<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-CA" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstain">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstain</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Abstain or a blank vote can mean different things or the same thing depending on the context. I don’t think the actual wording on the ballot is important. In
this context I take it that either wording is not a protest vote. In this context I take it to mean that for some reason I wish it to be recorded that I voted but I have no preference for a winner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Kerry brown<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt">
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org [mailto:governance-request@lists.igcaucus.org]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Imran Ahmed Shah<br>
<b>Sent:</b> January-14-13 9:28 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Norbert Bollow; governance@lists.igcaucus.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [governance] Notice to the IGC on Proposed Charter Amendments<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">>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".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">If some don't know the candidates well enough, "Blank Vote" is the right substitute to cast a vote in favor/against or 'Abstain'.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">Yes, I agree with you and could not understand that why someone would require 'abstain' voting option just to show any kinf of 'grievance'
or 'to protest' against the system or candidates? Instead of the provisioning of 'abstain', the 'blank vote' may serve the purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">Regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black">Imran<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #1010FF 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:3.75pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> Norbert Bollow <<a href="mailto:nb@bollow.ch">nb@bollow.ch</a>><br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a>
<br>
<b>Cc:</b> 'Imran Ahmed Shah' <<a href="mailto:ias_pk@yahoo.com">ias_pk@yahoo.com</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 15 January 2013, 1:22<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [governance] Notice to the IGC on Proposed Charter Amendments</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black"><br>
Imran Ahmed Shah <<a href="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>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>