[Community-Discuss] Announcement for Final Candidate Slate for Open Seat on AFRINIC Governance Committee

[Sander Steffann]

Hi Owen,

> Given that the none-of-the-above option has been removed from AfriNIC elections, should not the NomCom have a mandate to seek at least two candidates for any position before declaring a final slate?
> 
> Otherwise, this basically gives the NomCom the authority to appoint members of the governance committee (and other bodies such as the board).

And this build down to: the current "election" is not an election by any definition. I looked up the words in Merriam-Webster (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/election):

Definition of election
1a: an act or process of electing
1b: the fact of being elected
2: predestination to eternal life
3: the right, power, or privilege of making a choice

I don't think definition 2 is applicable here. The definitions applicable to the current situation are 1a and 3.

Looking a bit further down that page we see:

CHOICE, OPTION, ALTERNATIVE, PREFERENCE, SELECTION, ELECTION mean the act or opportunity of choosing or the thing chosen. CHOICE suggests the opportunity or privilege of choosing freely. OPTION implies a power to choose that is specifically granted or guaranteed. ALTERNATIVE implies a need to choose one and reject another possibility. PREFERENCE suggests a choice guided by one's judgment or predilections. SELECTION implies a range of choice. ELECTION implies an end or purpose which requires exercise of judgment.

All of the applicable definitions require the ability (right) to freely choose. When there is no choice, there is no election.

Cheers,
Sander

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