[Lnc-business] details for electronic mail ballots

Sun Jun 26 11:59:15 EDT 2016

Yes that is what I was thinking- a policy manual section.

David also, not all reps serve at the pleasure of the state chairs- that is
the default.  The region agreement can specify otherwise.

On Sunday, June 26, 2016, Sam Goldstein <goldsteinatlarge at gmail.com> wrote:

> David,
>
> The LNC has no power to change the By-Laws, only the delegates in
> convention.  The LNC can amend the Policy Manual so it might be best to
> look for a place to insert your suggested Regional Representative
> responsiblities language in that document.  There are very few mentions of
> Regional Reps in the current language and the only responsibility outlined
> is the Regional Report to be submitted prior to every LNC meeting.
>
> Having a definition inserted in the Policy Manual would help future
> newbies in determining their role and might encourage more people to seed a
> spot from their region.
>
> Live Free,
>
>
>
> Sam Goldstein
> Libertarian National Committee
> Member at Large
> 8925 N Meridian St, Ste 101
> Indianapolis IN 46260
> 317-850-0726 Phone
> 317-582-1773 Fax
>
> On Sun, Jun 26, 2016 at 9:33 AM, David Demarest <
> dpdemarest at centurylink.net
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','dpdemarest at centurylink.net');>> wrote:
>
>> Alicia – Thank you for very clear and unambiguous instructions and
>> procedures on LNC email balloting – very helpful to us newcomers on the
>> board!
>>
>>
>>
>> On a similar but separate subject, at your convenience when your schedule
>> is not so crazy, I would appreciate receiving similar instructions and
>> procedures excerpted from the bylaws or elsewhere in LNC documentation that
>>  clearly delineates the roles and responsibilities of regional
>> representatives and their alternates. With Caryn Ann Harlos’ help, I see
>> some of region structure mechanical details. However, I have not been able
>> to locate any LNC documentation that spells out regional representative and
>> alternate roles and responsibilities.
>>
>>
>>
>> Caryn Ann and I have discussed a possible default description of regional
>> representative and alternate roles and responsibilities. I submit the
>> following for discussion:
>>
>>
>>
>> LNC regional representatives and alternates who serve at the pleasure of
>> the region member state chairs are encouraged to provide a transparent
>> channel that facilitates mutually supportive communication between the LNC
>> and officers and members of the regional state organizations. Actual
>> regional organization policies are left to the discretion of and agreement
>> between the member state chairs and their regional representatives and
>> alternates.
>>
>>
>>
>> Question: Should the above be offered as a motion or as an amendment to
>> the bylaws? If a motion is appropriate, in addition to Caryn, are there two
>> more board members that would like to co-sponsor such a motion following
>> discussion and revisions?
>>
>>
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>>
>>
>> *Celebrate Life, Set the Bar High and LIVE FREE!*
>>
>>
>>
>> ~David Pratt Demarest
>>
>> Secretary, Nebraska Libertarian State Central Committee
>>
>> Region 6 Representative, Libertarian National Committee
>>
>> Secretary at LPNE.org <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','Secretary at LPNE.org');>
>>
>> David.Demarest at LP.org
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','David.Demarest at LP.org');>
>>
>> DPDemarest at centurylink.net
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','DPDemarest at centurylink.net');>
>>
>> David.Demarest at firstdata.com
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','David.Demarest at firstdata.com');>
>>
>> http://www.LPNE.org <http://www.lpne.org/>
>>
>> http://www.LP.org <http://www.lp.org/>
>>
>> Cell:      402-981-6469
>>
>> Home: 402-493-0873
>>
>> Office: 402-222-7207
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','lnc-business-bounces at hq.lp.org');>] *On
>> Behalf Of *Alicia Mattson
>> *Sent:* Sunday, June 26, 2016 4:35 AM
>> *To:* lnc-business <lnc-business at lp.org
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','lnc-business at lp.org');>>
>> *Subject:* [Lnc-business] details for electronic mail ballots
>>
>>
>>
>> Bylaws Article 13 authorizes our electronic mail ballots as follows:
>>
>> Boards and committees may transact business by electronic mail. The chair
>> or secretary shall send out electronic mail ballots on any question
>> submitted by the chair or cosponsored by at least 1/5 of the members of the
>> board or committee. The period for voting on a question shall remain open
>> for ten days, unless all members have cast votes, or have stated an
>> intention to abstain or be absent during the voting period, by electronic
>> mail to the entire board or committee. Votes from alternates will be
>> counted, in accordance with previously defined ranked order, in the absence
>> of the corresponding committee member(s). The outcome of each motion shall
>> be announced promptly and recorded in the minutes of the next meeting. The
>> number of votes required for passage of any motion shall be the same as
>> that required during a meeting. Motions dispensed through electronic mail
>> ballots satisfy the requirement of giving previous notice.
>>
>>
>>
>> We have 17 members of the board.  The chair may submit an electronic mail
>> ballot, or 1/5 of the members of the board (4) may co-sponsor an electronic
>> mail ballot.
>>
>> The policy manual has some other provisions regarding electronic mail
>> ballots:
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Section 1.02.6 (regarding what is required to be in the minutes):
>>
>> The following aspects of each mail ballot conducted since the prior
>> meeting and reported by the Secretary at that meeting:
>>
>> o the complete text of the motion,
>>
>> o the names of the co-sponsors,
>>
>> o the dates of the initiation and completion of the balloting, and
>>
>> o the roll of those voting on the motion.
>>
>>
>> Section 1.04.1:  Electronic mail ballots shall not include an
>> accompanying argument for or against passage of the motion. Notification of
>> an electronic mail ballot shall be made by the Secretary by electronic
>> mail. An LNC Member may change his or her vote on an electronic mail
>> ballot, provided that the change is received by the Secretary by the
>> deadline for return of ballots.
>>
>>
>>
>> Section 2.07.4:  The Secretary shall report the results of electronic
>> mail ballots at each LNC meeting immediately following those ballots.
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> I don't wait until the next meeting to tell you how the vote turned out,
>> as you might wonder from 2.07.4.  I go ahead and report the results shortly
>> after the voting period.  They are also reported at the next LNC meeting.
>>
>>
>>
>> When does voting end on an electronic mail ballot?
>>
>> The bylaws say that the voting remains open for 10 days (unless shortened
>> by everyone voting/abstaining early).  What time of day on the final day
>> does voting end?  If I send it at 5:17pm, does it end at 5:17pm on the 10th
>> day?  Perhaps.  Or is it the generic sense of the day, as in 11:59pm on
>> Thursday is still only one day after 9:15am on Wednesday?  What has worked
>> well in past terms is to give the most generous interpretation of the
>> voting deadline of 11:59:59pm.  Then members don't have to remember what
>> time of day each mail ballot ends.  It always ends at midnight on the 10th
>> day after it is sent.
>>
>> Midnight in which time zone?  In the past I have used Pacific Time Zone,
>> as it is my time zone and it also gives a generous interpretation.  It
>> doesn't matter to me all that much which one we pick, so long as we set a
>> standard that everyone knows.  Consistency is the main desired feature.
>> Unless the LNC feels inclined to say differently, I will continue to use
>> Pacific Time Zone for the deadlines.
>>
>> How do you co-sponsor an email ballot?
>>
>> After someone sends a message to the list requesting co-sponsors, just
>> reply to that message with a blatantly clear indication like "I will
>> co-sponsor this."  Don't leave me guessing and interpreting with phrases
>> like "This is a good idea" or "I support this".  I will not interpret such
>> phrases as co-sponsorships.  Use the magic word "co-sponsor" to remove all
>> doubt.
>>
>>
>>
>> How do you vote?
>>
>> After a sufficient number of co-sponsors have been identified, I will
>> send a message announcing the start of the 10-day voting period with all
>> the necessary details.
>>
>>
>>
>> I use a fixed pattern for the subject lines when I sent email ballots.
>> That makes it easier to find them in your email history.  I'll number each
>> email ballot with first the year, then a number indicating the year-to-date
>> count of email ballots.  The first email ballot of this year will be
>> 2016-01, for example.  The prior term's LNC did not conduct any email
>> ballots in 2016, so that numbering won't duplicate anything from the past.
>>
>> To vote, simply reply to that email thread with your vote.
>>
>> Make your vote very clear, as in, "I vote yes", or "I vote no".
>>
>> Do not use phrases that are subject to interpretation, or have
>> contingencies like "I vote yes if this means X but no if it means Y".  If
>> you say "you have my support", I do not interpret that as a vote, but as
>> debate.
>>
>> Please do not embed your vote inside of other extensive commentary, as
>> that increases the chances that I will overlook your vote.
>>
>> Please put your vote as the first thing in your email message.  The
>> cleanest option is to put nothing else in your message except for the vote,
>> though if you must include debate on the motion to explain yourself, make
>> your vote the first thing in the message.
>>
>> -Alicia
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>

-- 
In Liberty,
Caryn Ann Harlos
Region 1 Representative
(Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming,
Washington)
Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org
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