Try and read the bylaws. There are very specific requirements that must be met before one can have a vote. I think you need to take that coach course every year in order to get a vote. For referees, you have to have officiated at a USAT event to get a vote. I myself do not have a vote, no matter what I register for, because I am a life member, and at some point the bylaws were changed to take away voting rights for life members. I believe these things were done to shrink the voting pool for control purposes (less voters means easier chance to win elections) and also to further exclude korean born members, who make up the bulk of the USTU/USAT life membership.
Speaking of beating dead horses.This has been discussed and debunked ad nauseum. Life members as a category do not have a vote. However, Life members who designate Coach or referee for example, do have a vote as a coach or a referee. It is possible to be a member of more than one membership category.
Many Life members have votes and have used them in the categories that have someone to vote for (example: Coaches vote for Coaches, Referees for Referees, Athletes for Athletes) Just ask John Holloway who is and has been a life member and has voted in the elections.
Section 5.2. Voting Members.
Individuals belonging to the following membership categories shall be entitled to vote in an
election for directors of the Board: Athlete members, Coach members and Referee members.
Organizations belonging to the following membership categories shall be entitled to vote in an
election for directors of the Board: Club members, State Organization members and Affiliated
Organization members. No other voting privileges are conferred upon these members.
An individual may belong to more than one (1) of the above mentioned membership categories.
However, an individual is only eligible to vote in one (1) membership category. Any individual
who is a member of more than one (1) membership category shall designate the membership
category in which he or she shall vote. An individual shall be a citizen of the United States and
at least eighteen (18) years of age in order to be eligible to vote in an election. Notwithstanding
these restrictions on voting, membership in USAT is open to individuals who are less than
eighteen (18) years of age and to individuals who are not citizens of the United States. An
individual shall be a member of USAT sixty (60) days prior to the date of the election (record
date) in order to be eligible to vote in an election.
Individuals and organizations belonging to the following membership categories have no voting
privileges: Supporting members, Life members and Contributing Organization members.