[Foundation-l] Concerns over en.wikipedia.org ArbCom Election Process

[Brad Patrick]

The answer to "why" is discussed at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-11-13/Arbitration_series
:

Prior elections had used approval
voting<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting>,
but Jimbo Wales <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jimbo_Wales> had
expressed interest in using an open method. In response to questions over
which method would be used this year, Jimbo replied:

*I have no objection in principle to a secret
ballot<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_ballot>,
but the standard wiki voting system is much more in line with our traditions
and appears to produce better results. When we used [private voting], we saw
a significant amount of trolling <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolling> and
negative campaigning <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_campaigning>.
... Additionally, even though [private voting] is theoretically "approval
voting", the fact of the matter is that people have tended to use it
incorrectly (in my opinion) leading to very low rates of approval. Wiki
voting tends to produce high levels of support, and this is important for
the confidence and credibility of the committee.

*Also, you may wish to reflect on the tradition of good faith and trust that
is at the core of what Jimbo is trying to reinforce here.  I utterly despise
approval voting, as it runs against everything in my political science
background (as an American lawyer, no less).  My Aussie friends just shake
their heads and laugh at me.  You may come to believe the same about open
elections for Arbcom, but keep in mind this is for a very different kind of
position than board or steward.  Discourse is required of these folks, as is
a cool head under fire.

Respectfully, I suggest gritting your teeth and voting the best way you can.


On 12/6/06, Stephanie Erin Daugherty <stephanie at sosdg.org> wrote:
>
> Having not participated in last years ArbCom elections, I was quite
> shocked to see, that with the important role the Arbitraton Committee
> has in safeguarding the ideals and policies of the English wikipedia,
> these elections are being held with an open ballot.
>
> I cannot have any confidence in such an election. Open ballots bring out
> the worst in politics - bullying, fear of retaliation, groupthink, and
> voting with the hope to gain political favor in the future. While an
> open ballot appears open on the surface, as history has demonstrated, it
> is anything but.
>
> There is a reason that most free elections use secret ballots. Only in
> secret can someone make their true opinion known, without fear of
> bullying, fear of retaliation, undue influence of others, or hurt
> feelings.
>
> Secret ballots also allow for good judgement to be exercised in cases
> where a moral dilemma would otherwise exist - how do you deal with
> voting against someone who you are close friends with, or who is in a
> position of power over you, be it actual or percieved? In an open
> ballot, this at the very least means either hurt feelings, or votes that
> do not reflect one's true beliefs as to right choice to make in an
> election.
>
> We have facilities for secret ballots and approval voting. Those
> facilities work well, as demonstrated in the last board elections.
> Why on-wiki voting was chosen in favor of this, I don't know, to me it
> defies logical sense.
>
> In conclusion, I condemn this election in the strongest possible terms,
> as being flawed, subject to tampering, and as being anything other than
> a free election. I would hope that I'm not the only person that it this
> way, but even if I am, I know that I cannot in good concience stand for
> such an unjust and flawed process.
>
> I would encourage anyone else that feels strongly about this to make
> their voice heard, and loudly, so that future elections do not follow
> the same flawed path, and so that we can have confidence in our
> elections process.
>
> --
> Stephanie Daugherty
> stephanie at sosdg.org
> User:Triona on en.wikipedia.org
>
>
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>



-- 
Brad Patrick
General Counsel & Interim Executive Director
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
bradp.wmf at gmail.com
727-231-0101