The National Rifle Association Annual Meeting has come and gone. Cam did some extensive coverage on different aspects of the meeting, in particular the Leadership Forum and presidential hopefuls present. From all accounts, the NRAAM was a success, with the NRA stating there were 77,246 attendees this year. Both the results for the NRA Board of Directors election, and the nominating of the organization’s officers results are in.

The April 15, 2023 “Report of the 2023 Committee on Elections” stated that there were 2,535,798 ballots sent out to voting members. The election was for 25 directors to fill three-year terms, all ending in 2026. Of the over two and a half million ballots, 78,327 were returned, with 75,454 considered “valid,” and 2,873 “invalid.” One other individual was elected to fill a seat voided after the passing of Dave Butz, and that term ends in 2025. The position of 76th Director was also voted on by the membership present at the NRAAM.

According to a letter slipped under NRA board member Willes Lee’s door, on April 17, 2023, the nominating committee for officers positions reported that they had met on April 16, 2023. The nominating committee reported back the following nominations for officers:

Charles L. Cotton for President
Bob Barr for First Vice President
David G. Coy for Second Vice President
Wayne LaPierre for Executive Vice President
John C. Frazer for Secretary
Sonya B. Rowling for Treasurer

Lee’s Facebook and Twitter posts all brought up something that was rather shocking to him, he was not nominated to continue on as the First Vice President of the NRA.

Slipped under the door tonight. Oh. Congratulations to the (new) team nominated to be officers.
More on this later bc …. another early tomorrow morning. (I’m still in Indianapolis, inside joke.) pic.twitter.com/EUq1eE59Qo

— Willes Lee (@WillesLee) April 17, 2023

Wonderful annual meeting. Huge success for freedom. Thanks to each and every one who made  this happen, and especially all who attended and supported NRA’s Defend the Second statement event. You’ll hear soon just how huge, it is a loud message. Thank you to Indiana patriots.

Got this slipped under the door tonight. Oh. Congratulations to the (new) team nominated to be officers. (Uh, no one told me they were in Exec Session.)

More on this later bc …. another early tomorrow morning. (PS- I’m still in Indianapolis, inside joke.)

Lee sent out an additional post, referring to the situation somewhat in jest.

Certainly of importance, tho also politics. Through the night, received messages & DMs. Some fun or funny, some biting – towards me and/or NRA, some complementary. Friend’s call  before o’dark-thirty (of all nights to NOT be on silent) asking if I were still attending Board meeting.)

Sad but best text “Oh. No. They Ollie’d you, at annual meeting, in Indianapolis. lol” in a reference to us dumping North here in 2019. Folks, not yet. Update later.

What’s the actual reasoning and motivation behind the leadership mix-up? Who knows. There’s speculation on what could have gone on, but there’s nothing substantiated, and I refuse to report on rumors. Given the current state of the NRA and them dealing with a legal battle in New York, we’re not likely to get any further information until the litigation is over. Any background noise and negativity about all the other matters, there’s not much that the public at large is going to know until things are settled.

Everyone I spoke to who attended the NRAAM seemed to really enjoy themselves this year. Social media feeds were full of patriots having a good time, checking out gear, meeting new friends, and enjoying the company of other showgoers. I’ll admit I had a touch of the FOMO, due to not being able to attend. The 77,246 attendees shows that the NRA is – as it should be – a popular organization. Earlier this year I did attend the Great American Outdoors Show, an NRA run event, and they noted a 21% increase in attendance over last year, with a whopping 200,000 people having attended.

Having a new slate of directors, some new, some old; and a mix-up of some of the officers, I’m optimistic to see where the NRA goes in 2023 through 2024. They have a large shadow to get around though – after all, NYSRPA v. Bruen was an NRA suit. I’ll be standing by to report on their next “hold my beer moment,” when there’s something epic to talk about.