This proposal introduces changes to the PDP Chair election procedure.
Rationale (Describe the problem you intend to solve)On several occasions, we have seen cases of malicious interference in LACNIC's election processes which have interrupted the normal functioning of the Policy List.
These cases along with a detailed review of the current procedures have uncovered faults which might potentially make it easier to commit fraud.
Current text3.2.2. About the PDP Chairs
o PDP Chairs may not be part of the LACNIC staff.
o These positions are honorary.
o PDP chairs must be members of LACNIC or supported by a member of LACNIC.
o PDP Chairs will each serve a two-year term, with one position up for renewal each year. Unlimited reelection is allowed.
3.2.3. Election of the PDP Chairs
o Calls for nominations will be announced through the public Policy List.
o Anyone subscribed to the public Policy List may participate.
o The election will be conducted immediately before the Public Policy Forum.
o Voting will be conducted electronically, implementing mechanisms to ensure that each subscriber to the list can cast only one vote.
o The winner of the electronic voting process must be ratified at the Public Policy Forum. The acting chairs will ask those in attendance whether they have any objections to the electronic voting process. If any objections are raised, the chairs will evaluate whether such objections are significant. If no objections are raised, or if the chairs consider that any objections are not significant, they will proceed to ratify the winning candidate. Any chair who ran in the election must abstain from participating as chair during the ratification process.
o Elected chairs will begin their term immediately after the closing of the Public Policy Forum during which they were ratified.
o If a winner is not ratified, the LACNIC Board will appoint a chair to fill the vacant position until the next Public Policy Forum. The person thus appointed will only fill the position until the next time an election can be held and a winner is ratified.
3.2.2. About the PDP Chairs
3.2.2.1. PDP Chairs may not be part of the LACNIC staff or the LACNIC Board of Directors.
3.2.2.2. Their work is honorary and unpaid.
3.2.2.3. They must be the membership contact of a LACNIC member organization or supported by the membership contact of a LACNIC member organization.
3.2.2.4. PDP Chairs will each serve a two-year term, with one position up for renewal each year. Unlimited reelection is allowed.
3.2.3. Election of the PDP Chairs
3.2.3.1. Calls for nominations will be announced through the public Policy List.
3.2.3.2. The voters’ registry will be comprised of those persons who have been subscribed to the public Policy List for at least six months prior to the start of the election process.
3.2.3.3. Candidates must have been subscribed to the public Policy List for at least six months prior the start of the election process.
3.2.3.4. Nominations must include the candidates’ biographical information as well as any information that may be requested to allow assessing the candidate's participation and experience with the PDP.
3.2.3.5. The LACNIC Board will be responsible for all aspects of the election process. The Board may delegate its functions to a Commission.
3.2.3.6. The election process must be completed before the end of the corresponding Public Forum.
3.2.3.7. Voting will be conducted electronically, using mechanisms to ensure, to the extent possible, that each voter can cast only one vote.
3.2.3.8. With the exception of announcements by LACNIC, use of the list for election campaigns is forbidden. The community implicitly accepts these rules. Non-compliances will be dealt with by the LACNIC Board.
3.2.3.9. The elected candidate will be ratified and begin their term immediately after the closing of the first Public Policy Forum following the election process.
3.2.3.10. If it is not possible to ratify any of the candidates, the LACNIC Board will appoint a chair to fill the vacant position until the following Public Policy Forum. The person elected the next time that an election process can be completed will only fill their position for the remainder of the term. This same mechanism will apply, if necessary, in case either of the chairs resigns before the end of their term or for any reason fails to meet their responsibilities.
3.2.3.11. The LACNIC Board is the highest instance of appeal in matters relating to the election process and must decide these matters within a maximum of four weeks.
References:
Equivalent policies or procedures defined by the community for the same purpose exist in other regions.
In the case of AfriNIC, candidate nominations are reviewed by a Nominations Committee (NomCom).
• https://www.afrinic.net/policy/development-working-group#election
In the case of APNIC, in order to be elected by the community, candidates must have specific knowledge and expertise, which varies for each specific working group.
• https://www.apnic.net/community/participate/sigs/sig-guidelines/chair-elections/
In the case of ARIN, rather than chairs, they have an “Advisory Council” (AC) whose members are elected through a NomCom that assesses candidates based on a set of skills as well as their expertise and prior participation, using a candidate qualification questionnaire.
• https://www.arin.net/participate/oversight/elections/
• https://www.arin.net/participate/oversight/elections/procedures/
In the case of RIPE, the chair selection process is established by the participants of each working group. Nevertheless, they are generally similar and share a common link, with expectations of the work to be done, knowledge of this work, etc.
• https://www.ripe.net/participate/ripe/wg/ap/address-policy-wg-chair-selection-process
• https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-692
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