the vital social and competitive connections tying players across the country together are disappearing or experienced by fewer and fewer players. The expansion also means that the USAU membership now has differing — and sometimes conflicting — opinions on big issues like spirit, equity, and growth. The organization is faced with a number of critical choices that will define what ultimate looks like in the future.

I have a deep appreciation for all those who built this sport up and for what they have passed on to us today. I recognize that the sport will never go back to exactly the way it was before and am excited to be a part of it as it continues to evolve to serve a broader community. 

I'm running for the board to make sure every decision that is made takes into consideration how it will affect everyone involved in the sport, preserving as much of what is great about ultimate as possible as it grows for the future. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to do so. Thanks for your consideration.

_____________________________ 

Kyle Weisbrod

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

I began playing ultimate in 1993 in Atlanta, Georgia.  Since that time I have participated and organized at every level of ultimate around the country. I have played in leagues in Atlanta, Boston, Rhode Island, Colorado and Seattle.  I have played and coached at the National Team level and introduced seven year olds to the sport and everything in between.  I have coached, observed, tournament directed, volunteered for local disc organizations and USAU and served on both staff and the Board of Director’s for the UPA/USAU.  

When I served as the first Director of Youth Development I created the structure for youth development and competition that still exists including Coach Certification, the Youth Club Championships, the National Team selection process, PE Outreach, and HS State and Regional Championships.  

While on the Board of Directors I was one of the heavy lifters of the organization’s first strategic planning process. I developed and analyzed the surveys, ran small forums and large community summits for feedback, and led two of the task forces that developed the final recommendations.  I was one of the members of College Restructuring committee that successfully developed the College division’s current structure which is thriving. 

In 2016, I wrote a detailed and well-received article ("From UPA to USAU" published on Ultiworld) that charted the history of the governance and development of the UPA/USAU over the previous two decades. This article provided the membership a window into the organization and its direction. 

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

I believe that my experience makes me uniquely qualified to serve on USA Ultimate’s Board of Directors. I understand the organization and have a strong legacy of transparency, communication and player-directed decision making. I have a proven history of developing and executing plans for ultimate that take into account perspectives throughout the ultimate community. If elected, I will hit the ground running on contributing to a player-responsive Board of Directors.

 

  

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Elite Athlete

Angela Lin

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

Professional experience: At my day job I’m a senior research engineer with 20+ years of experience who has been trained to find good questions to ask, determine appropriate ways to generate data to help answer the questions, and analytically consider the outcomes. Our group has always followed a multi-disciplinary approach and collaborative mindset – bringing together scientists, engineers, and clinicians to work on medical problems. I learn new skills pretty rapidly, and I immediately try to figure out how to improve and do them as efficiently and effectively as possible. I think there are ways this could all apply to helping with USAU’s Board processes.

Non-profit board experience: I’m the Treasurer of the Board of the Premier Ultimate League (PUL) as well as a member of two subcommittees (Rules/Operations Manual, Expansion/New Team Applications). We have weekly meetings to conduct our business and make decisions. I’m very familiar with navigating group discussions to get things done. I’m confident in voicing the thoughts I feel strongly about and eager to listen to others’ ideas so that we can push for the best product possible. The PUL Board functions to not only organizationally support and direct the League with things like vision, budgets, and fundraising efforts but also in directly implementing operations and competition aspects. We each cover a lot of ground to make the League run, and I’d be bringing about two years of that work in with me as a baseline and as a potentially unique perspective toward Board work.

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

I think I would bring a unique perspective and ideas to each of the 4 strategic goals, but I'm going to focus on one for which I feel my current efforts already have an impact and one for which I hope to contribute. They are here for reference: https://www.usaultimate.org/pulltogether/.

I feel I'm currently contributing to Goal 2: 

In terms of facilitating communication with external organizations and evolving the rules of ultimate in directions that make sense for SOTG and players as well as reach to ever-improve spectator experience, I also have what I think is an interesting perspective from my work with PUL. PUL continues to promote the efficacy of self officiation and sportspersonship while at the same time focusing on watchability and spectator appeal. I have personally and as a representative of PUL already had very open communication lines with USAU’s SOAR committee members.

Communication is obviously key in developing and building relationships in and outside of the ultimate community (and in life), and I think it’s challenging to know in each situation how to communicate ideas most clearly and openly. The players within the ultimate community do not always have a positive response to USAU as an organization – particularly with respect to how it communicates with players and teams. I think that USAU guidelines and policies can be more clear and concise, and I think I could help on that level.

I am one of the Assistant Coaches for the USWNT this cycle and fully support and will continue to help the delegation in its efforts to expand access to US National Team Programs for players and coaches from underrepresented areas/groups.

I hope to contribute to Goal 3:

I’m not sure that I consider ultimate to be exceptionally innovative in its current state (things move pretty slowly, in my opinion), but I think there are areas that have big potential for innovation, for example: variations on mixed play rules and culture to structuralize the importance of gender equity, more fully highlighting SOTG / self officiation to spectators, appeal of the sport being playable on multiple surfaces, and the momentum that has been generated in our community’s desire to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

Describe how your experiences as an elite athlete would make you an effective and appealing board member. 

1. People generally like me. 2. I've been around for awhile and have seen elite ultimate in a lot of different forms. 3. I've been a player on many different levels of teams in the USAU system, and that is unique for an elite athlete candidate (eg: Ozone, a program with a long and storied history in elite club ultimate; Masters USNTs on grass and beach, sitting next to so many epically talented and accomplished champions of the highest caliber; LOL, a Top Select team with also many ridiculously talented and accomplished champions). 4. I have helped to co-create along with so many wonderful and amazing leaders on the PUL Board (and along with athletes participating, sponsors/donors contributing) a semi-pro playing opportunity for increasing visibility of womxn athletes in our community that has been extremely intentional about communicating with USAU and extremely intentional about trying to bring the ultimate community together.

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

I'm interested in helping to shape the future of ultimate through as many routes as possible. Collaboration and working together to build effective processes are the way I work and the things I bring into everything that I do. I work hard toward my goals and commitments. My experiences as a player and leader on teams at various levels in the USAU structure (national team, elite club team, newer/developing club team) combined with experiences on more of the administrative side (regional coordinator) give me unique perspectives that I think could be helpful to the Board. I also have a lot to learn and am excited to begin understanding the business and non-profit side of USAU more, to listen to the perspectives of well-established and newer Board members with fresh ears and attention.

I would like to help figure out how we can bring the organization and its players together, as I feel there can be big disconnects at times. The only way for us to push for a great future beyond what we all imagine right now is to connect, understand each other, and build it together. I would like to help figure out how we can make ultimate more affordable and accessible for everyone - from existing players to those who have never played before. I would like to amplify the voices of those in our community who generally are less represented (be that because of race, gender, economics, geography, or any other factors). Thanks, and I'm open to answering any questions you may have.

_____________________________ 

Ian Toner

Describe your professional experience, expertise and/or skill set(s) and how they relate to and add value to supporting USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of ultimate in the United States.

The majority of my professional experience stems from the public relations, content marketing and general communications fields. I’ve advised clients on everything from broad strategic communications plans to one-off social media responses. I’ve presented to and learned from executives and frontline staff to understand their pain points and identify the audiences most important to their success.

As our sport continues to grow, USA Ultimate will need to implement its current strategic plan in a thoughtful manner. I’d strive to listen carefully to the organization’s expanding membership base and help the organization thoughtfully communicate to new and existing audiences as it moves forward with its strategic plan and vision.

 

Provide a brief description about what you would uniquely bring to USA Ultimate to support and accomplish the goals outlined in USA Ultimate’s current strategic plan. 

My professional experience aligns most closely with the Strategic Plan’s third goal (increasing awareness and credibility of our sport as an innovative and highly respected sport).

My platform as a communicator covering the sport provides ample opportunity to publicly celebrate the sport’s successes. It also empowers me to continue monitoring and networking with important media stakeholders who may be capable of bringing new audiences to the sport.

My public relations and content marketing expertise can also support the organization’s commitment to exceptional communications, marketing and branding.

(To be sure, this is not to suggest that I wouldn’t be focused on the other key goals in the newest strategic plan. So much of our sport’s hopes for growing in more equitable, diverse and inclusive manners rely on our organization’s ability to listen and communicate in ways that make our community feel (and be) as accessible and welcoming as possible. I’d enter any director role with an open mindset, eager to learn and expand my perspectives in ways that help the organization successfully implement its newest strategic plan.)

 

Describe how your experiences as an elite athlete would make you an effective and appealing board member. 

I’ve represented our country internationally, and I’ve represented my university and club on the national stage. I’ve been extremely privileged to travel across the country and world to play and cover the game we love. I understand the commitment (and sacrifices) players make to prioritize elite ultimate competition in their lives.

I also recognize that others in our home communities don’t have the same means or opportunities to compete in our sport. That our community still has room to grow to make sure more players feel truly welcome wherever they aspire to cleat up.

I’d draw on my firsthand experiences, and those of my former teammates, to make informed decisions that (a) stay true to the organization’s focus on growth, inclusivity and emphasizing Spirit of the Game and (b) make sure our sport continues to exert a positive impact on its players and society.

 

Provide a brief statement outlining why you feel you are a strong candidate to serve on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and/or why eligible USA Ultimate members should vote for you. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to compete at and cover many levels of the sport we love. I’ve made lifelong friendships, plenty of mistakes that have led to growth and unforgettable memories in victories and defeats.

I feel a strong responsibility to give back to the sport that’s given me so much opportunity to pursue passions and build relationships with teammates, competitors and organizers. To apply what I’ve learned about life, competition and community from my experiences on and off the field to help our sport move forward.

Our game has a special opportunity to grow while continuing to be a force for good in communities around the country. I believe my communications-oriented skillset and experiences, along with a growth mindset and commitment to expanding my perspectives, can help USA Ultimate make the most of that opportunity at this critical time.

 

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VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

Voting is easy!

1. Log into your member account.

2. Click on the "Voting" icon.

3. Choose the election in which you wish to vote (only elite athletes will be presented with that option).

4. Follow the voting instructions.

Polls close Tuesday, December 17, at 2:00 p.m. MT.

 

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