Category: Election 2026

It’s almost time for the ballot counting. If you have not filled out and returned your ballot, you may want to turn it in by dropping it in the mail slot in the front door at my house, 1105 Shady Ave, Pittsburgh, 15232, before 9am Sunday Oct 18th. You can also bring it to crown tourney or bring it to the barony social at the Buffalo Inn before 2pm. Please make sure your ballot is in a sealed envelop. Mailing your ballot at this late date may result in ballot not arriving in time. Ballots received after ballot count begins will not be included in the tally.

This Sunday, October 18th there is a Barony Social, Heavy and Fencing practice, and Ballot count. The site is the Buffalo Inn, 3757-3779 Buffalo Drive, South Park, PA 15129. https://maps.app.goo.gl/efUvBHBGH6Xnngr2A The fun starts at 10am and continues through the afternoon. There is are Arts and Sciences activities including largess make and donate, a weavers green, and a mini scriptorium. If you have other arts and science activities you would rather do, feel free. However, if it is messy, make sure you have drop cloths or tablecloths to cover the work surface. You will need to clean up afterwards There will be fencing and rattan fighter practice outdoors. No food will be provided, but feel free to bring food or beverages to eat, drink, and/or share.

At 2pm the selection committee will take the ballot box and retire to the back room to count the ballots. We encourage people to stay through the afternoon and find out the results.

Here is the latest news update from the Barony: First, thank you to THL Svava Jorudottir for all her work as Chatelaine welcoming newcomers and coordinating demos for two terms. Next a warm welcome to our new Chatelaine, Lady Kattera Doplerin. She and her team of deputies will continue to welcome newcomers to the SCA or to our local area, coordinate demos, parades, and other outreach.

The election process continues. I’ve received a number of ballots by mail or hand-delivered. The deadline for returning a ballot is October 18th before 2pm. The ballot count will start at 2pm at the Buffalo Inn, 3278 Buffalo Drive, South Park 15129.

The ballot counting is just one of the many things happening on Oct 18th at the Buffalo Inn. Fencing and Rattan practice will be held there. Indoors there will be artisans playtime including make and donation largess, a weavers green, and a miniscriptorium. No food will be provided, but you are welcome to bring food and beverages to eat, drink, and share if you choose.

Agincourt Event will be held the following week on Saturday October 24th at Big Knob Grange, 336 Grange Road, Rochester, PA 15074. 9:00am-10:00pm. You need to register online for lunch and feast. Feast is separate cost. See this page for links to register for food and the schedule: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/events/2026-10-24%20Agincourt%20XVIII.php

Starting November 1st, Fencing and Rattan practice move indoors. They will be held at Become Better Sport Performance and Personal Training, 5372 Enterprise Blvd, Bethel Park, PA 15102 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Archery and Thrown Weapons may continue outside at the Washington Blvd and Allegheny River Blvd until the November Archery potluck. Watch storfrettir for any updates.

Sunday November 15, Harvest Revel at Byron and Ariella’s Castle, 755 Stonegate Drive, Wexford, PA 15090. Potluck, Pie Contest, martial practices, barony social and general meeting.

Sunday November 29th – Archery Potluck at Chieftain Archery Club, 4711 Leechburgh Rd, New Kensington, PA 15068 from 11:00am-3:00pm

Saturday Dec 19th – Baronial Investiture Event (for out next Baronage) – Unitarian Universalist Church of the North Hills, 2359 W. Ingomar Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 from 9:00am-9:00pm. There is a lunch and a feast which is a separate cost.

Saturday Jan 16th, Baronial 12th Night at Buffalo Inn and Home Economics Buildings in South Park from 9:00am – 7:30pm. This is a free event, with potluck and lots for fun things.

Next Meetings:
Business Neetings12/2/26, 2/3/27
General Meetings 11/15/26 (at Harvest Revel), 1/16/27 (at Barony 12th Night)

Arts and Science: Rather than repeat Elinor’s lengthy list of what is happening, see the October A&S roundup post on the Barony Storfrettir blog: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/blog/?p=8066
For activities in November see the baronial calendar: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/calendar.php

There are only 2 weeks left until ballot counting day. That is when we tally the ballots to see who will be the next baronage. I will be at practice today until 3pm if you want to turn in your ballot in person. If that doesn’t work for you, you can also hand deliver to my house and put it through the mail slot in the front door. Please make sure your ballot is a sealed envelope. If you have a return address on it, I will use a sharpie to cover it. The ballots should be anonymous. You can also turn it in before 2pm on ballot counting day October 18th any time before 2pm. 

Ballot counting will be at the Buffalo Inn in South Park. Here is the location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/b6VYyi1tfjuv1GQo9 We will hold fencing and rattan practice outside, weather permitting, and folks can do crafting inside. No food will be provided, but feel free to bring food for yourself or to share with others.

There will be a picnic on September 5th at the Miller Shelter in North Park from noon-5pm. Here is the location https://maps.app.goo.gl/syMUrDffvivkvVvy5 No food will be provided, but there is a grill. You are welcome to come and grill. I will bring charcoal and lighter fluid. Bring your own food, if you want to eat. If you bring something to share, please list all ingredients for folks with food restrictions. We are encouraging folks to bring a craft if you want to do that. If you want to bring a lawn game please do that. There will be a meet the candidates and Q&A probably around 3pm. Fencers, Robert is planning on having fencing from noon until 3pm. We look forward to seeing you there. Niall will be recording the Q&A and will post after the picnic so you can hear from the candidates if you cannot attend.

The responses to the nominations have been received and the candidates running to be our next Baronage are:

Arthes and Skjoldr
Gwen and Maghnus
Elinor and Owen

There will be a picnic on September 5th at the Miller Shelter in North Park from noon-5pm. Here is the location https://maps.app.goo.gl/syMUrDffvivkvVvy5  No food will be provided, but there is a grill. You are welcome to come and grill. If grilling bring charcoal and lighter fluid. Bring your own food if you want to eat. If you bring something to share, please list all ingredients for folks with food restrictions. We are encouraging folks to bring a craft if you want to do that. If you want to bring a lawn game please do that. There will be a meet the candidates and Q&A probably around 3pm.

Ballots will be mailed out soon. I will post and email when that happens. Ballots are due back in a sealed envelope by October 18th. You can mail them. There will be an addressed envelope included with the ballot. You can also place them in the ballot box as long as they are in a sealed envelope.

There is plenty of Baronial news to share and some upcoming meetings, events, performances, that you may want to attend.

First, let’s start with the Baronial champion updates: Our archery champion is THL Arthes MacLeod. Our heavy champion is Lord Ingvar Sviatoslavich, and our Fencing Champion is Duke Thomas Byron of Haverford. Our thrown weapons champion will be selected this coming weekend at Sunday practice on Washington Blvd. Our champions compete at 7 Pearls. They may also represent our barony at Pennsic in barony tournaments.

Next, yesterday we had the annual garb swap and barony social. Thank you once again to Baroness Constance for organizing the swap, and her helpers Arthes, Skjoldr, Fine, as well as all the donors. We had clothing, fabric, accessories, cooking stuff, and camping equipment donations. Furthermore, hardly anything was left at the end. Also special thanks to Arthes and Skjoldr for car relocation services and to Elinor for letting us use the post-it flip chart and note taking.

Some barony related happenings at Pennsic. Please forgive me if I forgot some of the things mentioned yesterday:

Sat Jul 25th – camp setup for Barony camp – help set-up the common areas
Thurs Jul 30 1pm Stick to Sword Rattan Weaponmaking 101
Thurs Jul 30 9am, Sun Aug 2 11am Mounted to Ground
Fri Jul 31 6pm – Aethelmearc court (in AE royal?) Robert pour Maintnon send out to vigil 
Fri Jul 31 6:30pm – vigil for Robert in Polyhymia (camp just next to Barony camp)
Sat Aug 1st Opening Ceremonies – 4pm Assemble in Aethelmearc Royal. Ceremonies are at 6pm on field or in great hall (weather dependent)
Sun Aug 2nd noon-4pm barony reception in Aethelmearc Royal w/ Elevation for Robert and Marcus around 3:15
Sun Aug 2nd after 4pm – party for Marcus in the Warren. That is the camp behind/across the street from barony camp.
Sun Aug 2nd 1pm A&S display – Great Hall
Sun Aug 2nd 1pm Foresters Guild meeting – tent 4 just outside the great hall
Mon Aug 3rd 9am A&S war point competition – Great Hall
Mon Aug 3rd 7pm Performing Arts Tent – Debatable Choir performance
Mon Aug 3rd 9:30pm Performing Arts Tent –  I Genesii performance
Thurs Aug 6th 9pm Aethelmearc Royal – bardic circle

Here is the barony calendar: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/calendar.php and here are some upcoming meetings and events.

Next business meetings: All are hybrid – in person at Hara Kikumatsu’s house and online via google meet. Link published day before meeting.

Monday August 17th 8pm – note that it is Monday to avoid conflict with curia.
Wed Oct 7th 8pm
Wed Dec 2nd 8pm

Upcoming events:
A Tasting Faire – August 29th at the Castle, 755 Stonegate Drive, Wexford, PA 15090 – 20 cooks make samples, 80 people eat samples, brewers will be adding their contributions as well. Preregistration required for cooks and food eaters. Here is more information including a registration link: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/events/2026-08-29%20A%20Tasting%20Faire.php

Barony Social – Saturday Sep 5th North Park Miller Shelter: https://maps.app.goo.gl/syMUrDffvivkvVvy5
Post pennsic potluck, cookout, meet candidates for Baronial election and Q&A. You are welcome to hang out all day starting at noon. If you want to cook things on the grill you should bring charcoal, lighter fluid, lighter, food and utensils. There is just one small grill. I recommend you bring your own grill or propane stove if you want to be sure that you have ability to cook. Time for meet candidate Q&A TBD. Probably mid afternoon.

Barony Social, Potluck, A&S, Heavy& Fencing practice, Ballot count – Sunday Oct 18th Buffalo Inn South Park. https://maps.app.goo.gl/gqpDG2yXHa6ShwG37
Potluck. Come hang out inside to do A&S or perhaps go outside for fencing or heavy fighting. Meanwhile the selection committee will be tallying votes.  Votes must be turned in by noon if hand carrying.

Agincount – Sat Oct 24 – Big Knob Grange – heavy, fencing, archery, thrown weapons, siege, A&S all day event is held in neighboring Steltonwald: https://aethelmearc.org/event/agincourt-xix/

Harvest Revel – Sunday Nov 15 at the Castle, 755 Stonegate Drive, Wexford, PA 15090, Potluck, barony social, garb encouraged, pie contest, There will be fencing, archery, and heavy fighter weather permitting. A&S hanging out as well.

Baronial Election Update
We had the nomination meeting yesterday. Here are the candidates:
Owen and Elinor
Gwen and Maghnus
Ceindrech and Libby
Hara and Ishiyama
Arthes and Skjoldr
Ghaliya and Robert MacEwin
Sebastian and Isabel
Jorundr and Muirgheal
Byron and Ariella
Ts’vee’a
Ts’vee’a and Byron
Arianna and Robert pour Maintnon
Turlough and Fíne
Alaric and Rachel
Godzimir and Ran
Elinor and Michi
Niall and Reinhard
Elss and Elsa
Robert MacEwin and Faye
Gwen
Ingvar and Kolfinna
Aydamur and Robert MacEwin
Brandubh and Hilda
Brandubh and Jorundr
Hilda and Muirgheal
Elss
Ghaliya and Faye
Charles and Graidhne
Alaric
Owen and Kattera

Here’s the next steps and the rules

• Note that a person can only run in one candidate combination (single or pair). Also if someone was nominated in a pair, but not as an individual, that person cannot run as an individual.
• Candidates must be barony resident or formally registered non-resident, be at least 18 years old as of Oct 18th, and be a paid member of the SCA as of Oct 18th.
• Any nominated candidate that has not already submitted written response at the nominating meeting, will receive a letter saying they were nominated. That person should submit response in writing saying whether they will accept the nomination. The response can be mailed or handed to me in person.
• All nominated responses are due Monday Aug17th. If you are mailing a response, please mail by Aug 10th to ensure your response is received by Aug 17th.
• After Aug 17th, the list of running candidates will be announced.
  
• Ballots will be printed and mailed once we have the final candidate list. The ballots will be printed on special (color) paper and will have a unique number. So don’t copy a ballot. Ballots can be mailed or returned in-person, BUT they must be in a sealed envelope. 
• Ballots must be received by Sunday Oct18th. You will need to arrive early on Oct 18th if handing ballot in that day. Once counting starts no more ballots will be accepted.
• The ballot will contain a group status question, that the voter must answer. The groups status question asks if the Barony should remain a barony. Then it will contain a list of candidates be ranked in order of preference with 1 being the favorite candidate. A voter can leave a candidate blank or unranked. A voter can also mark a candidate unacceptable, UA. 
• A duplicate, invalid, or missing ballot number will be considered invalid ballot and not counted. If the ballot doesn’t have unambiguous and legible ranking of candidates including UA and blank responses it will be considered invalid.
• Any candidate receiving unacceptable, UA, votes from more than 33% of the valid ballots will be eliminated.
• General Summary of Tallying. The voters rank candidates from most favorite to least favorite. Take the ballots and make a pile for each candidate, based on just the first-place votes (ignoring all the other rankings on the ballots). Then eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes and re-distribute those ballots to the other piles, using the second-place votes. Keep eliminating the candidate with the fewest votes until one candidate is left. This is a summary only.

At the Iris Festival last month, Baronessa Violeta and Praetoria Prima announced their intent to retire. That means that we the citizens of The Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands must elect new Baronage. We start the process with the nomination meeting at the garb swap in North Park on July 12th. Nominated candidates, must be paid members of the SCA and adults, (18 or older), and reside within the Barony zip codes or be a registered non-resident barony citizen.

After the nomination meeting, the nominated candidates must respond within a month whether they accept the nomination. That’s when election season starts. We will mail ballots to our members. If you are 17 years old paid member* that resides in the Barony we will mail you a ballot to the address that is on record with SCA corporate. If you are a non-resident citizen we will mail the ballot to your address on record with the seneschal and herald. If you aren’t a paid member, or don’t live in barony, or your address isn’t current in the records, you can ask for a ballot in writing to the committee chairman: Hara Kikumatsu, address: Sharon Booth, 1105 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, or email bmdl@aethelmearc.org.  NOTE: You must request a ballot by the nominating meeting, on Sunday July 12th.

*17 years of age as of October 18th, 2026 (our best guess for ballot counting day).

At the Iris Festival, Baronessa Violeta and Praetoria Prima announced their intent to retire. Our Barony will need to select the new Baronage. The process, the requirements candidates must meet to serve as Baronage, and the requirements to be allowed to vote are outlined in Section V of the Barony Governance Policy document. Here is that document: https://debatablelands.aethelmearc.org/resources/policies-and-forms/downloads/BMDL_Governance_Policies_FINAL_Dec2023.pdf.

At the June 3rd business meeting the selection committee members were identified: The selection committee currently consists of the current Baronage, Violeta and Prima, myself, Hara, the Seneschal, the Knight Marshal, Patrokles, the Chronicler, Emilia, and the Exchequer, Forveleth. Depending on who is running for Baronage, the committee members may change. It may change if a committee member is running, is a partner or living with someone who is running, or has a teacher/student or belt relationship with someone who is running. At that June meeting, the committee voted myself, Hara Kikumatsu as Chairman of the Selection Committee.

Here are the steps for selecting our next Baronage and approximate timing:
1. Announcement of the upcoming election. It was announced at court at Iris Festival on May 24th
2. Approximately one month later, nominations – this has already been scheduled for Jul 12 at the garb swap.
3. Approximately one month later, acceptance of nominations.
3.a Ballots mailed to eligible barony citizens.
3.b Candidate town hall meetings ideally one in person and one online, for candidates to introduce themselves, and to answer questions from the populace.
4. Two month later, ballots counted. (Exact date and location will be announced once we have a better idea of whether the process in running on schedule.)

Note that nominations can be sent in writing to the Chairman of the Selection Committee. The written nomination must be received before the nomination meeting. Send a written nomination to Hara Kikumatsu: Mailing address: Sharon Booth, 1105 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. You can also send email to bmdl@aethelmearc.org. No text or social media requests please.

The requirements of the office: The Territorial Office of the Baronage, must meet the requirements stated in Corpora and Kingdom Law, be 18 years of age or order as of the date the votes are to be tallied, and must be a citizen of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands. The Office of the Baronage of the Debatable Lands is not subject to a term limit. 

Note: Individuals or couples may be nominated, but no individual can occur on the ballot more than once.

Eligible Voters: Any person residing the the zip codes of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands who is 17 years of age or older, as of the date the votes are to be tallied, and is on the corporate membership list may vote or is a Non-Resident Citizen of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands and has their contact information on file with the Offices of the Seneschal and Herald. Under exceptional circumstances,the Selection Comittee may consider a written request for a ballot from a person who would not otherwise receive one. Such a request must be received be the Chair of the Selection Committee by the date of the Nominating Meeting.

Send a written nomination or a request for a ballot if you would not otherwise receive one to the Chairman of the Selection Committee, Hara Kikumatsu: Mailing address: Sharon Booth, 1105 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. You can also send email to bmdl@aethelmearc.org. No text or social media requests please.

If you are not a current member, or your address is not up-to-date with Corporate, please correct that. If you are a non-resident citizen make sure your contact information is up-to-date with the Senechal and Herald. We will be requesting the list of members from corporate in early July before the nominating meeting.

After the nominating meeting, the chairman will notify the nominated candidates in writing within one week of the nominations. In order for the candidate to be considered, they must accept the nomination in writing to the Chairman of the Selection committee within one month of the nomination meeting.

Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters. There will be numbered ballots, and a record will be kept of the total number of ballots, but no record will be kept of which number was mailed to a voter. Voters are not required to put their name on the ballot. Voters can return in ballots by mail or in person to the Chair the the Selection Committee.

The ballot will contain a group status question that the voter must answer. The groups status question asks if the Barony should remain a barony. Then it will contain a list of candidates be ranked in order of preference with 1 being the favorite candidate. A voter can leave a candidate blank or unranked. A voter can also mark a candidate unacceptable, UA.

A duplicate, invalid, or missing ballot number will be considered invalid ballot and not counted. If the ballot doesn’t have unambiguous and legible ranking of candidates including UA and blank responses it will be considered invalid.

Any candidate receiving unacceptable, UA, votes from more than 33% of the valid ballots will be eliminated.

General Summary of Tallying. The voters rank candidates from most favorite to least favorite. Take the ballots and make a pile for each candidate, based on just the first-place votes (ignoring all the other rankings on the ballots). Then eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes and re-distribute those ballots to the other piles, using the second-place votes. Keep eliminating the candidate with the fewest votes until one candidate is left. This is a summary only. Please refer to the governance document listed at the beginning of this post

Here is a news update about baronial things that happened recently or are happening in the coming months. First, Noble Gerschon de Gervoi l’amiot is the newest officer in the barony. Gerschon is our new Minister of the Lists. You may have seen them at the MoL table last Pennsic, at War Practice, or at barony stellar tournaments. They were also the MoL for the fencing tournament at the Japanese Iris Festival and Iron Comet Challenge event.

At the Archery Muster at the Castle this year, we had a tournament to select our Baronial representative for the Scarlet Guard Challenge. Lady Arthes MacLeod won that tournament, and Ramir was second. Then at War Practice Arthes won Kingdom archery champion tournament and was elevated to the Scarlet Guard. Thus, she was no longer eligible to participate in the Scarlet Guard Challenge. Ramir will represent the Barony at the Scarlet Guard Challenge.
We also have a new barony archery champion, The Honorable Lady Arthes MacLeod won the Barony archery tournament.

The Iris Festival was held on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We had martial tournaments in heavy, fencing, thrown weapons, and archery. We also had an Arts and Sciences competition and a display. We also had Japanese lawn games thanks to Fine and her helpers. There was an iron skillet dessert making competition organized by Arthes and her team of helpers and judges. Between Michi-san’s terrific bento boxes, the iron skillet desserts, and the vendor with coffee, tea, and cookies, everyone was quite full of food and the day was full of fun activities.

At the end of court at the Iris Festival, Baronessa Violeta and Praetoria Prima announced they plan to retire and are starting the Baronage Selection Process. The nomination meeting will be held at the end of the general business meeting at the July garb swap. I will be posting further information about the upcoming Baronage selection when we have dates and locations.

The Garb Swap is coming soon. The Garb Swap is an annual tradition that started years ago and the is coordinated by Baroness Constance Glyn Dwr. It will be help on Sunday, July 12th, at the Avalon Shelter in North Park, From 10:30 until 5pm. There will also be the baronial fencing tournament. Fencers should cone early to warm up and sign-up for the tournament at 11:30. The tournament will start promptly at noon, so it will be done in time for everyone to participate in the swap. There will also be a barony meeting starting around 2pm or so. The nominations for new Baronage candidates will be held at the end of the Barony meeting.

For directions and more information see the garb swap calendar entry on the baronial calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/event?eid=NWlxb2lpcDhtMHNzNTV2djNhc3NnbGZpNmYgaWJiNGVmajA3N3IzZ2M5a2txdmdjaWszOXNAZw.

The Baronial Tournament to select the next heavy Baronial Champion will be held on Sunday, June 21st and the outdoor martial arts practice. Heavy practice usually starts at 2pm once archery is done. Practice is held in LAPR field in Highland Park, located at the intersection of Washington Blvd and Allegheny River Blvd. The thrown weapons baronial champs tournament date is still TBD.

If you are planning to attend Pennsic this year, the Barony will be holding a reception in Aethelmearc Royal on Sunday August 2nd from noon-4pm. There will be both Baronial and Royal Count. Royal Court is currently scheduled from 1-2ish. Please note that the actual time of Royal Court may vary depending on Their Majesties schedule. THL Robert Pour Maintnon’s elevation to the Order of the Pelican is scheduled for that royal court.

My last bit of new is that there will be a social media transition to Aethelmearc managed social media in November. For discord that is nothing more than changing the owner of the discord server. The barony google email lists will also transfer, but the members of the email list can be imported into the new email group. Facebook is a different issue. There is not a member or content transfer process. If there is content or contacts that you want to save, do so. Note that if content is not yours, you cannot upload it to the new server without written permission via online form or email. Please see the social media policy document regarding this. https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Society-Social-Media-Policy-April-2021.pdf. The transition for our barony is scheduled for November. It was scheduled this late so that the baronial election process won’t be interrupted by the transition.