Gerard Meijssen wrote:
So for me it is simple who to vote for. As to the other candidates, they are known. You may know them personally and this should influence you. I am certain that people around you in your communities know the candidates, just ask. You can even ask someone you trust who to vote for. I did that at the last elections and Andre Engels told me that we need someone non-English and he knew Anthere.. so I voted for Anthere who I did not know at the time .. I know _sj_ and I know Francis Schonken. personally and I know people who know the others. So yes it is a bit obligatory to write a small voter manifesto but that is not what should lead you. We know these people.
I don't think this is particularly true; I only know people who are active on the mailing lists and on en:, which doesn't emcompass everyone. I've also never encountered Francis Schonken, because the en: Wikipedia is a pretty big place these days (there are over a 1000 regularly active editors, and many more occasionally-active editors). I have encountered sj, but only because we've both been on the arbitration committee.
I'd also like to be able to vote for people outside my local circle of acquaintances. For example, I think there must be some good editors on the ja: Wikipedia, as it's one of the biggest, and they would be a useful voice to have as input (alas, none are running). To be able to bring together disparate communities, some sort of statement and description of how they would act if on the committee is necessary. Otherwise people just vote for who they personally know, or who people they know know, which seems to be what you suggest but which I think is a very poor practice.
-Mark