User:Kim Bruning/voting

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Voting on wikipedia might seem common, as it is often confused with straw polls, which look very similar, but act in a very different fashion indeed.

There are basically a few situations in which voting is used in relation to wikipedia. There are also a few situations where shortened consensus-finding procedures are in place.

All such uses are either emergencies, or to do with representation or the granting of privileges. Do not use any of these procedures unless all else has been tried and has failed. We mean it! Abuse may lead to a permanent ban from wikipedia. If unsure, do not use. Always try to discuss and negotiate first.

Actual Voting

 * As a tiebreak, in situations where two mutually exclusive but similar choices are available, and all other means have failed.
 * To Elect representatives, generally outside the wiki proper. (Arbitration committee in 2004, Foundation, Stewards?) This practice may well be abandoned entirely.

Not voting, though shortened consensus finding
Note that it is possible and legal to start a discussion "in the middle of voting" on these pages!


 * Arbitration elections 2006.
 * Requests for adminship.
 * Pages for deletion: articles, templates, ...

Voting
Voting is the casting of an open or secret ballot, based on some suffrage.

When all other means have been utterly exhausted, consensus just doesn't work, hundreds of people are fighting and drawing lines in the sand, and we really need to end the sillyness, by all means, please vote!

If you have not received death threats, and have not been compared to hitler or ossama bin ladin (by multiple people!), nor do you require any representative in some legal or technical capacity, you do not need to vote. But even if all of the above are true, first consider polling or shortened consensus finding.

Note that even voting for representatives is somewhat contentuous.

VOTING ON ENCYCLOPEDIC CONTENT IS A FALLACY, YOUR ARTICLE WILL FAIL TO BE CORRECT!

Shortened consensus-finding is often sufficient, always consider shortened consensus finding before thinking of voting.

Shortened consensus finding
Is a consensus finding method where people begin with a poll immediately.

Shortened consensus finding is used when very many people are expected to form some sort of rough consensus in a short period of time.

In a shortened consensus-finding procedure it is typically ok to break out of poll format and start discussing the issue at hand. You can negotiate a different outcome if you like. You may present overriding arguments. If no discussion is is held, or clear arguments brought forth, the outcome might be determined on numeric criteria by a third party. (They will decide by supermajority). IMPORTANT: Note that numeric criteria are only used if consensus has not been formed by discussion, negotiation, or if no strong arguments have been presented!

Some people contend that shortened consensus-finding is overused, and campaign for the reduction of locations where it is used.

It is a VERY BAD idea to use shortened consensus-finding in the article namespace. It is impossible to find The Truth using this method.

Very rarely, additional restrictions might be in place, if it is thought a shortened procedure might be extremely contentuous, while people think a shortened consensus procedure is still superior to voting outright. (For caveats, see also:  above).

Polling
"Polling is evil" is a very common phrase on wikipedia. Avoid polls as much as possible, try to reach consensus through discussion and negotiation instead!

If polling is evil, shortened consensus finding and voting are certainly not the preferred option.

Polls might be started for a number of reasons:
 * To discover what opinions people hold
 * This can be used to determine if you have consensus, or if you don't, what issues to concentrate on. In general, you don't need polling to do this, though sometimes issues are murky and it can be handy.
 * Polls have been used as a tie-break in situations where normal consensus-finding fails.

Using polls as a tie-break has always been very contentuous. Do not use polls as a tie-break unless you have been discussing for months, and you are simply at a loss as to any other method of resolving your dispute.

Tie-breaks obviously cannot determine The Truth. Don't use them for that!

If you are wondering what to do because this annoying dude has been refuting your arguments all last week, don't start a poll.

Note that since the objective of a poll is to help with consensus, it is generally ok to short circuit a poll and use other consensus finding measures as well.