Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Arbitration Committee Elections December 2024

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The purpose of this request for comment is to provide an opportunity to amend the structure, rules, and procedures of the December 2024 English Wikipedia Arbitration Committee election and resolve any issues not covered by the existing rules.

Background: In the case of proposals that change existing rules, or that seek to establish new ones, lack of consensus for a change will result in the rules from the 2023 election remaining in force. Some issues are not covered by the existing rules but will need to be decided one way or another for the operation of the election, in those cases it will be up to the closer to figure out a result, even if there is no clear consensus, as they have had to in the past.

Structure: This RfC is divided into portions, each of which contains a discussion point for the community. The standard RfC structure will be used, in which any user may make a general statement that other users may endorse if they so agree. The points will be listed in the table of contents, along with the users who have made statements. Anyone is free to raise any new topics that they feel need to be addressed by filling out the format template below.

Duration: In order to preserve the timeline of the election, we should aim to close this RfC as soon as 30 days have passed, i.e. on or after 23:59, (UTC). The results will determine the structure, rules, and procedures for the election.

Timeline: Per the consensus developed in previous requests for comment, the electoral commission timetable is as follows:


 * Nominations: until  (UTC)
 * Evaluation period: until  (UTC)
 * Commission selection: completed by (UTC)

Per the consensus developed in previous request for comments, the arbitration committee election timetable is as follows:


 * Nominations: until  (UTC)
 * Setup period: to  (UTC)
 * Voting period: until  (UTC)
 * Scrutineering: begins (UTC)

Use the following format below; post a new proposal at the BOTTOM of the page.

Proposal #: Proposal name
Neutral description of proposal. ~

Support (proposal name)

 * 1) Additional comments here ~

Proposal 1: Rename neutral option to abstain
To better reflect the effect of not choosing support or oppose, the third option (other than support or oppose) is proposed to be "abstain".

The arbitration committee election is essentially approval votes on each candidate running in parallel, bundled into one ballot for convenience. The third option allows voters to choose to abstain from participating in one or more votes, while still participating in others.

As background, there was consensus agreement in 2013 to rename the third option from "No vote" to "Abstain". Although the 2014 election page stated that there would be an abstain option, the poll was configured with a neutral option, and this has remained the defacto third option since. isaacl (talk) 22:51, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

Support proposal 1: Rename neutral option to abstain

 * 1) Additional comments here