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Election process (was re: [rpd] AFRINIC Board Elections - 2014: Call for Nominations)
Mark Elkins
mje at posix.co.za
Sun May 11 09:26:19 UTC 2014
Having had a successful technical experience last year and with respect
to the discussions on RPD, the CEO has suggested to me that moving the
e-vote count event to the time of the counting of paper ballots is a
reasonable refinement. There are otherwise no significant changes in the
process.
For more info on the e-voting system, please look at:
http://www.afrinic.net/en/community/elections/voting/online-voting
From the web, the voting system used is Helios.
On Sat, 2014-05-10 at 17:14 +0000, Nii Narku Quaynor wrote:
> Very good discussion and outcome though I am a little confused about
> decision procedure
>
>
> What's the correct governance procedure on such? Is it the chair of
> nomcom that decides? Nomcom ? Election committee? or board decision
>
>
> And, it would need to be well described and communicated
>
>
> Best
> Nii
>
> On May 10, 2014, at 16:49, Seun Ojedeji <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> > sent from Google nexus 4
> > kindly excuse brevity and typos.
> > On 10 May 2014 16:00, "Mark Elkins" <mje at posix.co.za> wrote:
> > > > Will that be possible without any complication?
> > >
> > > I believe that this is possible.
> > >
> > > So from this year, the three trustees will "unlock" the e-voting
> > results
> > > at approximately the same time as the paper ballots are counted.
> > >
> > Thank you Mr chair!
> >
> > This is good progress, other recommendations for future elections
> > (after this year) may then be put forward during the AGM.
> >
> > Best regards
> > > > Thanks
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Regards
> > > > 1. www.afrinic.net/en/community/elections/afrinic-nomcom
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 3:21 PM, Mark Elkins <mje at posix.co.za>
> > wrote:
> > > > On Sat, 2014-05-10 at 12:42 +0100, Seun Ojedeji wrote:
> > > > > Hello Mark,
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > First considering that i wrote to chair (you) and
> > nomcom, i
> > > > assume
> > > > > this response is on behalf of nomcom (do let me know
> > if its
> > > > otherwise
> > > > > in your individual capacity). Kindly find my comments
> > below:
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sat, May 10, 2014 at 11:10 AM, Mark Elkins
> > > > <mje at posix.co.za> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Firstly, NomCom does not run the elections.
> > The job
> > > > of NomCom
> > > > > (Nominations Committee) is to provide suitable
> > > > candidates for
> > > > > various
> > > > > elections or appointments, Board Members, PDP
> > > > Joint-Chairs,
> > > > > and NRO/ASO
> > > > > representatives.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Although nomcom may seem to mean what you indicated
> > above.
> > > > However
> > > > > nomcom according to the AFRINIC website means this:
> > > > > The NomCom (Nominations and Elections Committee)
> > > > [1]Functions of the
> > > > > Nomination Committee:
> > > >
> > > > > * The Nom Com shall
> > > > > * use its best effort towards ensuring
> > that a
> > > > > satisfactory number of individuals
> > from the
> > > > African
> > > > > internet community stand as candidate
> > for
> > > > the election
> > > > > of the directors of AFRINIC.
> > > >
> > > > > * have general responsibility for, and
> > shall
> > > > supervise
> > > > > the conduct of the polls by the
> > election
> > > > Committee on
> > > > > election day.
> > > > > Although the second role seem to imply that there is
> > another
> > > > team
> > > > > called "election committee" and at this point, i seem
> > to be
> > > > lost on
> > > > > how that committee come to play. Nevertheless its
> > still
> > > > clear that
> > > > > your team coordinates the process and your role
> > exceeds what
> > > > you have
> > > > > stated above.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > OK - let me use less of my own words and quote from the
> > > > Bylaws...
> > > >
> > > > 9 THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE
> > > > There shall be a Nomination Committee (NomCom), which
> > shall
> > > > consist of a
> > > > chairman and three other members as appointed by the
> > Board and
> > > > composed of qualified and experienced persons. The Board
> > shall
> > > > make a
> > > > public call for voluntary nomination from the African
> > Internet
> > > > Community.
> > > >
> > > > 10 ELECTION COMMITTEE
> > > > There shall be an election committee comprising of such
> > staff
> > > > members of
> > > > AFRINIC as may be designated by the Chief Executive
> > Officer.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks for the opportunity to participate in
> > > > nomcom.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > There are some logistics which people may be
> > > > missing.
> > > > > I see that there is a goal to move to 100%
> > > > electronic voting,
> > > > > however
> > > > > until then.....
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Yes thats the final desire,(which will perhaps require
> > the
> > > > blessings
> > > > > of BoD) but that is not the request for this upcoming
> > > > election.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Practically, the e-vote needs to be terminated
> > some
> > > > time
> > > > > before people collect their ballot papers.
> > This is
> > > > so that the
> > > > > ballot papers can be provided only to those
> > entities
> > > > allowed
> > > > > to vote because they have not
> > > > > yet exercised that right via the e-vote. In
> > order to
> > > > do this,
> > > > > logically, one needs to see which entities
> > have used
> > > > the
> > > > > e-vote so their representatives are not also
> > given a
> > > > ballot
> > > > > paper to vote with.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I still find it not convincing that the termination of
> > > > e-voting is the
> > > > > only way to avoid multiple voting. Especially since it
> > is
> > > > clear that
> > > > > you go through a process before you can do e-voting,
> > and it
> > > > is
> > > > > expected that anyone that opt for e-voting obviously
> > doesn't
> > > > want to
> > > > > paper ballot. So its clear those to give paper ballot
> > can be
> > > > known
> > > > > easily.
> > > > >
> > > > > What needs to be avoided is having privileged prior
> > > > knowledge of the
> > > > > e-voting status, your comment above doesn't prevent
> > that.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > From a convenience point of view, the e-vote
> > cut-off
> > > > time is
> > > > > the evening before voting day. Names can then
> > be
> > > > checked. From
> > > > > the morning of voting day, paper ballots are
> > issued
> > > > to all
> > > > > still legible voters. This takes time. Paper
> > Ballots
> > > > are
> > > > > carried by their owners until they are
> > "exercised"
> > > > later on in
> > > > > the afternoon.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Please see my comment above about why i think we don't
> > have
> > > > to count
> > > > > the e-votes just to get the numbers of those who used
> > the
> > > > e-voting
> > > > > platform. Even if you don't think that option is
> > totally
> > > > perfect
> > > > > (because some would already gotten their BPKI) then
> > the
> > > > voting
> > > > > platform should be able clearly separate actual voting
> > > > result from
> > > > > from users(members) who has actually voted.
> > Considering the
> > > > level of
> > > > > technicality already exhibited on the e-voting
> > platform, i
> > > > believe a
> > > > > feature like that is the least challenge of the
> > technical
> > > > team (if it
> > > > > doesn't already exist).
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I guess that in the process of checking the
> > names of
> > > > entities
> > > > > who have e-voted, one may also know how they
> > have
> > > > voted
> > > > > (though I might be wrong). I personally have
> > no
> > > > issues with
> > > > > this as long as the e-vote
> > > > > results are kept strictly confidential (as has
> > been
> > > > done).Once
> > > > > all the paper ballots have been submitted and
> > > > counted, the
> > > > > results of the two systems can be safely
> > merged into
> > > > one
> > > > > election result and announced.
> > > > >
> > > > > Kindly refer to my comment above; keeping the e-vote
> > > > confidential is
> > > > > the main goal.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Due to the fact that I represent more than one
> > > > entity, I have
> > > > > more than one vote to cast. Last year, I cast
> > some
> > > > by e-vote
> > > > > and some by ballot paper. I was happy to see
> > that
> > > > the system
> > > > > worked.
> > > > >
> > > > > I did mine via e-voting and i believe no body who has
> > used
> > > > the
> > > > > e-voting platform would deny that it was quite
> > functional. I
> > > > was
> > > > > however surprised at the AGM when it was said that the
> > > > voting system
> > > > > closed and the result counted. The way i know that
> > election
> > > > is done is
> > > > > that you count votes in the presence of the voters (or
> > at
> > > > least before
> > > > > the candidates party representatives). On that basis
> > as an
> > > > individual
> > > > > and member i wouldn't know whether something has
> > happened to
> > > > my votes
> > > > > (although the platform worked).
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Before asking for change, please carefully
> > consider
> > > > how one
> > > > > might do this better whilst we have both
> > e-votes and
> > > > paper
> > > > > ballot votes.
> > > > >
> > > > > Nobody, and certainly not me is asking us to move to
> > 100%
> > > > e-votes for
> > > > > now (but we agree its something to consider for
> > future).
> > > > What we are
> > > > > saying is that you while may stop e-voting at a point
> > (which
> > > > i find
> > > > > un-necessary though) the opening of the e-voting
> > voting
> > > > status by the
> > > > > 3-trustees should be done the same time the paper
> > ballot is
> > > > counted.
> > > >
> > > > > ... and I believe I have the general details
> > and
> > > > reasoning
> > > > > correct... :-)
> > > >
> > > > > Not quite Mark as i think you perceive we are calling
> > for
> > > > 100%
> > > > > electronic voting which is not the case.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > My own personal thoughts..... (Lots of 'I')
> > > >
> > > > I believe Owen makes a good case for running e-voting to
> > the
> > > > end of the
> > > > election time.
> > > >
> > > > However, it does appear to me to make things more
> > complicated.
> > > > I can not quantify to myself though how useful it would
> > > > practically be.
> > > > I have no idea what technical changes would be necessary
> > and
> > > > if AFRINIC
> > > > is going to change something - I'd rather see it spend
> > the
> > > > energy going
> > > > to a full e-voting solution.
> > > >
> > > > E-vote starts 10 days before the elections. I see it as
> > a very
> > > > suitable
> > > > replacement for Proxies or for those that can not
> > attend.
> > > > Extending it to the last second will possibly encourage
> > people
> > > > to wait
> > > > for the last second. I personally prefer the way it
> > currently
> > > > is which
> > > > gives a few hours in case of technical difficulties.
> > > > I like the KISS principal.
> > > >
> > > > The AFRINIC website does state that e-votes and the
> > people who
> > > > have cast
> > > > them are not conjoined. As I don't know how the software
> > > > actually
> > > > functions, I can not comment further.
> > > >
> > http://www.afrinic.net/en/community/elections/voting/online-voting
> > > > (last line)
> > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Kind Regards
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Mark J Elkins - AFRINIC 2014 Nominations Committee Chair
> > > > mje at posix.co.za - nomcom2014 (at) afrinic.net
> > > > Tel: +27.128070590 Cell: +27.826010496
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > Seun Ojedeji,
> > > > Federal University Oye-Ekiti
> > > > web: http://www.fuoye.edu.ng
> > > > Mobile: +2348035233535
> > > > alt email: seun.ojedeji at fuoye.edu.ng
> > > >
> > > > The key to understanding is humility - my view !
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Mark James ELKINS - Posix Systems - (South) Africa
> > > mje at posix.co.za Tel: +27.128070590 Cell: +27.826010496
> > > For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA:
> > https://ftth.posix.co.za
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > rpd mailing list
> > > rpd at afrinic.net
> > > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rpd
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > rpd mailing list
> > rpd at afrinic.net
> > https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rpd
> >
--
Mark James ELKINS - Posix Systems - (South) Africa
mje at posix.co.za Tel: +27.128070590 Cell: +27.826010496
For fast, reliable, low cost Internet in ZA: https://ftth.posix.co.za
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