[rpd] Co-Chair Election Process

[Anthony Ubah]

Hello Taiwo,

You have basically summarized my thoughts and contributions so far.

The idea of forcibly pushing through with an online voting process baffles
me, as those campaigning for it have simply failed to look at the Cons of
their proposal. The existing process clearly proposes a Face-2-Face
electoral process and going otherwise is going against the policy.

As you rightly said, the community will most likely erupt into debates and
disagreements from whatever outcome. An online policy discussion and
consensus might be a possibility since inputs and opinions count as value
for the measure. However, online voting is a totally different playing
field. It is a quagmire which we must not race into, but tread on carefully.

I personally think the seating Co-chairs are doing great work, so it is
really unfortunate that the reactions from certain members project this
difference. Are we in a hurry do fill in a gap? Or, are we working towards
fostering a progressive community with a united front? Who loses if the
current crop of Co-chairs continues in the same vein? Will the community be
taken aback if their tenure is extended?

Like I said before, I propose that the election is postponed until the next
face-to-face meeting(As required in the existing process). Before then,
perhaps a credible alternative would have been refined and adopted by the
majority for the supposedly “new normal”. I reiterate that It is wise that
we extend the current tenure of the seating Co-chair, as flying a haphazard
online election solution is does not align with current policy and process.

Finally, the idea of systematically disenfranchising certain registered
members using certain filters is a debacle that we must surely be cautious
about. I believe is a free and open system. Since traditionally so, the
community is allowed to view and assess the candidates and nominees before
the elections are conducted. The candidates are also allowed to interact
with, speak, and respond to the community. This helps enlighten even the
newest members and gives an insight on who to vote for and why. Why not do
we disenfranchise these categories of member.



BR,

Anthony Ubah


On Mon, Jul 20, 2020 at 7:28 PM <rpd-request at afrinic.net> wrote:


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>    1. Re: Co-Chair Election Process (Taiwo Oyewande)

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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Message: 1

> Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2020 19:28:09 +0100

> From: Taiwo Oyewande <taiwo.oyewande88 at gmail.com>

> To: rpd at afrinic.net

> Subject: Re: [rpd] Co-Chair Election Process

> Message-ID: <8AC58529-B7CA-4FBE-9E71-FD4E667B25C0 at gmail.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

>

> Dear All,

>

> The debate on running online voting or not at this time is a delicate

> situation and there are a few things to consider.

> 1.      Online voting would cause doubt on the authenticity of the result,

> which can arise from the scare of hackers or even the total distrust of the

> system. This can bring disunity in the community.

> 2.      The idea of excluding some registered participants based on a

> certain criteria is totally wrong ? as was stated severally during the last

> meeting in Angola-  in my opinion, every community member/ participant has

> a right to vote.

>

> Some proposals have been brought up about extending the tenure of the

> current co- chair while the community works on a permanent online procedure

> to be ratified possibly during the coming meeting. This is a brilliant idea

> as there will be enough time for the  proposed online voting system to be

> vetted, trusted and accepted by the  community. I see this as a way forward

> and I encourage the community to back this solution.

>

> Kind regards

>

> Taiwo

>

> > On 20 Jul 2020, at 17:42, Owen DeLong <owen at delong.com> wrote:

> >

> > ?

> >

> >>> On Jul 20, 2020, at 05:11 , Fernando Frediani <fhfrediani at gmail.com>

> wrote:

> >>>

> >>> Hello Daniel

> >>>

> >>> Thanks for putting a resume. So to add up I have the following:

> >>>

> >>> 1 - Section 3.3 of the PDP it says: "The PDWG Chairs are chosen by the

> AFRINIC community during the Public Policy Meeting and serve staggered

> two-year terms". The Public Policy Meeting will be held online. It also

> says: "Anyone present at the meeting, whether in person or by remote

> participation, may participate in the selection process for a temporary

> Chair."

> >>>

> >>> 2 - Who can be present at this meeting ? Only those present (therefore

> registered) to participate, not all registered in this email list.

> >>>

> >>> 3 - The choosing of the e-voting system is a AfriNic staff task and

> there are different system already used for the very same proposes as for

> example the LACNIC's one. It must be a system that allow people to verify

> their vote was cast correctly and be fully auditable.

> >>>

> >>

> >> This is an absurd claim. The standard (as you mention below) is a

> ?raise of hands? vote. This mechanism even in person does not allow people

> to verify that their vote was cast correctly, nor is it fully auditable

> (indeed, it has no audit trail and is not at all audible).

> >>

> >> Placing more stringent requirements than exist on the current system as

> an acceptance criteria for a system deployed urgently in a time of crisis

> makes little sense to me.

> >> 4 - In order to either choose another Co-Chair or to extend the current

> one term there must be a vote with raise of hands. There is no other way

> out of the PDP this can be done.

> >>

> >

> > This statement ignores CPM section 3.6:

> > 3.6  Varying the Process

> > The process outlined in this document may vary in the case of an

> emergency. Variance is for use when a one-time waiving of some provision of

> this document is required.

> > The decision to vary the process is taken by a Working Group Chair.

> > There must be an explanation about why the variance is needed.

> > The review period, including the Last Call, shall not be less than four

> weeks.

> > If there is consensus, the policy is approved and it must be presented

> at the next Public Policy Meeting.

> >

> > Clearly this is the kind of exceptional circumstance in which some

> variance could be justified.

> >

> > I still say that a (virtual) raising of hands using the mechanisms

> available in nearly every conferencing system capable of supporting

> > this meeting has the following advantages:

> >

> >       1.      Only meeting attendees may vote.

> >       2.      Botting your meeting attendance would be reasonably

> difficult, so it would be difficult for a person to stuff the ballot box.

> >       3.      It does meet the literal requirements of the existing PDP.

> >       4.      If we place reasonable bounds on meeting registration, we

> can avoid the so-called ?sleeper cell? effect that some have

> >               put forth as a concern. (Personally, I think this is less

> likely in a virtual meeting anyway).

> >       5.      If we place reasonable bounds on meeting registration, we

> also manage to prevent (2) from being a concern.

> >       6.      By ?reasonable bounds?, I mean pick a date certain in the

> past by which one must have been subscribed to RPD.

> >               Each email subscribed to RPD is entitled to one

> corresponding meeting registration if they choose to. No subscribed

> >               email, no registration for the meeting.

> >       7.      My suggestions for the date certain would be the first day

> of the originally scheduled in person AIS 2020 (May 31) or

> >               the originally scheduled first day of the public policy

> meeting (June 8 IIRC).

> >

> > If anyone has a reason they don?t think this is viable, please express

> it. So far, I?ve seen lots of calls for other solutions, but this

> > seems to be the approach with the fewest drawbacks and which can easily

> be implemented in time.

> >

> > Owen

> >

> >> Regards

> >> Fernando

> >>

> >> On 20/07/2020 03:06, Daniel Yakmut wrote:

> >>> Dear All,

> >>>

> >>> We arrive at the airport and I will be turning the simple matter

> placed on the table into a circus. The simple matter was:

> >>>

> >>> 1. We will have AIS 2020 online and in September.

> >>> 2. A Co-chair's  tenure has already ended. So an electronic election

> is being proposed as part of the AIS 2020 Agenda. The question is, is this

> possible?

> >>> 3. It is a fact that the Co-chair is currently serving within an

> extended period.

> >>> 4. We now agree that the introduction of e-voting is inevitable, as

> demonstrated by the pandemic.

> >>>

> >>> However it is clear that

> >>> 1. We are going to have an online meeting , as nobody has disagreed to

> that.

> >>> 2. There is a strong advocacy, for a process to include e-voting in

> the Region, but the timing is short. Therefore we need to commence the plan

> of creating an enabling atmosphere to integrate e-voting.

> >>> 3. We need to ratify the extended period for a co-chair tentatively

> for 12months. Which he has spent a month or so already.

> >>> 4. Ensure we have an acceptable e-voting system ready for the next

> date of election.

> >>> 5. Let agreed clearly on this simple issue and prepare for the coming

> meeting.

> >>>

> >>> Simply

> >>> Daniel

> >>>

> >>> On Jul 19, 2020 11:20 PM, "Fernando Frediani" <fhfrediani at gmail.com>

> wrote:

> >>>> I have read this message and several questions come to mind as for

> example:

> >>>>

> >>>> - What basis was used to say "it was overwhelmingly" rejected ?

> >>>>

> >>>> - Who actuallty represents the "current" community to state it was

> "totally rejected" ?

> >>>>

> >>>> - Whats basis was used to say that it would not work in the region if

> that works in several other places and RIRs including, with auditable

> systems ?

> >>>>

> >>>> - Whats basis is used to say rhe community that voted for the current

> Co-Chair in Kampla has the same confidence in him and that he would win ?

> It seems more a personal wish than anything based on fact or logic.

> >>>>

> >>>> - Even in order to extend the current Co-Chair term the PDP MUST be

> followed and there are no other ways written there other than another vote.

> Otherwise how can this be done ?

> >>>>

> >>>> Fernando

> >>>>

> >>>>

> >>>> On Sun, 19 Jul 2020, 18:08 Emem William, <dwizard65 at gmail.com> wrote:

> >>>>> Dear All,

> >>>>>

> >>>>> I can  recollect that a similar proposal was proposed as a policy

> and it was overwhelmingly rejected in Angola. The current community totally

> rejected the policy no one except the authors supported the idea because we

> know it can't work in this region. Using online voting now would be like

> passing the policy using the backdoor. Am sure Jordie would like this idea

> and hence his enthusiasm. However my candid opinion is that we can't do

> this. The most appropriate way forward is to allow the Co chair who has

> been doing a fantastic job to continue for another 12 months or till the

> next face to face meeting. The community that voted him in Kampala still

> have confidence in him. In any case even with an online election he would

> still likely win but I don't want polices to be passed through the back

> door. Therefore I think the most appropriate way for this has been

> suggested as an extension for the co-chair who's seat would have been

> contested.

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Cheers.

> >>>>>

> >>>>> Emem E. William

> >>>>>

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