I received a notice from AIS that the TB Symposium popularity poll voting deadline has been moved closer, to August 1st. But at the same time the 2019 Ballot seems no longer to be clickable, openable, downloadable, or printable. Has the webmaster messed up something while "revising" the AIS web site?

Am I alone in noticing this? Go to https://www.irises.org/About_I... and see if the link for
downloading the 2019 Ballot works. August first is fast approaching.

I suppose that if the ballot isn't downladable, the powers that be at AIS can decide the popularty ranking withut any input from the rest of us. I guess I should put a snark tag on that, but having recently discovered that my AIS e-membership would not work - because the webmaster could not make it work for Android since he was far too busy revising the AIS web site, I think a bit of snark is well-deserved.

I would like to heartily recommend to any AIS officials reading this, that the deadline for voting be extended because of this snafu.

I sent an email to the AIS president about this just this morning, and just now Jones, the "temporary web site helper" got back to me saying the link to the 2019 ballot has been fixed. No word as to whether they will extend the voting deadline because of this.

So, get busy download the ballot, and vote for your 25 favorites. As far as I know the deadline for submissions is still August 1, and if using snail mail, you need to allow mail time. So hurry.

Please be aware that along with fixing the broken link, the web person also switched its position. It is now the top link of the three. That threw me off momentarily so I was still clicking the middle link and wondering why I was getting last year's ballot.

If you print out and try to use last year's ballot, it will likely be tossed out.

Daisy,
The ballot is up. I have already downloaded and voted by email.
https://www.irises.org/About_I...

Do you have to be a member to vote?

I just realized that yes, it's finally up and running. The previously inoperable link for the 2019 ballot WAS the middle of three links. Now it's operable, and it's switched positions to be the top link. That's what threw me off this last time. Seeing that the middle link finally had blue underlining, meaning it was an operable link, I clicked on IT. But it is now at the top.

So, yes, it's operable now, and it's now the top link of the three.

Barbara, I don't really know. I've read people here who said that anyone can vote, but I'm not certain. As of last month I had an emembership. It was refunded when I was miffed that it could not allow a person with an Android notepad, like me, to access the Bulletin online. So now I don't know. I'd very much like to vote. I'd like to have emember access to bulletins, without more trees being destroyed to physically print paper bulletins.

I would think that for a popularity poll that they'd want input from iris-lovers all over the U.S., whether they are AIS members or not.

@iciris Barbara, I think I may have seen some conflicting information, online, as to just exactly about that very subject, regarding as to, if a non AIS members, may "vote" . Meanwhile that particular webpage, states they can not. .

So, I really don't know how to verify, the answer to your question. As the information I thought I had read elsewhere, appeared as though it may have contradicted, the statement on the submission website page, about only AIS members having a "vote" for 25 choices, of "Tall Bearded" ...

Apart from that, if those that did "vote' sent in, or did online, the 'incorrect year" ballot, it may quite possibly be, "invalid" & many, if they didn't read the website, &/or weren't notified in "Tall Beadred Talk", may not know, the deadline for submissions ( of the correct year, ballot- since corrected- & no idea, how long it was "incorrect",) has been shortened, for submission date, to even be "counted", with a "incorrect" year "ballot' or not, as it just may arrive too late, & may just be disqualified & not "counted" as a "vote", either way !

That's just a bunch of total ridiculous nonsense & ALMOST makes me NOT want to join, AIS !

I want to comment on the AIS membership procedure. The AIS website IMHO needs some serious updating to reflect immediate membership once the fees are paid. Payment should give the applicant instant access. A simple user name & password should be all that is necessary. I have been a member on & off for many years since the early 1990's. And it doesn't seem to get any better whether paper or electronic. I am grateful for the AIS, but I feel some changes are needed for the website & especially new memberships. I can understand the above feelings.

Unfortunately, I think this kind of issue is symptomatic of the problems faced by many plant societies and clubs these days. Many are made up of a mature or ageing membership with few members that have much IT or webdesign experience. Younger generations often don't have the time or space for gardening; there's also the vicious cycle that poor web presence of many clubs/societies simply doesn't attract younger Internet-savvy individuals and so nobody with web design skills ends up joining the club. For example, I myself am probably the only person with any web design experience at my local Orchid club (and one of the few under 50); whilst I have volunteered to manage the website, finding the time to overhaul it is a challenge. I have been chipping away at it, but it's a very slow process. It's certainly frustrating, but I can see how and why groups end up where they are.

@Frillylily That's exactly why political talk & (& even innuendo) ought best to be avoided, in the Forums. It is a shame, but at times, I do believe, where money may be be involved, usually there is some form of "corruption" & if the "vote", is about "Popularity" & the results are "contaminated" by such shenanigans, it may lead those that purchase, by "popularity" to be misled, for purposes of financial gain, according to the results, obtained.

Though, not everyone buys their '"Tall Bearded Iris" according to this poll, that "method' of obtaining results, could very well possibly have a misleading influence for some, in their decision making process, of "purchasing," certain "Tall Barded Iris", depending upon the result. "Intentionally" or not, the results are already brought into serious doubt, in my mind, when I would be most interested in knowing the "honest'' results, to make comparison to what I've ordered this year...

I noticed a "problem", dating back to 2010, & there are actually "two results" dated for that same year, with an (asterisk) * to denote one of them , with an explanation, below, for why that "happened" & how it occurred..

@iciris Barbara, apparently one must be a member of AIS ( the exception being , that one doesn't necessarily have to be a Judge, to vote.) But, is very extremely important, in the overall process, to start achieving Awards....So, in reality, this portion of the process, can eventually end up making a huge difference, later on.

Thank you Shawn.

This whole situation, is going to quite possibly affect the outcomes, of future major Award Winners, for "Tall Bearded Iris", for years to come, & I find it all to be rather quite disgusting, & most disappointing, to say the very least.

@Frillylily How would think of it, had you gone through a process of pollinating so many Iris flowers & grown thousands of seeds, after years of work, time & effort, & expense, all go down the drain & you received no recognition that should have been due, you, except somebody had caused a major problem & prevented you from ever getting the proper recognition, for what you'd created & ought to be, (with integrity & all honesty) rightfully being honored with, possibly one of the higher Awards, as a recipient, for -your- Tall Bearded Iris ?
Yet, very possibly deprived of it, by use of these tactics, methods of manipulation, or whatever term you'd use to describe what is happening (& has already occurred) be it intentional (or not.) That's what I call "ruthless", bordering on depravity...

I spent years of my life, growing Award winning Iris. Many of which still to this very day, remain in the top 100 list & mostly still remain, near the very top, for how much they were "appreciated" & to me, they were very meaningful , instead of compared to just some "ordinary, run of the mill Iris".

Those weren't the ones you might see, just about anywhere, but were awesome & still are to this very day. To cast doubts upon, as to the very manner, or methods in which the Tall Bearded Iris of the future rise through the ranks & surpass so many others & ought to be well deserving of being winners of those Awards...

Now, I am starting to seriously question, the very nature of the whole business & if this is the direction of the future , for where they are headed... Then yeah, I'm going to be "selecting " them all in future years, exactly for how they look & trashing the ones that "don't" meet my expectations of what should be an outstanding Iris, at $5 apiece for a rhizome.

Treat them as if they're "disposable" simply because one can't put any trust, in the process any more, because it appears there is something quite distasteful involved, simply with the "people' even casting a "vote', that looks to have some corruption & dishonesty involved in the Society, that people pay to be a member of... Well, you can count me out, of that !.

This "situation", such as it is, has absolutely no impact what so ever on "future awards". The Tall Bearded Iris Symposium is just an informal thing done for fun. It is unrelated to the AIS awards system. In fact, most of the plants that made the Symposium's top 100 last year aren't even eligible for AIS awards anymore.

Please, if you have concerns about AIS, contact them directly. Garden.org is not affiliated with AIS. No AIS officials, as far as I'm aware, are even members here. Complaining about AIS in these forums is akin to screaming at the sky. It accomplishes nothing and, frankly, it is in bad taste.

Kent, the way I understood it, the whole process begins, with this "vote" So, you are saying I'm completely wrong about that & didn't read it correctly as to how the whole process begins ?
I was under the impression, that this is exactly how the entire process starts off.
Now, you are telling me, it has absolutely nothing to do, with how the future awards are given ?
If so, then I'm seriously sorry & entirely misunderstood how this whole thing starts with the people using ballots to cast their 25 "votes" !
For that, I apologize, as I was misled in how the whole operation takes place & get started. I'm very tired & that doesn't help, one bit, either. I appreciate your explanation, in straightening that out, for me. For this, I sincerely apologize. As apparently, I misunderstood completely, & mistook what I was told, also. For that, I am truly sorry.