[announce] REMINDER please comment: Absentee Voting Modification to ICANN Bylaws

["GNSO.SECRETARIAT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[To: council[at]gnso.icann.org; liaison6c[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: ga[at]gnso.icann.org; announce[at]gnso.icann.org]
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REMINDER: The Absentee Voting Modification to the ICANN Bylaws is open
for public comment until 21 May 2008

Please submit comments to:
<absentee-voting-2008@xxxxxxxxx>

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

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