[council] Absentee Voting Modification to ICANN Bylaws Open for Public Comment

[GNSO.SECRETARIAT@GNSO.ICANN.ORG]

[To: council[at]gnso.icann.org; liaison6c[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: ga[at]gnso.icann.org; announce[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: regional-liaisons[at]icann.org]

The Absentee Voting Modification to the ICANN Bylaws is open for public 
comment from 30 April 2008 to 21 May 2008

The GNSO Council approved a resolution to recommend to the Board a 
modification of the ICANN bylaws
http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/absentee-voting-bylaw-amendment-15feb08.pdf
that would permit electronic absentee voting in certain circumstances in 
order to allow Council members who are absent from Council meetings to 
vote.

Currently, a member of the Council is unable to vote on an issue when 
absent from the Council meeting at which the vote occurs. The Council 
found that this not only disenfranchises members from opportunities to 
vote, but also, disenfranchises the constituencies they represent.

In drafting the resolution, the GNSO considered carefully the way in 
which it operates today, and produced a report entitled, “Draft GNSO 
Council Request to the Board to enable full enfranchisement of the GNSO 
Council’s voting responsibilities.”
http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/vote-enfranchisement-17jan08.pdf
The report examines closely how the Council typically deliberates prior 
to initiating a vote on policy matters, and concludes that allowing for 
absentee voting would enhance participation by enfranchising absent 
voters by providing a means for absent members to vote electronically.

The public is invited to comment on this recommendation before 
consideration by the Board.

Please submit comments to:
<absentee-voting-2008 at icann.org>

Comments may be viewed at:
http://forum.icann.org/lists/absentee-voting-2008/

Thank you.
-- 
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat - ICANN
gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org