Bob, Thanks for the clarification. I would question why voting members are not on the "voting members list" and why the need to reach out past this list to notify them. Surely we can audit the "voting members list" against the list of voting member and make the necessary alerations? Secondly, perhaps the new website (once completed) could act as an appropriate vehicle for publishing the ballot prior to release for voting. Just a thought. Regards, Adrian Kinderis Managing Director AusRegistry Group Pty Ltd Level 8, 10 Queens Road Melbourne. Victoria Australia. 3004 Ph: +61 3 9866 3710 Fax: +61 3 9866 1970 Email: adrian@ausregistry.com <mailto:adrian@ausregistry.com> Web: www.ausregistrygroup.com <http://www.ausregistrygroup.com/> The information contained in this communication is intended for the named recipients only. It is subject to copyright and may contain legally privileged and confidential information and if you are not an intended recipient you must not use, copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this communication in error, please delete all copies from your system and notify us immediately. From: Robert F. Connelly [mailto:BobC@Awesome-GOO.com] Sent: Thursday, 9 August 2007 6:55 PM To: Adrian Kinderis Cc: Registrars Constituency Subject: RE: [RC Voting] Proposed Ballot to select GNSO representatives for North American and for Asia Pacific ICANN Regions. At 08:26 PM 8/9/2007 Thursday +1000, Adrian Kinderis wrote: The way this has been done is very confusing. Why does everyone need to comment on the ballots? Is it a rule? If it is I suggest we get it changed. Dear Adrian: Here are the provisions of the Rules of Procedure (RoP) regarding the advance publication of the ballot on motions (there is a separate provision for ballots on candidates for office): I.8. The Secretary will create and publish the ballot. The ballot will remain open for inspection and possible amendment or correction for 72 hours prior to the vote. I.9. The ballot will allow for a vote on each of: a. the original motion; and b. any unfriendly amendments (as deemed by the proponent). I.10. The Secretary will call the vote no less than 2 days after the end of the ballot inspection period and keep it open for no less than 7 days, but no more than 21 days. In exceptional circumstances as determined by a majority vote of the Constituency Executive Committee, however, the Secretary may shorten or extend the period to vote upon proper notice to the voting members via the constituency mailing list or other similar means. Other than as stated in Section II below, in no event will a vote be open less than 3 business days or longer than 30 days. end quote: "Publishing" until now has been interpreted as Emailing on the public list hosted by ICANN. Here is the RoP provision on publishing the ballot for candidates for office: III.5. Upon close of the discussion of candidates, the Secretary will create and publish the ballot. The ballot will remain open for inspection and possible correction for 72 hours prior to the vote and will only include the names of such candidates who have met the requirements of these Rules of Procedure and the Bylaws. end quote: We are now getting people voting when, as far as I know, voting isn't open yet? Please send a corrective or clarification email. I hope my explanation clarifies the issues. I stand read to provide further explanation of this phase of the procedure. I am also concerned about sending this to the open list. Why not just to the voting member list? All of the procedures of the RoP are conducted on the open list. The ballot will only be sent to voting list. I sent this advance copy to both lists just to be sure that all voting members are informed. Hope this explanation helps. Cordially, BobC Secretary and "honorary Parliamentarian".