Building Sale Vote Results, Process, and Opposition

Dec 9th, 2025

    Thank you to all who participated in Adventure Cycling’s building sale vote. We’re writing to share the results, recap the voting process, and address concerns that have been raised about vote mechanics.

    Due to concerns raised by a minority of voters against the sale, the process isn’t done yet. Please read this letter in its entirety.

    The Results

    Adventure Cycling members have voted overwhelmingly FOR the sale of our Missoula headquarters building.

    • Total votes cast: 7,797
    • FOR votes: 7,386 (94.7%)
    • AGAINST votes: 411 (5.3%)
    • Voter turnout: 43.8% of eligible members

    Nearly 7,800 members participated, with nearly 95% supporting the proposed sale. This turnout far exceeded the 10% of members needed to reach the quorum and far exceeded the two-thirds needed to approve the building sale. Thank you so much for your support and participation!

    Adventure Cycling Listened and You Have Spoken

    Adventure Cycling has struggled with declining membership for several years. The staff and Board of Directors believe that investing resources to modernize programs that will stabilize membership and re-establish our leadership in helping individuals have adventures on bikes is the right course of action.

    Our iconic building in Missoula represents a significant portion of our investment reserves. So many of us, staff and members alike, love the building and the important traditions and memories housed here. As a result, we negotiated a purchase offer with an outside buyer that includes an agreement that Adventure Cycling will remain in the building as a tenant, releasing cash for needed investment while retaining our physical presence in this iconic building.

    And thanks to the overwhelming support represented by the results of the vote, we know the direction you want us to take.

    How We Conducted the Vote

    To ensure a fair process and maximize voting turnout, we conducted an exhaustive effort:

    • We held multiple public webinars to explain our financial situation and discuss the building sale prior to the voting period.
    • We had extensive dialogues with groups and individuals who questioned our strategies and advocated for more direct member rights.
    • We maintained clear communications with members about our condition, choices, and member rights.
    • We opened a member discussion forum dedicated to this topic for individuals to publish their opinions on the proposed sale.
    • We allowed all views to be expressed on our social media sites without moderation of any sort.
    • We conducted dozens of meetings with founders, former executives, and members of all types, both supportive and critical.

    An independent third party, Pedal Lucid, managed the voting process to ensure security and fairness. Here’s how it worked:

    Security measures: Each member received a unique PIN that only they and our mail printing partner had access to. Adventure Cycling staff could not see PINs until after votes were submitted and logged. All submissions were logged, and confirmation emails were sent to everyone who voted.

    High participation and technical response: We received 9,390 total submissions from 7,934 unique member IDs. The overwhelming response in the first hour was extraordinary — 1,870 submissions in just 60 minutes, far exceeding our projections.

    This surge briefly caused a technical issue: some members saw error messages when submitting their votes, even though the system had successfully received and logged their submissions. Understandably, this led members to resubmit, which created over 1,000 duplicate attempts in that first hour alone.

    Pedal Lucid quickly adjusted the system to display a “submission received” message instead of immediate validation feedback, which resolved the error messages. Behind the scenes, every submission was being logged and tracked by the third party. When the votes were processed, only the first submission from each member was counted; all duplicates were automatically identified and excluded.

    The vote was conducted in good faith, in consultation with legal counsel, and with comprehensive security measures to ensure fairness and integrity. The staff went through great effort and expense (about $30,000) to ensure our members could be confident in the outcome. You can review the complete voting certification report from Pedal Lucid here.

    Demands Raised Over Vote Technicalities

    A few of the 5.3% who oppose the sale have raised concerns about the mechanics of the voting process and seek to stop the sale from proceeding, demanding we cancel the voting results. While we appreciate their passion and we respect their right to disagree with the direction our members have chosen, we want to be transparent about the issues they’ve raised and the impact they have.

    These efforts to delay and challenge the process redirect our limited staff time and financial resources away from the work you have asked us to do: achieving financial sustainability, planning our 50th anniversary celebrations, and delivering the programs you rely on. Nevertheless, we take these concerns seriously and want to address them directly.

    We conducted the vote in good faith, in concert with legal counsel, and with independent audit oversight. Each concern raised has been reviewed:

    Concern 1: A formal member meeting was not held to discuss the sale

    We held a Life Member webinar, a full member webinar (which we recorded and made available on YouTube), and a tour leader town hall in October where we took questions and discussed the sale. (Thank you to the 600+ members who showed up or viewed the recordings.) In addition to multiple meetings, we created a Building Sale Discussion Forum in our official Member Forum and encouraged members to post on our official social media sites. While we did not call these efforts a “member meeting” and while the group opposing the sale does not consider these efforts adequate, Montana law permits action without holding a member meeting.

    Concern 2: Members should have access to the membership list and contact information if requested

    Montana law requires that we provide membership lists and contact information to a member upon request in relation to a member meeting or vote. We have received feedback from some members indicating they are upset about the possibility of their contact information being shared with other members. We agree that this is a breach of your trust, and we take your privacy seriously. Though we are required by law to share membership information in this case, we can offer you the option to opt out of sharing your email address. To opt out of sharing your email as part of a membership list request, click on Manage Preferences in the footer of any email Adventure Cycling has sent you and opt out of “Member List Contact Information Sharing” at the top of the communication preferences list.

    Concern 3: Members did not give consent to vote electronically

    All members who have opted out of electronic communications with us received a letter in the mail with instructions on how to vote online or via voicemail. We did not provide a paper ballot option. We believe our methods maximized accessibility and adhered to members’ communication preferences while ensuring the receipt of all votes (votes couldn’t get lost in the mail).

    Concern 4: Montana law does not allow or disallow for voicemail voting

    Voicemail voting was offered as an accessibility accommodation. It worked well for the 127 members who needed it. Making this vote as accessible as possible to our members was a priority.

    Concern 5: Multiple votes could be made by the same person

    Incorrect. Only the first submission by a voting member was counted; all duplicate attempts were identified and excluded, and all votes are fully auditable. For transparency and member review, please see the technical details in the vote audit here.

    Concern 6: Household members should vote on a pro rata basis

    The voting rules were clearly stated in multiple communications that households would get one vote, and we strived to reach all members, including sending mailings to the thousands of members who don’t have an email address with us. In a pro rata, or “in proportion” vote, household members would each get to vote, but the vote is split by the number of household members who actually vote. For example, if there are two members in a household and both members vote, each vote counts for half a vote. If a household has two members but only one member votes, the vote will count as a whole vote. That’s why, if a household agrees on the vote, only one member actually needs to vote.

    Our Commitment to You

    You voted loudly and clearly that this sale is what you want, so that we can get back to work restoring the organization to health and providing you with the programs you love. We are committed to doing that as expediently as possible and as in compliance with Montana law as possible.

    Our Request to Them

    We directly ask that this group withdraw its demands by Monday, December 15, 2025, so we can focus our time and resources on our core programming, not on disputes about technicalities. The overwhelming support from 7,386 well-informed members demonstrates the clear will of our membership. Continuing to challenge this result does not respect the voice of the members who participated and diverts our limited staff capacity and financial resources away from the work of rebuilding Adventure Cycling, work that our members have authorized us to do.

    However, if the group does not withdraw its concerns by Monday, December 15, 2025, we will respect the issues they have raised and respect our membership by using our limited resources to hold a second vote. We will improve the mechanical procedures to address these technicalities, ensuring that all members can have confidence in the process and results. If required to conduct a second vote, we will address the procedural concerns raised:

    • We will hold a special member meeting, in which the group will be provided a dedicated time slot to present their arguments, and also permit an opportunity for members to make comments at the meeting.
    • As provided under Montana law, when a member list is requested in conjunction with a member meeting or vote, we are required to provide a written list of members’ names and contact information, unless you have opted out of sharing your email information, which you can do by clicking on the Manage Preferences link in the bottom of any Adventure Cycling emal. It is likely this opposition group will use this list to contact you. Official member list requests must be submitted to questions@adventurecycling.org. This information cannot be shared outside of membership and must be used in good faith.
    • It is our understanding that members would prefer to receive ballots electronically, and that doing so is generally more efficient and cost-effective for the organization. As a result, we will consider any member to have consented to receiving a written ballot electronically, unless you opt out by using your Manage Preferences link in the footer of any Adventure Cycling email sent to your email address by December 16, 2025.
    • We will continue to offer voicemail voting as an accessibility accommodation.
    • We will continue our transparent, auditable voting process with independent administration.
    • We will allow household members to vote on a pro rata basis: each household member receives a proportional vote based on the number of people in their household. Household members must be registered in our system by December 16, 2025. Household members can be added by logging into our website and navigating to your My Adventure Cycling account. Accounts at the Pedal Perks or Digital Hub levels do not qualify for household members.
    • We conducted this vote in good faith to honor member input. If we must dedicate staff time, organizational resources, and significant additional costs to a second vote, we will do so. But we believe the current results are clear, fair, and representative of our membership’s will.

    Moving Forward Together

    The building sale is not final. If the group withdraws its demands, there are additional steps to closing the sale. Wherever we land, you have our commitment to transparent information, regular updates on our progress, and maintenance of your membership rights.

    In 2025, we’ve made progress:

    • Reduced our deficit by more than $1 million
    • Continued operational efficiencies: 2025 is turning out better than expected and we continue to reduce the 2025 budget deficit
    • Hired a talented Executive Director with a lifetime of experience in bicycle travel, advocacy, and programming
    • Launched two new loop routes with Vancouver Crossing Loop (launched in September) and Klamath Mountains Loop (launches December 16) for a total 558 new miles in the Adventure Cycling Route Network
    • Added 940 miles to the US Bicycle Route System
    • Led 500+ riders on our Guided Tours
    • Engaged 5,000+ cyclists through our routes and maps
    • Developed 3 advocacy partnerships with League of American Bicyclists, East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Bikepacking Roots
    • Improved digital navigation tools by moving the Adventure Cycling Route Network to Ride with GPS

    In 2026, we’re committed to connecting with you more and improving our operations:

    • 50th Anniversary celebrations in Tucson in January and in Missoula in June
    • Additional opportunities to connect with our Executive Director, Board, and other members in regional member, donor, and industry events across the nation: Minneapolis, the Pacific Northwest, Boston, Arkansas, and at the Bike Summit in Washington DC
    • Reigniting our commitment to advocating for bicycle travel safety, funding, and access and supporting the National Bike Summit
    • 23 tours departures
    • 3,000 miles of new and updated routes
    • Digitizing the National Bicycle Touring Portrait Collection to preserve our history and yours
    • New programming in celebration of our anniversary with Drop-in Rides, a new epic Golden Gravel Trail route, and more

    Should we have the resources from the building sale, you can expect us to make the following member benefit investments:

    • A new website so you can access our routes, our inspirational content, your member benefits, and manage your membership in a modern fashion
    • New opportunities to meet up as regional communities
    • New focus on route creation and options, both in ride type and geography, including near where members live to make adventuring easier
    • A mentor program to better connect our community and share bike travel expertise and learning
    • Educational and inspirational webinars to help new and experienced cyclists take on more bicycle travel adventures

    Let’s get back to work and make 2026 an extraordinary year.

    Thank you for being part of this community, for voting, and for supporting Adventure Cycling’s future. If you’d like to support us further, please consider becoming a monthly donor or donating to our year-end fundraising campaign today.

    Onward,

    John McDermott
    Board President

    Andy Williamson
    Executive Director

    Questions? Email questions@adventurecycling.org