On the three-pronged issues of (a) voting; (b) participation requirements; and (c) whether the RALO is a "deliberative body," I think it's important to think through exactly what requires a vote. We need votes in the next month for the ratification of the Operating Procedures and the proposed MOU with ICANN. Luc sent a very helpful email earlier today with some of the deadlines. Sometime after that, probably during the summer if not at the San Juan meeting, we need to elect two members of the ALAC from North America. After that, voting ought to be rare. The only time we are required to hold a vote is the election, once a year, for the one expiring ALAC position from North America. Personally, I haven't had the expectation that the NARALO would submit policy position statements to ICANN on behalf of the NARALO; instead, I expected that the NARALO would facilitate a dialogue among the ALSs that would allow various ALSs to express their views, if any, via common papers or individual submissions. For example, on an upcoming topic like the new whois working group, with 11 ALSs, we might have 5 organizations that are interested in following the debate but do not wish to submit anything. 3 others might decide to get together in support of common statement which they each sign. 3 others might wish to submit individual papers. As I saw it, the function of the NARALO was to apprise the ALSs of the issues and the ICANN comment deadlines and also provide a forum for discussion of the issues. The NARALO should alert ICANN and the ALAC of the fact that member organizations of the NARALO had submitted position statements. This is different, however, that having the NARALO submit statements in the name of the NARALO. This should solve some of the concerns mentioned over the last day about how we deliberate (we don't) and how we vote (rarely, once a year). The rest of the time we're exchanging information, finding common ground when we can, and facilitating the ability of each ALS to have input directly into the ICANN process, unmediated by the ALAC or the NARALO. -- Bret