Hi, There is a cliché used in democracy and politics that 'you can't please all
the people all of the time', and in the At Large membership we see a potential electorate
(and initial candidature) of millions. The ICANN board is right to be concerned about
this, and has attempted to control this by giving the Election Committee a remit
that is clear in its aims - and I appreciate a chance to comment on the draft rules
for self-nomination.
Like many At Large members who have already commented in
the forum, I would have appreciated more time (I live in London England - and only
received my PIN this morning - 1st June!), but I understand the importance of keeping
the momentum going (to prevent the whole process from being choked)
However, the
board should consider:
a) It is possible that no candidate could receive 10% of
the vote; systems of transferable votes (AV, STV IRV) are designed to accommodate
large ballots and still return a majority candidate.
b) The notion of 'nation'
sits uncomfortably with many At Large members who see themselves as global citizens.
While I can understand the need to ensure nominations from all corners of the globe
the At Large membership should be able to elect the most suitable candidate, irrespective
of their origin.
c) Many At Large members would like the NomCom to be more transparent,
do they, for example, already have candidates in mind? Also, people close to the
organisation will *already* have access to the committee members (and could be actively
lobbying them now).
Thanks for your time
Gareth Ashley LLB