WSC2000-Day 1
April 30, 2000
Moving opening. Being here raises up feelings; maybe the newcomer me stands inside the me here at WSC ; how does this all happen, this heart joining?
Finally there is a me I am free to share openly with others.
The first ISSUE this year concerns election procedures. The issue arose in the context of electing new members to the World Board.
The Conference will also be electing HRP (human resource panel) members and co facilitators for the next Conference. There was no controversy regarding these elections. Each requires a vote of 50% +.
The HRP in conjunction with WB (World Board) proposed the election of 8 WB members. Since 12 WB seats are open this year, some members objected to the limit of 8. In addition, some members desired to have a tiered procedure for electing the Board, so that the top vote getters might run again, maximizing the possibility that some candidates achieve the required 60% of the vote.
First business meeting was off to a confusing start-the confusion related to the proper treatment of a motion passed in 1999. Thereafter events (approval of rules of order, approval of the minutes of 1999) went smoothly.
The election procedure issues were already controversial.
It is a bit hard to describe the particulars of the controversy. Too many things happen too fast to actually record them. What happened was that election procedures were discussed through a series of amendments.
Maybe it is interesting for you to know that voting is generally by voice vote. When the result is unclear, a standing vote is called for.
The Conference passed an amended version allowing it to elect 12 (rather than 8) World Board members. It then went on to debate the issue of single or multiple ballots. Single balloting allows one ballot for the WB. Multiple balloting allows voting to continue until filling the open WB positions. In a round-about procedure, the Conference decided to go with a single ballot.
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