Given the high-contested election, I do have a preference for a secret ballot to minimize bad feelings, and to ensure that people vote for who they believe is the best candidate instead of who they may feel they have to visibly support.
Just to make sure that everybody has the same understanding, the result might differ if every member can only vote for one person, or whether there will be a multiple vote with ranking. Also, even in the case of one vote, how are the results to be dealt with? The one who gets more votes? Or are there going to be rounds, with elimination of the candidate with less votes? Having just witnessed the problems in running an EURALO election where the rules where changed during the vote, may I strongly recommend to set the rules in advance, even if it might take some additional time. After all, the new Liaison only takes office at the end of October. Cheers, Roberto