User:Bradv/ACE2023

My criteria
These are the attributes that I think every arbitrator should have. Some of these points are more useful in a voter's guide than others:


 * Wisdom: Members of the Arbitration Committee must be mature, responsible Wikipedians who have a track record of making wise choices. One of the many pitfalls of the job is that they are often expected to make decisions that would match the consensus of the community, without the benefit of a discussion with the community. This is especially true in private proceedings, but also true when handling public cases. Those who wait for others to tell them what to think will end up only listening to the loudest voices, while those who have been around long enough to know how the community thinks will often instinctively know what decision the community would make if they were presented with all the facts.
 * Trust: ArbCom, and even individual members of the committee, are often entrusted with sensitive information, much of it very personal in nature. Treating that information with the care and respect it deserves, while respecting the need for transparency in committee proceedings, is a delicate balancing act.
 * Congeniality: Someone once told me there is no such thing as "an arbitrator", there are only members of the committee. Individually, being an arbitrator is useless – nothing can get done without agreement within the committee. Therefore it is very important for a candidate to demonstrate experience in getting along with others, even/especially when they disagree.
 * Experience: The committee is tasked with overseeing editors, administrators, and functionaries. When the committee interacts with these people it is usually when they are at their worst, and all other processes have failed. Therefore, the job requires considerable experience, not only in the areas of conduct disputes, but also in content creation, arbitration enforcement, technical knowledge, and policies and procedures.
 * Tough: This is possibly the most critical. Being on the Arbitration Committee is a tough job, and its toughest moments happen behind the scenes. Candidates must have a track record of being able to handle criticism and disagreement, and should be able to do so without disrupting their health or personal life. I lost a lot of sleep while I was on the committee, and I wouldn't want anyone who wasn't ready for that to have to suffer through it.
 * Willing: Those who seek membership on the committee as a symbol of power or accomplishment, without actually having the passion and persistence to see the job through, shouldn't. It's a thankless job.

My votes
There are other guides, and you should read them too. These are my votes: