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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span>Dear NCSG members,
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">You will soon be receiving your ballots for the election.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>The rules for the voting mechanism are specified in our Charter, under section 4.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Specifically, the mechanism is described as follows:</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">4.3</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">Election for NCSG GNSO Council Representatives</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">(size, number, and distribution of votes):In</span></font></p>
<font size="+1" face="Cambria"></font><font size="+1" face="Cambria"><span lang="EN-US">the discussion below, N refers to the number of seats</span></font><font size="+1" face="Cambria">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">that need to be elected. Optimally N will equal 3 seats in years with normal rotation. Any number of reasons can cause this number to vary:</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">NCSG members classified as “individuals” will be given N votes and must assign 1 vote to each of N candidates.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• NCSG members classified as “small organizations” will be given 2N votes and must assign exactly 2 votes to each of N candidates.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• NCSG members</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">classified as “large organizations” will be given 4N votes and must assign exactly 4 votes to each of N candidates.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">4.4 Election of NCSG Chair (size and number of votes):</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• NCSG members classified as “individuals” will be given 1 vote.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• NCSG members classified as<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>“small organizations” will be given 2 votes.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• NCSG members classified as “large organizations” will be given 4 votes.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">• Members must cast all their votes for a single candidate.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US"><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">4.5 Member Voting Eligibility:</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">Any NCSG active Member who has been an active member for at least thirty (30) days before the date of the election is eligible to nominate candidates, vote in NCSG elections, and propose amendments to
the NCSG Charter.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">You will note the use of the word MUST.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Because we have used the word MUST in the Charter, i.e. individuals, small and large organizations MUST vote for N candidates, we have elected in the past and in this particular election to offer voters the opportunity to abstain from voting for particular
candidates.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What this means is, if you really only want to vote for two candidates instead of the three, you may cast your vote for abstain, for the candidates you do not wish to vote for.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>This is very clear in the vote for the Chair where there is only one option....if you cannot bear the thought of voting for me, vote abstain.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>However in the selection of three out if four candidates for the council seats, it may be less clear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>The purpose of my note is to make sure that all voters realize that they may vote for up to three council members.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>If they do not care to vote for a candidate, they may either omit that candidate, or vote abstain, the ballot will not be invalidated.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Abstentions will be counted.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We attempt to balance in the Charter two important aspects of a democratic organization…..strong pressure to exercise your franchise and vote, and a recognition that no one should be
forced by ballot rules to vote for someone they do not support.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">We select our council members based on total votes, so one person may get many abstentions (i.e. more than another candidate) , yet still have more votes than that candidate, and would therefore win.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">I hope that this is clear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, I will attempt to explain it further.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>You may change your ballot using your ballot link, up until the close of the voting period; only the last ballot counts.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">Kind regards</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">Stephanie Perrin</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="+1"><span lang="EN-US">NCSG Chair.<br>
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