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

[Caryn Ann Harlos]

I will not be able to review this until later and will give feedback.

*In Liberty,*

* Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
(part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If anyone
found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux
pas), please contact me privately and let me know. *



On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 1:37 PM Sam Goldstein via Lnc-business <
lnc-business at hq.lp.org> wrote:

> 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
>