PGFGVotes

Motions and Votes

Methods

Votes may be collected using either of two methods:

• Openly on the mailing list
  • Anything reasonably clear as to the vote is acceptable
  • Examples: yes/+1/aye/yea/affirmative, no/-1/nay,negative, abstain/0/pass
• Confidentially via private email to 2 selected members (Vote Collectors)

Open Voting Details

If the vote is determined to be done with the Open Voting method, all votes will be sent directly to the mailing list. Voting results should be summarized by the member making the motion once the voting period is closed. Any member can review the openly available votes for verification of the results.

Confidential Voting Details

If the vote is determined to be done with the Confidential Voting method, the member who makes the motion may propose the Vote Collectors. The Vote Collectors must agree to this responsibility. If they reject the request, other members must be selected until 2 are found which agree. If no members are specifically selected, the default Vote Collectors are the SPI Liaison and the Alternate SPI Liaison.

• Members will send their ballot to both Vote Collectors using the email address subscribed to the Funds Group mailing list
• Both Vote Collectors will tabulate the votes independently
• Votes which do not appear on both lists will be discarded after contacting the member involved to allow them to re-vote. Although not required, email voting should utilize use PGP to sign the vote if possible.
• Ballots are confidential. They may not be shared except by the Vote Collectors for verification purposes.
• The Vote Collectors should post an email to the Funds Group mailing list no later then 24 hours before the end of the vote, listing who has voted, as a reminder to all to vote and notification those whose ballot may not have been received.
• The vote results should be posted to the mailing list within 24 hours of the vote closing.

Process

Fund Requests

• Fund requests must be for reimbursement of expenditures which generally fit within the funding request guidelines.
• Fund requests less than or equal to $1000 USD may go through the following special process:
  • Any member may forward the request to the Funds Group mailing list, or the request might come directly to the list via moderation
  • If there are no objections, the Liaison may approve and fund the request after 72 hours
  • If there are any objections the request must be processed as any other motion, as discussed below
• Fund requests greater than $1000 USD must be processed as any other motion, as discussed below

Funds Group members may submit a motion (a.k.a proposal, resolution), following these guidelines:

• All current members of the Funds Group may submit a motion
• Any other current member must second all motions
• All current members of the Funds Group are eligible to vote
• Debate:
  • Shall commence once the motion is seconded
  • Shall take place on the mailing list
  • Shall end no sooner than 72 hours after the motion was seconded, unless a longer debate period was specifically requested as part of the motion (in no case shall debate be less than 72 hours)
  • May be extended through a no-debate motion which is seconded and approved via the Open Voting method
• Votes:
  • Shall take place on the mailing list or privately as discussed below
  • Quorum is 5 voting members, or (TRUNCATE(TRUNCATE(N/3)/2)*2) + 1 where N is the number of active members, whichever is larger -- for example, with 18 active members, (TRUNCATE(TRUNCATE(N/3)/2)*2) + 1 = 7, so the quorum is 7
  • Determined by a simple majority vote, of the voting members
  • Allow the option to "abstain" -- votes of "abstain" are counted as participating for quorum purposes
  • Will remain open for 72 hours from the end of debate, unless a longer voting period was specifically requested as part of the motion (in no case shall voting be less than 72 hours)
• Method
  • The voting method may be determined by the member who makes the motion
  • If no voting method is thus determined, the vote takes place using the Open Voting method, on the mailing list
  • Only one method will be used per vote.