OSC Voting Policy
OSC Voting Policy
Committee Election Policies
Introduction:
The purpose of this policy is to establish a structured voting and reelection cycle for the 9-member committee of the Intersect Open-Source Committee (OSC). This proposed system aims to ensure a balance between continuity and renewal within the committee, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness and stability of our organization.
Committee Membership:
Member: There shall be 9 (nine) elected members of the committee and 1 ( one) appointed member from the Intersect Open Source Office (OSO). Members are expected to attend regular meetings of the committee and working groups, are expected to vote on and participate in the governance of the committee and relevant working groups, and have the right to be heard during any meeting of the OSC.
OSO Representative: One employee of Intersect who works for or as part of the Open Source Office (OSO) shall be appointed to serve as a regular, voting member of the committee. This Representative shall otherwise have no extra powers or privileges within the committee and should not serve as the chair or co-chair of the committee except for in the case of absence, abdication, and vacancy until such time as a suitable replacement may be made from the elected membership.
Secretary: The Secretary of the committee shall be a non-voting appointee from Intersect. Responsible for coordinating, distributing, and sharing the agenda, notes, and meeting information throughout the committee members as well as the greater Intersect membership.
Committee Roles:
Chair: Must be elected internally (by the committee) from the 9 elected members of the committee. Expected to lead meetings of the OSC and help set and prioritize agenda items.
Co-Chair: Same as the chair but serves as an alternate if the regular Chair is unavailable for some short-term reason and may be appointed to the position of chair to fulfill a term in the case of absence or abdication.
Observer: Like all committees of Intersect, meetings and communication channels should always be open to the regular Members of Intersect. These individuals are free and welcome to attend and observe meetings of the committee and to join and participate in committee working and special interest groups. The committee should endeavor to hear from observers during regular meetings as time permits but the right of elected members to be heard during meetings should take precedence.
Implementation Method:
The following method and criteria are proposed for the (re)election of OSC members following a fairly common staggered board method:
Term: All members of the OSC shall be elected for a period of service of one year. No member of the committee, except for bootstrapping members during the bootstrapping phase, may serve for a period of longer than one year without standing for re-election.
Term Limits: Given that members of the OSC should be elected to their position meritoriously based upon their contributions, there are no capped term limits currently imposed.
Cohorts: The membership of the committee should be broken up into two cohorts that face election cycles bi-annually (one election every 6 months). This provides numerous benefits as detailed in the rationale below. Voting periods shall be held in October and April of each year to coincide with the Annual Members Meeting (AMM) in October and the 6-month point between.
Election Schedule for Cohorts
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | A | - | - | - | - | - | B | - | - |
Nomination & Candidacy: There should be a transparent and easy method for all interested parties to submit themselves (or be nominated) for candidacy in the next cohort election. The period for submitting candidacy (minimum two weeks beginning on a Monday) should be enough to allow eligible candidates time to attend at least one meeting of the committee to introduce themselves (if necessary) to the other members of the committee prior to voting. The candidate forum meeting may be a special (outside regular schedule) meeting of the committee in order to not detract from regular committee business.
Candidate Criteria
Membership: All individuals standing for election as a member of this committee MUST BE an Individual Member, Seed Funder Member, or Enterprise Member of Intersect in good standing. Associate members are not eligible to sit on committees.
Open Source Experience: All individuals standing for election as a member of this committee SHOULD supply evidence of their experience working with and contributing to open source projects. There is no requirement that these open source projects or experience be related to Cardano or Cardano Core repositories.
Election Cycle
All phases of the election cycle: Nomination, Voting, and Transition should be at least two weeks to ensure maximum participation from interested parties.
| Period | Purpose |
|---|---|
n-2 | Candidacy nomination period opens |
n-1 | Special meeting of the committee for candidate introductions & questions |
n | Vote Held |
n+1 | Retiring members hand off/complete outstanding tasks |
n+2 | Newly appointed members onboarded to the committee |
Election Method & Results: The election shall be open to all qualified candidates and shall follow the standards and rules specified by Intersect. Election results MUST be announced through Intersect official channels.
Ties & Run-Offs: The method of resolving a tie or run-off scenario is currently to be determined by Intersect.
Consider ranked choice voting to help eliminate the potential for ties and the need for run-offs
Lack of Candidates: Should a situation arise where there is a lack of eligible candidates standing in any given cohort election cycle (i.e. only 1 seat of 3 vacancies filled), the vacant seats may be appointed pursuant to the same terms of abdication and vacancies below.
Abdication & Vacancies: Should a seat on the committee become vacated due to member resignation or abdication the empty seat may be appointed to an interim term via either special election or appointment by the sitting committee Chair person in consultation with the sitting members of the committee. An interim term shall begin from the date of appointment and continue until the next regular cohort election that the seat would regularly be subject to. Any individual currently serving an interim term shall be eligible to stand for reelection like any normal candidate.
Some proposed methods for filling vacant seats are as follows and should be considered by the committee prior to appointment of new members:
Runner(s) up from previous election cycles
A self-nomination period for interested members of the community
Nomination/referral from sitting, duly elected committee members
Appointment by the acting Chair
Rationale:
The staggered board method proposed here provides a number of critical benefits that should allow the committee to continuously operate effectively including:
Continuity and Stability: By electing only one cohort of committee members every six months, the committee maintains a significant level of continuity and stability. This ensures that a majority of the committee is composed of experienced members who are familiar with the committee's operations, goals, and history. As a result, the committee can maintain a consistent strategic direction and avoid abrupt disruptions.
Preservation of Institutional Knowledge: With staggered terms and limited turnover, institutional knowledge is preserved within the committee. Experienced members can pass on valuable information, lessons learned, and best practices to newer members, ensuring a smoother transition and a more effective committee.
Avoiding Stagnation: Continuity should not be mistaken for stagnation. The four-month voting periods provide an opportunity for the organization to assess the performance of its committee members frequently. This encourages incumbents to remain proactive and responsive to the evolving needs of the organization.
Fresh Perspectives: While maintaining experienced members, the staggered board method also injects fresh perspectives and new ideas into the committee regularly. This continuous infusion of new blood can prevent stagnation, encourage innovation, and help the organization adapt to changing circumstances and member needs.
Reduced Learning Curve: New committee members have the opportunity to learn from their experienced counterparts, gradually easing into their roles. This reduces the learning curve and allows new members to become productive contributors more quickly. In a traditional annual election model, a complete overhaul of the committee can lead to disruptions and loss of institutional knowledge. By electing members in smaller batches over a period of time, we minimize the risk of abrupt transitions that can hinder the organization's progress.
Member Engagement: Frequent elections and opportunities for members to participate in the voting process can enhance overall member engagement. Members are more likely to stay actively involved when they know their voices are heard regularly, leading to a more vibrant and participatory organization, which ultimately strengthens the organization's sense of community and shared purpose.
Balanced Accountability: The staggered board method ensures that accountability is distributed evenly across the committee. With only one cohort being "new" at any given time, it becomes easier to assess individual and collective performance. This accountability helps maintain the committee's effectiveness and ensures that under-performing members can be addressed and replaced in a timely manner.
Consistent Leadership Transition: The method provides a predictable and structured way for leadership transitions to occur. This reduces the potential for leadership vacuums and ensures that the organization always has a mix of experienced and newer leaders ready to take on responsibilities.
Flexibility: In the event of unforeseen circumstances or challenges, the staggered board method allows the organization to adapt more readily. If specific committee members need to be replaced or if new leadership is required, the method provides a systematic way to do so without disrupting the entire committee.
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