Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-09-19/ArbCom election

''Less than three months from today, the Wikipedia community will come together and begin a major event that will shape the Wikipedia for months to come. Eight seats of the Arbitration Committee are up for election, with at least one incumbent member not returning. The Signpost will delve into the issues surrounding this election in a special series.''

This week, the Wikipedia Signpost begins a special series documenting the Wikipedia Arbitration Committee and the upcoming 2005 ArbCom elections. The series will document everything from the history of the arbitration committee, the current members, the voting procedure for the upcoming elections, and will culminate in the end of December with the results of the elections.

The Signpost, established in January 2005, has been dedicated to bringing the news of Wikipedia to the dedicated Wikipedians who make this great encyclopedia possible. The elections will mark the first major event to occur while the Signpost is under press, and accordingly, we will offer unprecedented and comprehensive coverage of the election. In addition, we will take a closer look at the history of the Arbitration Committee, at how the need arose for a "judicial branch", and the current operations of the committee. We will offer a perspective from those criticizing the Arbitration Committee, and the flaws some have pointed out. However, we will also document the strides the ArbCom has made, and the progress and innovation it has brought to Wikipedia.

Besides looking at the actual ArbCom, the Signpost will also report on the elections process, the voting techniques used, the significant debate over elections rules and guidelines, and the candidates and current ArbCom members. We will also examine previous elections, especially the 2004 ArbCom elections, and analyze the significance. Once the voting has opened, we will offer reliable coverage of all the events of the week, and the Signpost will also summarize the debate and discussion that is sure to come.

The Wikipedia Signpost hopes that this comprehensive series will help make the Wikipedia community more informed, and we also hope that our coverage will be fair, unbiased, and extensive. On that note, the Signpost is proud to launch the special series on the 2005 Arbitration Committee elections.

Next week — The history of the Arbitration Committee