I agree with Avri and Tracy. My perception (personal opinion) is that the important thing is to exercise one's right to vote, rather than to make a specific choice, and my reading of the charter (personal opinion) is that the requirement is for demonstration of sufficient interest in the process to take part in it, rather than for the indication of which, among the listed candidates, is the "voter's" choice.Anyway, I interpret "to vote" to mean to make a formal indication of choice; that choice can be a name from the list or "none of the above".<div>
This is how I see it anyway.</div><div>Deirdre<br><div><br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On 9 January 2013 08:46, Tracy F. Hackshaw @ Google <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:tracyhackshaw@gmail.com" target="_blank">tracyhackshaw@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">In my country's electoral system, submitting what is referred to as a "spoilt ballot" (e.g. not ticking any of the candidates. writing in None of the Above, writing in your own candidate, scratching off any or all of the names) counts as you participating in the democratic process, even if it doesn't count as a "vote", per se. In other words, because it is a secret ballot, you have been counted as "voting", even if your vote does not eventually count.<div>
<br></div><div>Some people use it as a "protest vote"<br><div><br></div><div>I must say that I treasure that flexibility as part of the democratic process.</div><div><br></div><div>From: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoilt_vote#Intentional_spoiling" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoilt_vote#Intentional_spoiling</a>:</div>
<div><br></div><div>"<span style="line-height:19.200000762939453px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif">Spoiled votes may be the result of a deliberate act by the voter; some proportion are likely to be </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest_vote" title="Protest vote" style="text-decoration:initial;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.200000762939453px" target="_blank">protest votes</a><span style="line-height:19.200000762939453px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif">, especially in systems where </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting" title="Compulsory voting" style="text-decoration:initial;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.200000762939453px" target="_blank">voting is compulsory</a><span style="line-height:19.200000762939453px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif">." </span></div>
<div><br></div><div>"<span style="line-height:19.200000762939453px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif">However, in countries </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Elections in the United Kingdom" style="text-decoration:initial;color:rgb(11,0,128);background-image:none;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.200000762939453px" target="_blank">such as the UK</a><span style="line-height:19.200000762939453px;font-size:13px;font-family:sans-serif"> where spoilt ballots are counted, some voters will deliberately spoil their ballot paper to show disapproval of the candidates available whilst still taking part in the electoral process. This may include signing or printing the voter's name on the ballot slip." </span></div>
<div><div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><br><div><p><br></p></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 9:03 AM, Avri Doria <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:avri@acm.org" target="_blank">avri@acm.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi,<br>
<br>
This is why I have been requesting a NOTA, None of the Above, option.<br>
<br>
That is a vote.<br>
<br>
As I read the charter one has to participate in the voting event. One should not be forced to pick a candidate they may not support. We should probably even have the option of writing someone in.<br>
<br>
Abstain, to my mind is also a vote.<br>
<br>
It is not really appropriate that you have substituted your opinion, or that of Australia, for a discussion and agreement among the members.<br>
<span><font color="#888888"><br>
avri<br>
</font></span><div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
On 8 Jan 2013, at 23:45, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:<br>
<br>
> On 09/01/13 12:37, parminder wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> i think it needs to be explicitly mentioned on the ballot and otherwise on the list just before the elections that participation in voting is required (even if excercising a no preference option) to be eligible to vote for charter amendments (but not for other purposes) - and thus for what can in a way be called as the full membership of IGC....<br>
><br>
> The charter doesn't say that exercising a no preference option is sufficient. This is where Avri and I have a disagreement. I come from a country with a compulsory preferential voting system, so being forced to vote doesn't seem so obnoxious to me. According to the former Chief Justice of the High Court, even handing in a blank ballot paper is not allowed in Australia (though this is debatable). In the context of the IGC, I feel it is better if everyone who wants to count themselves as a "full" member of the IGC expresses a preference. This is one reason for amending the charter, to make the requirements clearer.<br>
><br>
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