Submissions/The other side of the ballot box: Movement-wide elections and referenda

From Wikimania 2013 • Hong Kong

This is an accepted submission for Wikimania 2013.

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Submission no.
3067
Subject no.
E2
Title of the submission
The other side of the ballot box: Movement-wide elections and referenda
Type of submission
Presentation (possibly panel, depending on whether other potential panel members also attend)
Author of the submission
Risker (co-ordinator)
Country of origin
Canada
Affiliation
E-mail address
risker.wp@gmail.com
Username
Risker
Personal homepage or blog
Abstract

The Wikimedia movement has used formal voting processes to elect community representatives to the Board of Trustees and the Funds Dissemination Committee, and for seeking opinions from the broad spectrum of Wikimedia community members during the Personal Image Filter referendum. This presentation/panel will focus on the complex responsibilities of co-ordinating and managing these large-scale votes.

Detailed proposal

Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustee elections have been going on since 2004, first on an annual basis until 2009 and then on a bi-annual basis since that time. In 2011, the WMF held a referendum about the proposed Personal Image Filter that gauged community opinions on the development of the feature. And in 2013 there is the addition of Funds Dissemination Committee member and ombud seats. This discussion will look briefly at the evolution of WMF community-wide elections and their increasing complexity as the community grows and matures. Discussion will include the challenges involved volunteer-organized elections that must meet statutory requirements; the difficulties in trying to involve community members in the early stages of election/referendum planning; encouraging "post vote" comments that can help guide future election commmittees; and preparing recommendations from the results.

Track
WikiCulture and Community
Length of presentation/talk
25 Minutes
Language of presentation/talk
English
Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?
Likely
Slides or further information (optional)
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  1. Philippe (WMF) (talk) 03:01, 12 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  2. I would love for Risker to help organize a talk on this topic. Blue Rasberry (talk) 20:49, 1 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Slashme (talk) 18:40, 7 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  4. Yes please! Would love to hear Risker's insights & discussion on this topic. We need a big conversation about the topic, that's for sure. -- Phoebe (talk) 19:45, 9 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Pundit (talk) 19:57, 11 April 2013 (UTC) interesting (although I think that the FDC process and the image filter poll are fundamentally different)[reply]
  6. Man77 (talk) 20:16, 17 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  7. CT Cooper · talk 00:29, 29 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Obviously -- KTC (talk) 10:57, 1 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  9. Denis Barthel (WMDE) (talk)
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