[bestbits] Proposed Best Bits steering committee election process

[McTim]

Jeremy,

I think overall it is solid, except for the gender bits.  Are you
really proposing to invalidate the election if the 40% threshold isn't
met?

Wouldn't it be better to mandate that a number (say 50%) of candidates
be women or the election won't be run?

Invalidating an election should only be done if there improprieties in
the process IMHO.

rgds,

McTim

On Thu, Apr 10, 2014 at 5:42 AM, Jeremy Malcolm <Jeremy at malcolm.id.au> wrote:
> 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
> host -t NAPTR 5.9.8.5.2.8.2.2.1.0.6.e164.org|awk -F! '{print $3}'
>
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