FAQ

Who is ONLY ONE VOTE?

This is a nonpartisan organization, founded by Karen Dorothee Peters and Donald Owen Carroll, both art professionals and U.S. citizens. We work in partnership with others who are concerned about the future of Democracy. The names and affiliations of all of us are available upon request.

Why should I sell art through ONLY ONE VOTE.org?

There are two reasons to sell your art. The first is that we present an opportunity for you to earn from the sale at a commission split that is as favorable to you as most commercial galleries offer. The minimum portion you give to your cause would ordinarily be considered the gallery's cut. If you are contractually bound to give a commission split to your gallery, please discuss your sale with them. If you do not know that you are so bound, the likelihood is that you are not.

The more important reason to sell your art through ONLY ONE VOTE is that this will enable you to earn the money to make a significant and legal contribution to the cause of your choice. If you choose the Election Defense Alliance, you are helping to guarantee a U.S. Democracy that many of us have taken for granted for far too long.

Why should I buy art on ONLY ONE VOTE.org?

There are several reasons to buy art on ONLY ONE VOTE.org.

First, it is a good investment. Capital has to go somewhere. Ultimately, it has to be invested in some form of asset. The real estate economy and the paper economy are bubble economies potentially on the verge of collapse. Over the last 500 years, the art economy has outperformed both of them.

Second, you have the opportunity to get a real bargain. You will be buying quality art at a price that is as good as or better than a commercial gallery can afford to give you (ONLYONEVOTE.org operates with low overhead). We are enabling you as a buyer to get discounts normally given only to elite collectors. There are three conventional tiers: 10% discount (serious art collector); 20% discount (very important art collector);30% discount (museum or other institution). We encourage artists to pre-agree to discounts that are usually given to only the privileged few to bring great works into reach for people who cannot usually afford them.

Third, you are helping American Democracy to work the way it was intended by the founding fathers.

Does this organization have a political agenda?

ONLY ONE VOTE is a nonpartisan organization, with the mission of helping to secure Democracy in America. ONLY ONE VOTE simple enables artists to help the cause of their choice. We do this by introducing their work to potential buyers and then facilitating their transfer of funds to that cause. We do openly advocate on behalf of the Election Defense Alliance, which we strongly support. We believe this organization to be nonpartisan. Neither we, nor the Election Defense Alliance are Political Action Committees as defined by law. While vote counting fraud has been a concern more frequently voiced by Democrats, many Republicans also feel that voter fraud is damaging the Republic. Separation of Church and State is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers never intended there to be a separation of art and State. Art for much of the 20th century (and today) is all about politics. In modern societies art has been concerned with civil rights. In declining and destroyed democracies art along with media is and has been the first to be censored. Our votes being counted in a political election is a basic civil right in every democracy. Artists are amongst the first to draw attention to the violation of civil rights.

Is there any guarantee?

ONLY ONE VOTE works on an honor system. However, agreement of sale and assignment of cause (expressions of intention) are to be considered legally binding. Payments to pre-screened 501C3s (causes) are processed through Paypal (a secure server), directly to their accounts. These include the Election Defense Alliance.

What is the market price?

The art market is still healthy and for any number of reasons is likely to be so for the foreseeable future. If you have any concerns regarding this, please email Don at dowenc@hotmail.com

It is similar to real estate valuations. Market price is based on market value. Every work of art is different, so some judgment is required here. As a rule of thumb, market value is based on what things like this have been sold for in the current market (not the distant past).

Emerging artists do not have a market value based on their signature. Instead, the valuation of their art is based on what other similar artworks by emerging artists generally sell for. Some emerging artists confuse market price with their 'wish price,' believing themselves to be on a par with other who already have an established market value. Professional commercial galleries with integrity generally work to bring the 'wish price' into line with the market price.

A reasonably significant work by an emerging artist should sell for no more than between $800 and $2,500 in the current economy. A less significant work by an emerging artist should sell for between $400 and $800. A 'masterpiece' (a work of great and unusual conviction) by an emerging artist is of unlimited value; but these are exceedingly rare.

Will the sale price be published?

We encourage artists and collectors to agree to publish the sale price in the spirit of full disclosure. However, pre-existent third-party agreements sometimes preclude one or the other from doing so. For this reason, some sale prices will not be available to the general public. However, we rigorously keep records.

Do I have to pay sales tax?

This is not an issue to worry about. As a broker, we do not collect sales tax. Sales tax is a non-federal issue. However, if you buy art as a primary resident of New York State, you are bound by law to pay sales tax. Other regions may differ. But most U.S. residents are required by law to report their sale and pay the sales tax to their local governments. It should be noted that much interstate commerce attempts to step around this requirement. The same is true when you purchase a car out of state. These laws are very difficult to police. Most people do not realize they are breaking the law when they fail to pay tax on their interstate purchases. Moreover, only serial abusers who knowingly attempt to go around the tax laws are generally prosecuted.

What is art?

The nature and meaning of art is deep and complicated issue. For the purposes of this website, we are considering art to be objects (be they real or virtual) made by artists. The final determination of the validity of the work will be determined by the community on ONLY ONE VOTE. If an artist makes it and someone buys it, they are in agreement that it is art.

Can I sell any art on this website?

We are not allowing all artworks to be sold on this website. Pieces that violate community standards or espouse or incite hate are prohibited. We believe in freedom of speech. However, we are mindful that some people sometimes attempt to abuse this privilege. The site is rigorously monitored for abuse. Please respect our forum.

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