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Re: Constitution - formal proposal (v0.5)



Shaleh wrote:
  >I see no point in allowing one to change their vote.  Voting is very
  >important -- think before you act.  If this means waiting a week or so
  >do it.  We have seen way to often here that people often rifle off
  >e-mails before they think.  We should not patronize this behaviour.
  >I can think of no other voting forum where votes are allowed to be
  >recast without a complete re-vote.

No matter how much attention you give to a matter, something may 
subsequently occur to change your mind.  With paper ballots, it is not
practicable to let people change their votes; with electronic systems
based on PGP-signed emails, it is practicable, and an automatic system
can cope with multiple changes by the same voter.  This will allow
everyone to respond to late-arriving information.

I don't think it reasonable to stop people from changing their votes
because you disapprove of their being hasty.  Some people are impulsive
by nature; this is a handicap in some cases, an advantage in others.
Allowing a change is a way of mitigating the consequences of
impulsiveness.  You should remember that there could be other reasons
for changing: people might, for example, have suffered key bounce and
sent bad votes inadvertently.

Finally, I want the right to look at how the votes are going and change
mine accordingly;  suppose a vote looks as if it will carry by a tiny
margin.  I may have voted yes, not caring too much; but I may not like
the idea of a proposal being carried against the opposition of nearly
half the voters.  I have a reason for changing; I do not think that anyone
should have the right to tell me what are and are not good reasons for
making my decisions.

-- 
Oliver Elphick                                Oliver.Elphick@lfix.co.uk
Isle of Wight                              http://www.lfix.co.uk/oliver

PGP key from public servers; key ID 32B8FAA1



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