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The Search for the Prize Pin
One Florida local turned the chaos
of the 2000 presidential election in Palm Beach County into
the most sought-after pin of the IBEW convention in San Francisco.
 Fort
Lauderdale Local 728s pin features a big yellow butterflycomplete
with punch holes to signify the notorious punch-card butterfly
ballot whose design so confounded voters in Palm Beach County.
The pin, which says "Selection 2000," recalled those
days of the "hanging," "pregnant" or "swinging"
chads on the ballots Florida election workers stared at endlessly
to determine the "intent of the voter."
After considering pin designs that depicted familiar Florida
icons like palm trees, dolphins or alligators, Assistant Business
Manager Richard Slaymaker came up with the butterfly idea.
The Local 728 delegation came to the convention with 1,000
pins but still didnt have enough to satisfy the avid IBEW
collectors, particularly once they caught on to the fact that
two varieties of the pins were made. Any good pin collector
would not settle for one or the other, but boththe pin with
the black type and the one lettered in gold (shown in photo).
"It became a thing where everyone wanted a set,"
Svetlick said. "So it limited what we took out there
to the collectors."
The good news is the local still has pins. Anyone looking
for one is asked to call or e-mail the office through the
locals web site at www.ibew728.org.
Other popular pins included the offering from Local 1547
of Anchorage, Alaska, displaying two bears; Local 55, Des
Moines, Iowa, whose bronze pin contains a depiction of John
Wayne; and Salisbury, Marylands Local 1307, whose pin had
a crab. A silver eagle from Arizona and the utility industrys
Ready Kilowatt on a surfboard from a California local were
also popular among traders.
But why trade in pins at the convention?
"Well, theyre small, easy to collect and theyre pretty,"
said Kathy Neblett, of Burney, California, wife of a Local
1245 member.
And by displaying their collectionusually around the neck
along the blue fabric IBEW badge-holderthose who collect,
trade and give away pins have another opportunity to meet
other people.
A group of railroad delegates from Local 589, Hicksville,
New York, proudly bestowed an International Office staff member
with a pin displaying the Long Island Railroad, emphasizing
that the design is the first edition in 67 years.
One woman, spotted pinning her large collection onto a white
canvas bag on a bench in the Moscone Center said she didnt
plan to get carried away with the pin trade.
"You dont start out that way but you get into it,"
said Mary Brownie, wife of 9th District International Representative
William Brownie. "Its fun."
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