[Election-Methods] Asset Voting on Wikipedia

[Abd ul-Rahman Lomax]

There is a brief article on Wikipedia about Asset Voting, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_Voting

As this is a neutral mailing list, and because I suspect that a fair 
number of Wikipedia registered editors subscribe to this list, I'm 
placing a notice here that the article is currently being considered 
for deletion. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Asset_Voting

Wikipedia sourcing and notability policy, which generally govern 
article deletion in a case like this, can be a bit arcane. AfDs are 
not, supposedly, votes. Rather, comments are collected and an 
administrator, in closing the AfD with a decision, judges the 
arguments. A large number of comments coming in one direction, 
without argument that expands on points that have already been made, 
are sometimes viewed as attempts to improperly influence the 
decision. Canvassing for votes in one direction or another is prohibited.

Votes and comments from newly registered editors and anonymous 
editors are permitted, but may be devalued, particularly if they add 
no significant argument but are, in effect, "Me too!."

After the AfD closes, I may make comments about the Wikipedia 
situation regarding voting systems here.

What I'm suggesting, here, though, is that readers with an interest 
in voting systems take a look at the article and the process. 
Wikipedia works best when those with a knowledge of the subjects participate.

But I will add some information about Wikipedia deletion. "Deletion" 
does not actually delete the article. Rather, it becomes invisible to 
the general reader, but remains in the database and may be viewed by 
administrators. Other readers who wish to see a deleted article may 
request this from an administrator who has agreed to provide copies 
of the article. However, deletion, obviously, inhibits the process of 
further editing of the article.

Sometimes an AfD will close with a decision to Merge and Redirect. 
This *appears* to delete the article, but, in fact, the article 
remains viewable. To see a merged article on Wikipedia, go to the 
article name. The page to which it has been redirected will come up. 
At the top, there will be a message that this is "redirected from 
page XXX," and a link which will then show the current version of the 
redirected page, which will (always?) be, simply, a redirect tag. But 
from History on that page, all previous versions of the page can be 
seen. Sometimes, Talk ("Discussion") for the page is still in place as well.