Thanks a lot for many commends, I've incorporated most of them in the version appended below. I have two rules where JDD suggested alternatives and would like your feedback on which ones to choose. I prefer the first version (and enhanced them from the initial proposal) to keep the board functional and have an easy process. This time I'm appending only the rules together with the existing ones. I'll reply to this email highlighting the changes from the previous version, Andreas Complete rules Existing rules: * Only openSUSE members may run for the Board and vote, each member having one ballot that has one vote per seat to be elected. * The election is run by an Election Committee that consists of at least three openSUSE members. * None of the Election Committee can run for or be elected as an openSUSE board member. * The openSUSE board election period is two years and every year approximately half of the board will be elected. So, the people getting elected this time are elected for two years. The other members stand for re-election next year and get a 2 year period as well. Add: The chairman, nominated by Novell is changed only and when Novell wants so. Add: * In case of resignations or removals, the election period should be adjusted so that the next year again at least two people get elected. The elected seats with the most votes would then get elected for two years, those with the lowest votes for only one year. * openSUSE board members can serve for up to two consecutive election periods. After that they must stand down for at least one year, but may be run again after the one year break. * All candidates will publish their manifesto on the Wiki, and are strongly encouraged to blog on why they should be elected. New rules: * Appointment: In case that board seats will get appointed, they get appointend by the board. Appointed seats are only appointed until the next election. A Novell employee has to be replaced by a Novell employee, and the same applies to community member. Alternative: * Appointment: The Running board is allowed to appoint one new member and one only in the following situations: Resignation of a member or removal of a member. If an appointed member quits, he can be replaced by the board. If a second elected member quits, a new election have to be organised. * Resignation: Any member can resignate at will, but then he will not be allowed to be a candidate for the next election. * Nominations: The election committee will take self-nominations, nominations by others and can nominate people for election. The election committee will contact the nominated people and ask them whether they stand for election. * Insufficient Nominations: If there are fewer nominees for elected Board seats than required to fill all seats, than the board will appoint these remaining seats. * Equal number of candidates of seats: If there is an equal number of candidates and seats, voting occurs as normal but each candidate needs to have more than 50 per cent yes votes. In case that seats do not get elected, the board will appoint them. * Extra time for candidate search: In the event of not more candidates than seats, the voting period will be delayed by two weeks. A public message will be send out to ask again for candidates and remind the openSUSE members about the alternatives. * Resigning: If a board member resigns, the board should appoint a new board member. * Removal: In the event of repeated absence without contact, or other serious misconduct or negligence, a Board member may be subject to removal. Before any other process occurs, the Board member in question will be personally contacted by the chairperson to try to resolve the situation. If this contact does not successfully resolve the situation, the Board member in question may be removed by unanimous vote of the other members of the Board. The board should appoint a new board member. Repeated absence is defined as missing three consecutive board meetings without sending regrets. * Novell employement: Novell employment have to be valid at the vote date. Any change will not have an effect on the board membership situation. In the next election the distribution of seats gets fixed again. * Constitution: A new board term should start on the first of January, the elections should be finished 14 days before. In the case of delays, the new board will start 7 days after the election results are published. * Tie: In the event of a tie for the final slot on the board, the election committee will schedule run-off elections as soon as possible to resolve the tie. * Amendment: Changes by the election rules can be done by vote of the board where 2/3s approve including the chairperson. -- Andreas Jaeger, Program Manager openSUSE, aj@{novell.com,opensuse.org} Twitter: jaegerandi | Identica: jaegerandi SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg) Maxfeldstr. 5, 90409 Nürnberg, Germany GPG fingerprint = 93A3 365E CE47 B889 DF7F FED1 389A 563C C272 A126