Final proposed Board resolution for Board elections voting system

[Jonathan McDowell]

Just to clarify, given my recent involvement with this discussion, I am
in favour of adopting Ian's resolution as detailed below.

On Wed, Mar 08, 2017 at 11:43:29AM +0000, Ian Jackson wrote:
> (Background:
> 
> We discussed voting systems extensively on spi-private and spi-general
> in July and August 2017.
> 
> Recently, the Board asked me to
> 
>   draft a resolution to replace the existing Condrocet-based voting
>   algorithm with a more appropriate algorithm, taking into account any
>   existing feedback from spi-general, in time for the March meeting
>   (2017-MAR-13).
> 
> We have had a renewed discussion here on spi-general.)
> 
> Since my previous draft resolution, there have been no comments that
> lead me to want to make any changes.  I've had positive feedback from
> the Secretary.  I think the Board should vote on the resolution below.
> (This is identical to the previous one but with the paragraph
> numbering bug fixed.)
> 
> NB that I will be offline on the 10th and 11th of March, and will have
> only limited network access between then and the Board meeting.  So if
> there are any more comments, please make them ASAP.
> 
> Ian.
> 
> 
> WHEREAS
> 
> 1. SPI should elect its Board using a roughly-proportional voting
>    system.  Condorcet is good for single-winner elections but is
>    seriously lacking in proportionality in multi-winner elections such
>    as SPI's Board Elections.
> 
> 2. SPI is not equipped to effectively design or analyse voting
>    systems.  We wish to adopt a system widely used elsewhere, and
>    which is recommended by civil society organisations specialising in
>    voting reform.
> 
> 3. The Single Transferrable Vote is the only proportional voting
>    system, suitable for SPI, which meets these criteria.
> 
> 4. The Scottish STV variant is clearly specified; we have an
>    established and stable Free Software implementation of it; and it
>    is straightforward to (re)implement.  Other STV variants appear to
>    lack some of these good properties.
> 
> 5. Ian Jackson has offered to help with the implementation of STV for
>    SPI.
> 
> THEREFORE THE SPI BOARD RESOLVES
> 
> 6. Future elections to the SPI Board will be counted according to the
>    Scottish Single Transferrable Vote.  Scottish STV will also be used
>    by SPI for any other multi-winner election.
> 
> 7. Specifically, the algorithm to be used is that specified in
>    Rules 45-52 of the Scottish Local Government Elections Order
>    2007 (a UK Statutory Instrument):
>       http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2007/42/schedule/1/part/III/crossheading/counting-of-votes/made
> 
> 8. The practical implementation will be by means of software; for
>    example, perhaps the openstv package in Debian.  The choice of
>    software is up to the Secretary.  However, any differences between
>    the Rules in the Order, and whatever software implementation is
>    chosen, are to be resolved in favour of the Rules.
> 
> 9. The SPI Secretary is requested to liase with Ian Jackson, so that
>    the necessary changes to SPI software and infrastructure can be
>    identified and implemented.

J.

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