<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:10pt"><div><span>>In the IGC context, I would interpret an "abstain" vote not as a<br>protest vote but rather as saying "I care, but don't know the<br>candidates well enough to be able to express a preference".<br></span></div><div><span>If some don't know the candidates well enough, "Blank Vote" is the right substitute to cast a vote in favor/against or 'Abstain'.</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>>Our situation here is different from elections systems where it's<br>difficult to become a candidate and/or where it's difficult to<br>communicate dissatisfaction by means other than "protest votes". In the<br>IGC, if people want to protest against something, they can simply post<br>to the mailing list and explain the grievance. Therefore I don't see any<br>reason why someone would want to use the voting process as a
means of<br>protesting.</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>Yes, I agree with you and could not understand that why someone would require 'abstain' voting option just to show any kinf of '</span><span>grievance' or 'to protest' against the system or candidates? Instead of the provisioning of 'abstain', the 'blank vote' may serve the purpose. </span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>Regards</span></div><div><span></span> </div><div><span>Imran</div></span><div><br><blockquote style="padding-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: 5px; border-left-color: rgb(16, 16, 255); border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid;"> <div style="font-family: tahoma, new york, times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <div style="margin: 5px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);
height: 0px; line-height: 0; font-size: 0px;" class="hr" contentEditable="false" readonly="true"></div> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Norbert Bollow <nb@bollow.ch><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> governance@lists.igcaucus.org <br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cc:</span></b> 'Imran Ahmed Shah' <ias_pk@yahoo.com> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, 15 January 2013, 1:22<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [governance] Notice to the IGC on Proposed Charter Amendments<br> </font> </div> <br>Imran Ahmed Shah <<a href="mailto:ias_pk@yahoo.com" ymailto="mailto:ias_pk@yahoo.com">ias_pk@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:<br><br>> With reference to the recently proposed amendment for the Voting<br>> Options by adding "Abstain", whereas the abstention traditionally used<br>> for an active & protest gesture and beneficial for the sake
of<br>> protesting against the system or candidates. <br><br>In the IGC context, I would interpret an "abstain" vote not as a<br>protest vote but rather as saying "I care, but don't know the<br>candidates well enough to be able to express a preference".<br><br>Our situation here is different from elections systems where it's<br>difficult to become a candidate and/or where it's difficult to<br>communicate dissatisfaction by means other than "protest votes". In the<br>IGC, if people want to protest against something, they can simply post<br>to the mailing list and explain the grievance. Therefore I don't see any<br>reason why someone would want to use the voting process as a means of<br>protesting.<br><br>Greetings,<br>Norbert<br><br><br> </div> </div> </blockquote></div> </div></body></html>