On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 20:29:22 -0500, Branden Robinson <branden@debian.org> said: > Mr. Secretary, The Debian Constitution[1] describes the DPL election > process as follows: > 5.2. Appointment > 1. The Project Leader is elected by the Developers. > 2. The election begins nine weeks before the leadership post becomes > vacant, or (if it is too late already) immediately. > 3. For the following three weeks any Developer may nominate > themselves as a candidate Project Leader. > 4. For three weeks after that no more candidates may be nominated; > candidates should use this time for campaigning (to make their > identities and positions known). If there are no candidates at > the end of the nomination period then the nomination period is > extended for three further weeks, repeatedly if necessary. > 5. The next three weeks are the polling period during which > Developers may cast their votes. Votes in leadership elections > are kept secret, even after the election is finished. > 6. The options on the ballot will be those candidates who have > nominated themselves and have not yet withdrawn, plus None Of > The Above. If None Of The Above wins the election then the > election procedure is repeated, many times if necessary. > 7. The decision will be made using the method specified in section > §A.6 of the Standard Resolution Procedure. The quorum is the > same as for a General Resolution (§4.2) and the default option > is "None Of The Above". > 8. The Project Leader serves for one year from their election. > Given the above, do you interpret the Constitution as forbidding any > activities during the polling period that are permitted during the > campaigning period, with the exeception of the casting of ballots? I do not see any language in the constitution governing the conduct of the candidates during the voting period. If someone thinks I am missing something, please bring it to my attention. > In other words, would you regard it as irregular if the candidates > continued to engage in discussion that makes "their identities and > positions known", even after the close of the campaigning period? I have no official position on this matter. The candidates may come up with any rules of conduct governing this period, either singly, or as a group. > I am requesting an official interpretation of the Constitution on > this point, in your capacity as Debian Project Secretary. If you > feel this issue is not ripe for adjudication, then a simple advisory > opinion will serve just fine. manoj with the secretary hat on. -- Two men came before Nasrudin when he was magistrate. The first man said, "This man has bitten my ear -- I demand compensation." The second man said, "He bit it himself." Nasrudin withdrew to his chambers, and spent an hour trying to bite his own ear. He succeeded only in falling over and bruising his forehead. Returning to the courtroom, Nasrudin pronounced, "Examine the man whose ear was bitten. If his forehead is bruised, he did it himself and the case is dismissed. If his forehead is not bruised, the other man did it and must pay three silver pieces." Debian Project Secretary <secretary@debian.org> <http://vote.debian.org/> 1024R/C7261095 print CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E 1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C
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