[Lnc-business] Informational purposes: former draft of procedures for online balloting

[Sam Goldstein]

Mr. Bishop-Henchman,

I appreciate the tremendous amount of work that the Bylaws Committed has 
invested in this procedure.  On first reading I only have two problems 
or questions.

1. Since nominations are not state specific and the COC will need token 
totals for the formal debates before May 22nd, I would propose an 
Opavote or other similar polling system that would include all known 
POTUS and VP candidates with write-in nominations of anyone not listed 
emailed to the Secretary.  The cut off date/time could be different for 
the debates than for the actual nominations.

2.  With the shear number of candidates for both POTUS and VP, 3 hours 
per voting cycle seems way to much.  Assuming delegates are watching the 
proceedings I would think they should be able to register their vote in 
no more than 1 hour.  That would also allow anyone with communications 
problems to contact their delegation chair to make sure their vote is 
recorded properly.

Live Free,

---
Sam Goldstein, At Large Member
Libertarian National Committee
317-850-0726 Cell

On 2020-05-11 15:09, Joe Bishop-Henchman via Lnc-business wrote:
> Colleagues,
> 
> I've attached (and pasted below) language providing procedures for
> online balloting, aiming to deviate as little as possible from our
> existing Bylaws and Rules. It was developed by the Bylaws Committee
> for the "rump" convention option and subsequently refined by a group
> of volunteers from the Committee in anticipation of being asked to do
> so by the LNC, although that did not come to happen. It's technically
> in the form of a Bylaws amendment. The Bylaws Committee is not
> empowered to do anything with this language given the approach the LNC
> has taken, so the mechanics of nomination and balloting are left in
> some fashion to the Chair, the Secretary, the Credentials Committee,
> the Convention Oversight Committee, the LNC itself, and the delegates
> themselves.
> 
> I share this in case any of those parties may find anything in here of
> benefit or use.
> 
> JBH
> 
> 
> 
> PROVIDING FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF CONDUCTING THE FIRST SITTING OF
> THE 2020 REGULAR CONVENTION
> 
> 1.	Pursuant to the LNC action of May 9, 2020 bifurcating the 2020
> Regular Convention business between first online sitting beginning May
> 22, 2020 and second sitting as specified by the LNC, these procedures
> address the business of the 2020 Regular Convention.
> 
> 2.	This action will be submitted for ratification by the next
> in-person sitting of the Regular Convention.
> 
> 3. 	All affiliate parties shall ensure that the Credentials Committee
> has received, if they have not already, the names, email addresses,
> and phone numbers of all delegates and alternates chosen to the 2020
> Regular Convention. The names and contact information received by the
> Credentials Committee from the affiliate parties shall constitute the
> credentials report, and all such delegates shall be presumed present
> for electronic balloting upon the adoption of that report by the
> Credentials Committee. Delegation Chairs shall be permitted to
> substitute alternate delegates with primary delegates between any one
> round of voting, which shall be deemed, once confirmed by the
> Credentials Committee, to automatically be added to the credentials
> report. A delegate is determined to be present for quorum purposes,
> for any particular vote by casting a vote for that office.
> 
> 4.	Nominations shall be made via email from delegates to their
> Delegation Chair, who shall communicate the names and total number of
> nominations of each candidate to the Secretary; in the alternative,
> software or other electronic system provided by the LNC Secretary may
> permit nominations to be made. Each delegate is entitled to one
> nomination for each office to be filled. Nominations must be made by
> at least thirty (30) credential delegates. Nominations shall close one
> (1) hour before the start of the electronic ballot for that particular
> election; provided that any candidate that was not successful for the
> office of President shall be deemed automatically nominated for Vice
> President if they communicate to the Secretary that they would accept
> the nomination for that office; and further provided that nominations
> for the office of Vice President shall not close until two (2) hours
> after the conclusion of the final ballot for President.
> 
> 5.	Electronic balloting shall take place via method selected and
> utilized by each Delegation Chair, and the Libertarian National
> Committee shall make available the option of utilizing suitable
> software, combination of software, or other electronic means, provided
> that such method shall:
> a.	permit all credentialed delegates to vote in a matter that is
> sufficiently verified and secure;
> b.	inform delegates via e-mail or other electronic means of when
> ballots are sent and how long they have to vote;
> c.	send an electronic receipt once a ballot is cast to that delegate
> with their votes, and to their Delegation Chair that the particular
> delegate has voted; and
> d.	at the end of each round of balloting, send each Delegation Chair a
> running total of the votes cast by their delegation for each election.
> 
> Any such balloting system should to the extent possible be secure,
> preserve the anonymity of particular delegates’ votes, and create a
> sufficient audit trail to be available for inspection and auditing if
> discrepancies should arise. Each electronic ballot shall be a single
> question or election. For election ballots, delegates shall have three
> (3) hours to vote or until all delegations have completed their
> tallies, whichever occurs first, and only one (1) electronic ballot
> shall be conducted at a time unless the system clearly annotates what
> the ballot being cast is being cast for, and in that event, not more
> than two (2) ballots shall be cast at the same time. Ballots shall not
> begin prior to noon Eastern Time nor conclude after 11 P.M. Eastern
> Time.
> 
> 6.	In the event of a technical difficulty which impedes the casting of
> any votes or the functioning of the elections system, including, but
> not limited to, the tabulation of votes or the auditing functions, the
> Libertarian National Committee shall have the ability to declare, by a
> three-fourths (3/4) vote, that a technical difficulty has arisen, and
> either (i) extend the period for that particular election or (ii) to
> declare a particular vote and election void, and then redo that
> election. The Libertarian National Committee shall be in continuous
> session during the Regular Convention.
> 
> 7.	The Chair shall, via public livestream or other suitable method,
> announce each ballot, the options nominated or available on that
> ballot, and if applicable and available, the results of any previous
> ballot(s). At the discretion of the Chair, nominating speeches for any
> office can be livestreamed, or, in the alternative, a link to
> pre-recorded nominating speeches, can be provided.
> 
> 8.	Ballots for all nominations and offices shall be conducted under
> the usual procedures regarding successive elimination ballots. Votes
> shall be recorded including the numbers for each state delegation, and
> these results shall be displayed in a manner that allows each
> delegation to review for accuracy. In the event of any discrepancy
> between the totals the delegation chair received and the totals
> posted, the Delegation Chair and Secretary shall endeavor to resolve
> the discrepancy, and, if they are not able to do so, the National
> Committee shall resolve that discrepancy.
> 
> 9.	The Chair may certify and report the results of the nomination for
> President to Vice President prior to the adjournment sine die of the
> 2020 Regular Convention, upon the conclusion of those ballots, if such
> certification is needed to meet any ballot access or filing deadlines.
> All voting shall be completed and all results shall be announced
> before adjournment sine die of the 2020 Regular Convention business
> session, regardless of this date and time.
> 
> 
> 
> ------------
> Joe Bishop-Henchman
> LNC Member (At-Large)
> joe.bishop-henchman at lp.org
> www.facebook.com/groups/189510455174837