[bestbits] Proposed Best Bits steering committee election process

[Jeremy Malcolm]

Dear all,

Following on from the annual report that the interim steering committee of Best Bits that was circulated earlier, we also undertook to propose a process for the appointment of a new steering committee.  A rough-consensus based process had already been proposed last year (see http://bestbits.net/wiki/main/procedures/ since then), but subsequent to our Bali meeting a few criticisms of it were made on the list, so we have gone back to the drawing board.

The new proposal for renewing the Best Bits steering committee is a cross between the earlier version, and the method used by the Internet Governance Caucus, which many of you will already be familiar with: essentially it is a more traditional election process.  Here is what we are proposing:

Election will be called for 1 June 2014, running for 14 days
Anyone can claim voting rights if they:
have been subscribed to the list for 2 months prior to the election being called; and
agree to the existing statement of objectives (see http://bestbits.net/organizer/best-bits/).
Voting is for each of 5 regional positions (voting for each separately) and 3 non-geographical positions (voting together):
Regions are Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean, Europe, North America/Other
Total 8 positions, but "no candidate" is also an option which may result in fewer positions filled
Candidates can run for a regional position or for a non-geographical position simultaneously, ie. they need not elect for one position or the other.
Votes are counted using a "first past the post" system
Across the whole committee there must be at least 40% each gender - if not, the election will be run again, unless there is a broad consensus amongst all voters to validate the election notwithstanding the failure to reach this standard.
Candidates can serve a minimum term of 1 year, maximum of 3 years, with a 1 year gap before reappointment.
Candidacy is open to civil society participants only.

Between now and 1 May 2014 comments on the proposed election procedure are open, then from 1 May 2014, assuming no changes to the procedure have been made in the interim, we will open for nominations for the steering committee.  From that time, candidates may post their platform for election to the list.

Hopefully this revised procedure, being a more conventional election process, addresses the concerns that were raised earlier.  If anyone has any thoughts or comments, please post them to the list for discussion.

--
Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com
Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek
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