COLUMN AWARDS ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCES VOTING CHANGES/GUIDELINES FOR THE 2014 COLUMN AWARDS

As with any organization, when there is growth, there is change. The same goes for THE COLUMN AWARDS. This year the organization will celebrate its 15th year!

Executive Director/Producer/Founder John Garcia and the Board of Directors have listened to your concerns and issues regarding the voting process for THE COLUMN AWARDS. After months of long discussions and laying out endless scenarios, the Board of Directors have completely revamped the voting process and eligibility for the 15th Annual COLUMN AWARDS.

The main reasons for these changes are due to give a more balance of fairness in regards to nominations and winners within the organization. We are very aware of the issue regarding the "popularity vote". We also feel that a much firmer grasp of voter fraud needed to be addressed as well. We feel this new process will greatly aide in addressing those issues among others.


Here is how the new voting process/guidelines/eligibility will work:

There will still be 2 rounds of voting.

"The Column Awards Voting Academy" has been formed. This prestigious group has a MAJOR responsibility as they are the ONLY ones allowed to vote in Round One.

The following individuals will make up the membership of The Column Awards Voting Academy (TCAVA):

*ANY individual that has WON a COLUMN Award in its 14 year history. This INCLUDES those individuals that were awarded in the early years by Executive Director/Producer/ Founder John Garcia. Each year the winners of current year will be allowed to join TCAVA.

*Theatre Critics from within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex publications and internet sites. These include THE COLUMN Associate Theatre Critics, Theater Jones Theatre Critics, The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Voice, Dallas Observer, The Star Telegram, Critical Rant, D Magazine, etc. They will all be invited to vote and be a participant of TCAVA.

*Each theatre company that has won BEST PLAY or BEST MUSICAL (Equity and Non-Equity) will have 1 vote. The Artistic Director of a theatre that has previously won a COLUMN Award may select - by proxy - who will represent that theatre in TCAVA. Theatres are allowed only one vote even if they have multiple previous wins.

*Sitting members of THE COLUMN Awards Board of Directors.

The members of TCAVA will be the ONLY individuals voting in ROUND 1. TCAVA will be choosing those individuals/shows that will make up the final six nominations in each category. Members of TCAVA will be allowed to vote in ROUND 2 as well.

Members of TCAVA must register at the link below. The following information will be required:
1- Full Name
2- Email Address
3- Year and category of latest award win, publication association or Board of Directors designation.

*LINK WILL BE POST ON COLUMN AWARDS WEBSITE NEXT WEEK!

Round Two will be open to ALL REGISTERED COLUMN AWARDS VOTERS that subscribe to John Garcia's THE COLUMN. This is the round where the winner is chosen. So BOTH TCAVA and ALL REGISTERED COLUMN AWARDS/ COLUMN SUBSCRIBERS will be allowed to vote in Round 2.

You must register. The following information will be required:

1 - Full Name
2 - Email Address
3 - Select from drop down menu of interest categories:

Actor
Designer
Director - includes Choreographer and Music Director
Producer
Administrator
Technician
Volunteer
Column Subscriber

4 - How long have you been a subscriber to John Garcia's The Column?

You MUST be a registered Column Awards voter AND a subscriber to John Garcia's THE COLUMN to vote in Round 2!

*LINK WILL BE POST ON COLUMN AWARDS WEBSITE NEXT WEEK!

In its inception Mr. Garcia would be the sole selector of the winners. 5 years later the organization started using an electronic voting process which included every local subscriber to John Garcia’s THE COLUMN as a voter. The new process allowed more theatres to participate and Mr. Garcia’s subscribership has grown to over Twenty Thousand.

THE COLUMN AWARDS prides itself in the inclusion of the entire D/FW theatre community. The new voting system continues to meet the organizations passion for inclusivity. Mr. Garcia is quoted as saying “THE COLUMN AWARDS Board of Directors and I are excited about this change. This offers our winners, theatre critics and board members an opportunity to select the 6 nominated shows that will get voted on by registered Column Awards/Column subscriber voters in Round 2. Since the critics in town see the most theatre, the organization wanted to ensure they were included in The Column Awards Voting Academy. And how better to recognize past winners than allowing them to help choose the Round 2 nominees!”