Unofficial FAQ working group

[New Democracy]

Dear Election Methods List,

Donald's reply to initial methods:
>
>A) "Delegate".  The group puts someone in charge, or someone puts themselves
>in charge.  That person then writes the initial criteria for group decisions,
>with the rest of the group offering advice (which might be followed or
>ignored...).
Donald: OPPOSED - we are too small a group to need this.

>B) "Robert's".  Standard parliamentary procedure, ala "Robert's Rules of
>Order".  Requires a chairperson to control discussion, amendments and order
>of voting.
Donald: OPPOSED - again we are too small a group to need this.

>C) "Majority".  A proposal passes if it achieves more support than
>opposition.
Donald: WILLING - for this project and if we add a minimum of assert votes
based on registered voters.

>D) "Majority-plus-minimum".  Like "majority", but also requires a minimum
>specified level of support.
Donald: MILD SUPPORT - if we add a minimum of assert votes based on
registered voters.

>E) "Difference".  A proposal passes if it receives N more support votes than
>oppose votes.  (Example: Usenet group creation.)
Donald: SUPPORT - if N is a percent of votes - and if we add a minimum of
assert votes based on registered voters.

>F) "Ratio".  A proposal passes if it achieves a specified ratio of support
>versus opposition.  Assume 2:1 (i.e. 2/3) for starters.
Donald: SUPPORT - if we add a minimum of assert votes based on registered
voters.

>G) "High Ratio".  Like "Ratio", but assume 4:1 (i.e. 80%).
Donald: WILLING - if we add a minimum of assert votes based on registered
voters.

>H) "Consensus".  A proposal passes if there is no opposition.
Donald: OPPOSED - this would also allow a minority to pass a measure

>I) "Unanimity".  A proposal passes if there is unanimous support.
Donald: OPPOSED - I assume that this means all votes must be unanimous.

     I would like to raise the question of registering to vote. I feel that
every member, current and future, of this list is free to vote - but I also
feel that every member that intends to vote should declare that intention.
And I also feel that there should be a period of eight to ten days between
the posting of a intend to vote and the right to vote. This is reasonable
to expect any member, current and future, to be in the discussions for ten
days before he is allow to vote - the ten days will pass soon enough - more
than twenty days have already passed since these talks began.

     Another point: It should be clear if these voting percentages are
based on the registered voters or the actual numbers of persons that vote
each time. I would like to use a conclusive majority of the registered
voters but to be workable in this project I am willing to accept a
conclusive majority of the persons who vote with some minimun percent of
assert votes required. If we go for the ratio of 2:1 then I suggest two
thirds of two thirds of the registered voters as a minimum of assert votes
needed to pass anything.

     For example: If we had nine registered voters then two thirds of two
thirds of nine is four. This means that for nine registered voters we would
need two thirds of those voting to pass a measure but we would also require
a minimum of four assert votes. If only four or five or six out of the nine
voted then the measure would require four assert votes to pass. Seven
persons voting would need five assert votes. Eight or nine persons voting
would need six assert votes.

     It is reasonable to ask for at least four assert votes when we have a
total of nine registered voters. I wish to avoid allowing two assert votes
out of three votes cast being able to pass a measure.

Sincerely yours,


Donald Eric Davison of New Democracy at http://www.mich.com/~donald

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