Shani,
The prospect of potentially several hundred Wikimedia employees/contractors
taking part in this vote is somewhat disturbing, especially in combination
with a 50% threshold.
Few decisions in the history of Wikipedia and Wikimedia have attracted
participation from 1,000 or more volunteers. With a head start of 800 or
more WMF and affiliate employees voting, who could be directed to vote as a
block by their management, you would theoretically be able to push through
anything, even if up to 90% of volunteers object ... (I don't think the
UCoC, given its history, is much more popular than the rebranding was) ...
and then declare it the result of a democratic process.
Even if staff are not directed by management to participate, and are not
directed to vote one way or another, I do not see how they (or the
community, for that matter) can trust that this is a free and secret ballot
for them, unless the process is administered outside the WMF.
Could you say something about this?
Best,
Andreas