<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">While I agree that our system is open, and that is a good thing, that still does not mean that open nominations precludes the need for other mechanisms. <div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">For one, as Stefi says, there are many reasons why people might not want to run themselves, and some of them are problematic. </div><div class="">For another, there might be legitimate grounds for being unhappy with the nomination process - this time around, we had a couple of nominees pull out at the last minute. If we had known they were going to pull out at the last minute, perhaps someone else would have nominated? </div><div class="">And for another, people might have changed their opinions during the election process itself. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I’m not personally strongly in favour of NOTA - I think it has value the way our elections are currently set up, but I think the way our elections are set up is sub-optimal. Though I personally feel strongly that if it is on the ballot, it should be a valid and meaningful choice. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">David</div><div class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 3 Sep 2016, at 5:03 AM, Paul Rosenzweig <<a href="mailto:paul.rosenzweig@redbranchconsulting.com" class="">paul.rosenzweig@redbranchconsulting.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">Stephanie said: “</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">We don't seem to have any mechanisms to do that [hold our leadership team accountable], other than this NOTA vote.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">I guess this is where you lose me. Why didn’t a fourth candidate run? Or a 5<sup class="">th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or 6<sup class="">th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or 7<sup class="">th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>for that matter? NOTA is a vote against a system that gives you choices you don’t like. It makes sense in the context of a closed or semi-closed electoral system where the electoral choices are constrained (e.g. by party nominations). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">But we have as pure an open electoral system as you can imagine. Anyone could self-nominate and be on the ballot with just one other “yes” from a single participant on this list. Would not the best way to hold an underperforming councilor to task have been to run against him/her and win?<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">In this way NOTA is insidious. It is always easy to against something. It’s much easier to say “no” than to say “I’ll run and do it better” or “I’ll support someone else who has a better idea.” I agree that NOTA isn’t a laughing matter – it’s too negative to be laughed at.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">Paul</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">Paul Rosenzweig<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><a href="mailto:paul.rosenzweig@redbranchconsulting.com" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">paul.rosenzweig@redbranchconsulting.com</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">O: +1 (202) 547-0660<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">M: +1 (202) 329-9650<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">VOIP: +1 (202) 738-1739<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><a href="http://www.redbranchconsulting.com/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">www.redbranchconsulting.com</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">My PGP Key:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://redbranchconsulting.com/who-we-are/public-pgp-key/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114); text-decoration: underline;" class="">http://redbranchconsulting.com/who-we-are/public-pgp-key/</a></span><u class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></u></div></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></span></div><div class=""><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); border-top-width: 1pt; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class="">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext;" class=""><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>NCSG-Discuss [<a href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU" class="">mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a>]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">On Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Stephanie Perrin<br class=""><b class="">Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Friday, September 2, 2016 3:14 PM<br class=""><b class="">To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@listserv.syr.edu" class="">NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a><br class=""><b class="">Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: Election propaganda<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></div></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">I do not regard this as a laughing matter. In my opinion, this whole episode with NOTA has been about holding our leadership team accountable, to each other, to the membership, and to civil society as a whole. We don't seem to have any mechanisms to do that, other than this NOTA vote. Some questions to candidates remained unanswered here, and I think that is a shame. If people do not think these values are important, please don't vote for me, because I do, and I do not really wish to work this hard for an organization that does not think councilors need to be accountable for their speech and actions. If you voted for me, there is still time to change your vote and vote for NOTA. If you persist in voting for me, I can assure you I will not be laughing this off. I will be pushing for greater transparency, reporting, and accountability of councilors, in all the activities they undertake on our behalf. If this is not the easy-come, easy-go approach you are looking for in your leaders, vote NOTA, NOTME.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">For those in North America, have a great labour day weekend (everybody else should celebrate it too!!)</span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif;" class="">Stephanie Perrin</span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">On 2016-09-02 5:19, matthew shears wrote:<o:p class=""></o:p></div></div><blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;" class="" type="cite"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Hi Tapani<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">While I realize your e-mail is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I think the time would have been better spent elaborating on your own achievements and most importantly giving us a sense of your vision for the future rather than bad-mouthing poor Nota.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Matthew<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">On 02/09/2016 06:09, Tapani Tarvainen wrote:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></div><blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;" class="" type="cite"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Warning: I'm not writing this as the Chair but as a candidate<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">in the election. So this is campaigning, election propaganda:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">I am trying to influence how you vote.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Amd I'm going to use the time-honoured means of badmouthing<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">other candidates instead of praising myself.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Specifically, I think one of the choices really sucks,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">namely None of the Above, also known as NOTA.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">OK, to be fair, NOTA might make a good Chair, at least he has never<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">made any stupid mistakes, which is more than I can say for myself.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">And in the Chair election rules are actually slightly weighed against<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">NOTA, as in case of a tie NOTA loses. I still think I'd be at least<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">a bit better Chair than NOTA.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">But in council NOTA would not only be bad, in the council<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">election he's got an unfair advantage in the rules, too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Suppose you like candidate X, don't care about others but<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">are thinking whether or not to vote for NOTA as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">In any situation where it matters, that is, where X is in any danger<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">of losing, voting X+NOTA rather than just X weakens X's chances of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">getting elected.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">To see this, consider a situation where all votes but yours<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">have been counted and X is just one vote behind NOTA.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">(This is the only situation where your vote matters.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">If you've voted for just X, X will catch up with NOTA and wins.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">If you've voted for X+NOTA, X remains one vote behind NOTA and loses.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">So if you think your vote matters in getting X elected,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">you should vote for just X, not for X+NOTA.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">You should vote for NOTA only if you are sure your favourite<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">candidate(s) will get elected anyway and you just want to weaken other<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">candidates' chances.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Or, vote for NOTA if you think NOTA is *the* best choice and all others<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">would be better off losing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">Do *not* vote NOTA as a symbolic expression of dissatisfaction or<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">anything like that. That's not what it's now for. If everybody votes<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">for their favourite candidate(s) plus NOTA, the election will fail<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">totally, nobody getting elected. That would not be good.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class=""><br class="">And remember, you can still change your vote even if you've already<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br class="">voted: just vote again, only the last one counts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></p></blockquote><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></blockquote><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>