[ALAC] Review: ALS certification and decertification votes

h.raiche at internode.on.net h.raiche at internode.on.net
Sun Oct 5 21:12:09 UTC 2014


I agree with Alan's reasoning and the outcome.  I would favour full
and open voting, but appreciate that this may be difficult for some. 
So I am happy to accept either outcome, but think the first option may
be more acceptable generally.

Holly 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Greenberg" 
To:"ALAC" 
Cc:
Sent:Sat, 4 Oct 2014 21:14:29 -0400
Subject:[ALAC] Review: ALS certification and decertification votes

 This has been a good set of interactions. We now seem to be down to 
 two options. Everyone agrees that de-certification votes and 
 certification votes where there is a specific RALO recommendation 
 should be standard open votes.

 Where we differ is how to treat votes where the RALO could not 
 develop a specific recommendation.

 a) Some ALAC members feel that to reduce chance of harassment, or to 
 ensure that the ALAC members votes as he or she really believes is 
 the correct choice, the vote should be secret, except that if the 
 decision is challenged or likely to be challenged, At-Large Policy 
 Staff and the ALAC chair have access to the actual votes to enable 
 then to, after the fact, develop a rationale for why the vote went as

 it did (still keeping the actual votes confidential).

 b) Others feel that if a person is selected for the ALAC, they must 
 be willing to vote according to their conscience, make public what 
 that vote is, and deal with any repercussions.

 I have said I can live with either outcome, and I can.

 However, I will share my personal view of this. For my own vote, I am

 solidly on the "b" camp (you will recall that it was my asking why 
 votes were no longer open that started this discussion).

 However, I think that things are not as simple as voting for what I 
 personally would want We are setting rules for the ALAC and must do 
 so to ensure the best outcomes in future certification votes.

 It is clear that there are some ALAC members who might feel 
 uncomfortable with announcing their vote, potentially in opposition 
 to some members of the community Even if there was no one on the 
 current ALAC who felt that way, the tone of the discussion so far 
 implies that such a position is a reasonable expectation for some 
 ALAC members. Given that, there is a reasonable probability that such

 ALAC Members might react by changing their vote to result in the 
 least conflict or confrontation, or they would abstain. That could 
 alter outcomes allowing an ALS to be certified that a majority of 
 voters felt would not be a credit to At-Large.

 Treating these ballots as secret, in my opinion, is the best choice 
 to help ensure that all current and future ALAC members vote with 
 what they believe to be the "right" answer.

 Nothing precludes any ALAC member making their own vote public if
they choose.

 Alan

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