[Wikipedia-l] Bylaws

[Ray Saintonge]

Anthere wrote:

> We are currently trying to translate the bylaws (thanks Jeff !)
>
> A paragraph raised my attention
>
> A. CONTRIBUTING ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: Active membership in this 
> Foundation shall be limited to volunteers who have contributed to any 
> Wikimedia project prior to the election ballot request deadline after 
> their application for membership and payment of annual dues. All 
> active members shall have the right to vote in this Foundation at any 
> membership vote for the Contributing Active Member Representative to 
> the Board of Trustees.
>
> Why shall only those contributing before the election be considered 
> members ? What about all those who will join next month ? Did I 
> misunderstand something here ?

I think that this paragraph in the draft was needlessly convoluted.  If 
one basically defines an "active member" as a person who has contributed 
to any Wikimedia project article, a "paid-up member" is then an active 
member who has paid annual dues.  Defining "members" is more direct than 
defining "memberships" since the latter is nothing more than the status 
of being a member.  We also need to avoid confusion between the words 
"contributor" and "donor", and that distinction should be made clear in 
a definitions article.  Our practice has been to use "contributor" for a 
person who has written or edited articles, and to use "donor" for a 
person who has given money.  I had to read the second sentence several 
times to make sense of it; whet it seems to say is that every member, 
wheteher or not he has paid dues, has the right to vote for this position.

A provision that limits voting rights to those who were members when the 
election is called, or who have been members at least 30 days (or some 
other appropriate time period) is reasonable.  It helps in preventing a 
flood of last minute members whose only purpose for joining is to 
support some person in his election bid.

Ec