OASIS organizational voting

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  • 1.  Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-21-2024 12:22

    Dear Voting Members of OASIS:

    We opened the ballot captioned "Approve Bylaws Revision 2024" on September 12, 2024, which was originally scheduled to close on October 11th. Our Bylaws require a minimum quorum of 53 ballots. By the 11th we had 51, so after a review of our rules, our Board consented to extend the ballot for one week until October 18th. This resulted in a quorate ballot of 60 members, voting 59 to 1 in favor of the amendment. The ballot and results can be seen here. 

    However, we have received a procedural objection to the extension. Given this, the OASIS management desires for all points of view to be honored, so as ballot managers, after consultation with the Board, we have decided not to rely on the extension and declare that ballot invalid.

    Thank you to all who participated and expressed an opinion. We will announce and open a new ballot at a later time, but only after an additional consultation period, during which voters can raise any questions and express their views. Please also feel free to contact us if you have questions about the process.



    ------------------------------
    Jim Cabral
    +1 502-640-4970
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  • 2.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-21-2024 14:23
    Dear OASIS board,
    we appreciate your decision to declare that ballot invalid and the intended process to do an additional consultation period.

    Thank you for taking the members opinion and our rules serious!

    Best wishes,


    Thomas Schmidt


    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-21-2024 14:37
    Dear Fellow Voting Members of OASIS,

    Voting is not only a right or a status, it is a privilege and also an obligation. One of the most important obligations in a democracy. Our votes provide the board the justification and legitimation to act on behalf of OASIS' members. The board doesn't open a ballot every other day - so when they do, please take the time to look into that and cast your vote. Whether you agree or disagree with the suggested action - the board needs to know that. And if you are unsure about the implications, feel free to raise your concerns - either in a private conversation with the board or on the public mail list for all members to read. The board needs to know whether they are backed by the members and the members need to know where the board is heading. So please make sure to read those ballots carefully and cast your votes!

    Happy Voting!

    --
    Thomas Schmidt


    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-22-2024 08:18

    I agree fully with Thomas' view that organizational voting is not only a right but requirement of being a responsible Member of the OASIS Corporation. Personally, I did vote. But obviously not everyone did (or at least not soon enough). When we vote in TC's, the vote is 'open' in that members can see who else voted, what their comments were, and even how they voted. I recognize that Members of a 501c6 like OASIS are governed by non-profit laws and it probably wouldn't be legal or appropriate to see how each org voted. However, I would argue it would be legal and appropriate to see who voted and who did not. If this was available during the voting period, it would allow us to contract each other to prod non-voters to vote without spamming those who did vote. As a TC Chair, this has been valuable in TC voting, so I think the "who-vote/who-didn't" would be useful at the corporate voting level as well. I don't think this would violate any laws or our existing bylaws – but I'll leave that to legal to validate. Just a thought on increasing chances of success when this ballot is redone, which I assume it will be since a quorate number of members did vote to approve it, even if there was an objection on procedural grounds.

     

    I would also like to understand what the procedural objection was to holding the ballot open longer. It has been done in the past. I would think getting more votes from more Members is in the interest of the Members. Hopefully we can be clear in the future whether it's allowed or not. Personally, I'd prefer we give the Board the option to hold a ballot open longer if it's not quorate. Maybe future motions could be worded along the lines of 'the ballot will be open until x date, or longer if necessary to reach quorum'. I don't think 'pocket vetos' should be allowed. Either vote yes, no, or abstain – but vote.

     

    -- 

    Duncan Sparrell

    sFractal Consulting

    iPhone, iTypo, iApologize

    I welcome VSRE emails. Learn more at http://vsre.info/

     

     




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-22-2024 09:07

    Classified as: {OPEN}


    Hello all,

     

    I must admit I am quite puzzled by the two messages I read on that topic. The first one to tell us voting is "an obligation" and the second one to tell us that votes should be visible during the voting period.

     

    About the former: no, voting is certainly not an obligation and that's exactly why OASIS Bylaws institute a quorum. The ultimate gift of democracy to voters is the ability to NOT cast a vote. I can't count the number of times I said "abstain" during a Working Group or even Process Group vote/poll in my Standardization career and I had excellent reasons to do so, representing my employer's position.

     

    About the latter: oh no, I would VERY strongly object to votes becoming visible during the voting period! That would influence the vote, "smaller" members often tending to follow "larger" members. I even dislike the fact that our votes are visible/open after the voting period. Such a visibility may harm the contractual position of an organization with respect to another, leading to "hidden" influence.

     

    The balance between democracy and openness is fragile, and extremely complicated to achieve. Push on one end and you'll harm the other. At least, that how I see it with my european eyes.

     

    If people did not vote enough, we should ask ourselves what could be done on OASIS side to ease the pain instead of blaming members and adding constraints on the Membership side. For example, reminders that are a bit nicer and more compelling than those we all receive (screenshot below)?

     

    Best regards,

     

    Daniel Glazman,

    CTO Software, THALES

     


    {OPEN}




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-22-2024 15:42
    Dear colleagues,
    Daniel Glazman mentions that "obligation" is not the right word and that "[the] ultimate gift of democracy to voters is the ability to NOT cast a vote".

    I agree on the fact that each voter has the choice to vote for, against or neutral in a ballot or not vote at all. The intend of my message was not to make voting mandatory - nor to change the state of the visibility of votes. My goal was to remind all eligible voters that the system depends on us. Voting is an important thing in a democracy - it legitimizes those that rule. So I would like to encourage all eligible voters to exercise their right and make their voice heard - especially in ballots about rules of OASIS.

    Uncle Ben said: "With great power comes great responsibility." The voters have great power - they can change the rules of OASIS, remove one or all directors from the board etc. Therefore, to me personally, voting is not only a right, it is also a responsibility and an honorable task.

    Best regards,
    Thomas


    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Results of recent bylaws ballot

    Posted 10-22-2024 16:49

    Wrt abstaining – I agree you can abstain. But it depends on how you abstain what the abstain means. You can vote 'abstain' or you can 'not vote'. The two have different meanings on different types of ballots. On a standards vote, either type of abstain is effectively a 'yes' vote. It is different on a bylaws ballot like the one we just had. Voting 'abstain' counts towards quorum and means the vote will pass or fail based on the other voters (majority wins).  'Not voting' is effectively a 'no' vote since it prevents reaching quorum. My argument is Members should vote 'No' if they don't want it to pass, or 'abstain' if they don't care either way, or 'yes' if they are for it. You have a right to "not vote" – but since it is effectively voting 'no', I think you should just vote 'no' if you don't want the new bylaws.

     

    And to be clear, especially in this charged election season in the US, OASIS is not a democracy. It is a 501-c6  Corporation incorporated in the state of PA. A 501-c6 Corporation exists to serve its Members. A C3 Corp is nearer to 'democracy' in that it serves 'society'.  A C6 is a 'business league' for the business benefit of its Members. So the 'democracy' argument confounds the issue IMHO. I assume we all wish OASIS to succeed in creating useful standards. We elected a Board of Directors to act in our stead to operate the business. That Board thinks the corporation would be better off with these bylaws changes. Agree or disagree with the bylaws by voting yes or no (or vote 'abstain'), but please vote.

     

    I did NOT propose that the votes themselves be made public. I proposed that whether or not a Member voted be made public. I think it would help, but I the majority feels it would hurt then don't do it.

    -- 

    Duncan Sparrell

    sFractal Consulting

    iPhone, iTypo, iApologize

    I welcome VSRE emails. Learn more at http://vsre.info/

     

     




    Original Message


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