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Re: GR: Hide Identities of Developers Casting a Particular Vote



I sponsor the resolution quoted below.

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 10:19:20AM -0700, Sam Hartman wrote:
>
>
>I propose the followiwng general resolution, which will require a 3:1
>super majority to pass.
>I'm seeking sponsors for this resolution.
>
>Rationale
>=========
>
>During the vote for GR_2021_002o, several developers said they were
>uncomfortable voting because under the process at that time, their name
>and ballot ranking would be public.
>A number of participants in the discussion believe that we would get
>election results that more accurately reflect the will of the developers
>if we do not make the name associated with a particular vote on the
>tally sheet public.
>Several people believed that the ranked votes without names attached
>would still be valuable public information.
>
>This proposal would treat all elections like DPL elections.
>At the same time it relaxes the requirement that the secretary must
>conduct a vote via email.  There are no current plans to move away from
>email, although some members of the project want to explore
>alternatives.  If this proposal passes, adopting such an alternative
>would require sufficient support in the project but would not require
>another constitutional amendment.
>
>This proposal relies on the secretary's existing power to decide how
>votes are conducted. During discussion we realized that there is no
>mechanism to override a specific decision of the secretary, and the
>language allowing the project to replace the secretary is ambiguous.
>
>Summary of Changes
>==================
>
>    1) Do not make the identity of a voter casting a particular vote
>    public.
>
>    2) Do not require that votes be conducted by email.
>
>    3) Clarify that the developers can replace the secretary at any time.
>
>    4) Provide a procedure for overriding the decision of the project
>    secretary or their delegate.  Overriding the decision of what super
>    majority is required or overriding the determination of election
>    outcome requires a 3:1 majority.  The chair of the technical committee
>    decides who conducts such votes.
>
>
>    6) Codify that our election system must permit independent verification
>    of the outcome given the votes cast and must permit developers to
>    confirm their vote is included in the votes cast.
>
>General Resolution==================
>
>The developers resolve to make the changes to the Debian Constitution
>embodied in git commit ed88a1e3c1fc367ee89620a73047d84a797c9a1d.
>As of February 23, 2022, this commit can be found at
>https://salsa.debian.org/hartmans/webwml/-/commit/ed88a1e3c1fc367ee89620a73047d84a797c9a1d
>
>For convenience a word-diff of the changes is included below.  In case
>the diff differs from the commit, the commit governs.
>
>@@ -179,9 +179,27 @@ earlier can overrule everyone listed later.</cite></p>
>  </li>
>
>  <li>
>    [-<p>In case of-]{+<p>Appoint+} a [-disagreement between-]{+new secretary. In the normal case ( &sect;7.2) where+} the project
>    leader and {+secretary agree on+} the [-incumbent-]{+next+} secretary, [-appoint a new secretary.</p>-]{+this power of+}
>{+    the developers is not used.</p>+}
>  </li>
>  {+<li>+}
>{+    <p>Override a decision of the project secretary or their+}
>{+    delegate.</p>+}
>
>{+    <p>Overriding the determination of what super majority is required+}
>{+    for a particular ballot option or overriding the determination of+}
>{+    the outcome of an election requires the developers to agree by a+}
>{+    3:1 majority.  The determination of the majority required to+}
>{+    override a decision of the secretary is not subject to+}
>{+    override.</p>+}
>
>{+    <p>The chair of the technical committee decides who acts as+}
>{+    secretary for a general resolution to override a decision of the+}
>{+    project secretary or their delegate. If the decision was not made+}
>{+    by the chair of the technical committee, the committee chair may+}
>{+    themselves act as secretary. The decision of who acts as secretary+}
>{+    for such a general resolution is not subject to override.</p>+}
></ol>
>
><h3>4.2. Procedure</h3>
>@@ -228,9 +246,10 @@ earlier can overrule everyone listed later.</cite></p>
>    <p>
>       Votes are taken by the Project Secretary. Votes, tallies, and
>       results are not revealed during the voting period; after the
>       vote the Project Secretary lists all the votes {+cast in sufficient detail that anyone may verify the outcome of the election from the votes cast. The+}
>{+       identity of a developer casting a particular vote is not made+}
>{+       public, but developers will be given an option to confirm their vote is included in the votes+} cast. The voting period is 2 weeks, but may be varied by up
>       to 1 week by the Project Leader. 
>    </p>
>  </li>
>
>@@ -247,7 +266,7 @@ earlier can overrule everyone listed later.</cite></p>
>  </li>
>
>  <li>
>    <p>Votes are cast[-by email-] in a manner suitable to the Secretary.
>    The Secretary determines for each poll whether voters can change
>    their votes.</p>
>  </li>
>@@ -371,8 +390,7 @@ earlier can overrule everyone listed later.</cite></p>
>  necessary.</li>
>
>  <li>The next two 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.</li>-]{+</li>+}
>
>  <li>The options on the ballot will be those candidates who have
>  nominated themselves and have not yet withdrawn, plus None Of The


-- 
Steve McIntyre, Cambridge, UK.                                steve@einval.com
“Why do people find DNS so difficult? It’s just cache invalidation and
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