From 9fde00d15aa8522592ab2e648e7b05a471c9f6dd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ian Kelling Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2025 16:29:24 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] shorten slightly, improve grammar --- petition.md | 129 +++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------------------- 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+), 68 deletions(-) diff --git a/petition.md b/petition.md index bf6259d..af5bf73 100644 --- a/petition.md +++ b/petition.md @@ -7,12 +7,11 @@ decided to move to a transparent method ourselves and it's here, but it's not ready to sign (even though there are actually pending sign merge request, we will get back to those folks when we're ready). -Petition to Open Source Initiative to Publish 2025 Board of Directors Election Results -================================================================ +## Petition to Open Source Initiative to Publish 2025 Board of Directors Election Results -We the undersigned petition the Open Source Initiative (OSI) to release +We, the undersigned, petition the Open Source Initiative (OSI) to release the complete and accurate results of its 2025 Board of Directors -Individual and Affiliate elections. We call for this transparency out +Individual and Affiliate elections. We call for this transparency out of concern that OSI's mishandling of its recent elections has damaged the organization's credibility and reputation. @@ -22,101 +21,95 @@ consistent use of the term "Open Source". So, it is of utmost importance that OSI repair its integrity with its members and the wider community. -OSI elections have been a key part of its governance since 2012, when it -shifted toward having a board primary elected by individual and -affiliate members. Although only advisory in strict legal terms, these -elections serve OSI's community focus and standing. For all the past -years, OSI has committed to running elections according to -best-practices, and they have honored the election results. +OSI elections have been a key component of its governance since 2012, +when it shifted toward having a board primarily elected by individual +and affiliate members. Although only advisory in strict legal terms, +these elections are vital to OSI's community focus and standing. For all +previous years, OSI has committed to running elections according to best +practices and has honored the election results. -The 2025 election was run with the OpaVote service. -In that process, OpaVote emails each voter a unique url leading to a -formal ballot which runs some proprietary JavaScript and looks like this: +The 2025 election was conducted using the OpaVote service. In this +process, OpaVote emails each voter a unique URL leading to a formal +ballot that runs proprietary JavaScript and appears as follows: - [an unmarked ballot](https://codeberg.org/OSI-Concerns/election-results-2025/src/branch/main/osi-2025-unmarked-ballot-example.png) - [a filled in ballot](https://codeberg.org/OSI-Concerns/election-results-2025/src/branch/main/osi-2025-marked-ballot-example.png) -OpaVote then provides the election manager a function to publish the -results to the voters. But instead of using that option, it seems OSI -downloaded the ballot data, and then altered the data to remove 3 -candidates and all the votes they received. OSI then published the -altered election results. We can infer this process because OpaVote -offers no option to change vote totals before tallying (and presumably -doing so would compromise trust in the integrity of their service). The -altered results are passed off as if they represent a legitimate -election between the remaining candidates but they don't and for many -reasons, an actual race would likely have notably different vote counts. - -OSI's -[stated reason for the intervention](https://opensource.org/blog/announcing-the-new-directors-of-osi-board) -is that 3 candidates (who they did not acknowledge by name) failed to -satisfy a requirement to sign the OSI board agreement. But **the +OpaVote provides a function to publish the +results to voters over email. Instead, OSI +downloaded the ballot data and then altered it to remove three +candidates and all votes they received. OSI subsequently published these +altered election results. These results do not represent a legitimate +election between the remaining candidates. For many reasons, an +actual election between them would likely have produced notably +different vote counts. + +OSI's [stated reason for the +intervention](https://opensource.org/blog/announcing-the-new-directors-of-osi-board) +is that three candidates (whom they did not acknowledge by name) failed +to satisfy a requirement to sign the OSI board agreement. However, **the requirement that all candidates sign the agreement was added at the end -of the 2025 election --- *after* all voting had concluded, but *before* +of the 2025 election — *after* all voting had concluded, but *before* results were announced.** -In the past, as with any other comparable election for any other -organization, signing of the board agreement took place only with the -elected directors after the election. +In the past, as with comparable elections for other organizations, +signing of the board agreement took place only with the elected +directors after the election. -In any normal election, results are published transparently — regardless -of whether some candidates drop out or die or are disqualified for any -reason. Once a candidate has been placed on the ballot, the only way to +In any normal election, results are published transparently—regardless +of whether some candidates withdraw, die, or are disqualified for any +reason. Once a candidate has been placed on the ballot, the only way to respect the voting electorate is to count and report the votes as marked. A trustworthy election cannot have rules changed during the election process, and the voting must be tabulated and reported accurately. -Any tampering with elections erodes community trust. Note that this +Any tampering with elections erodes community trust. Note that this concern is not a legal one. Even tampering with informal polls on a -forum is the sort of behavior that can severely harm an organization's -reputation. - -By adding requirements *during* an election process and -altering votes, OSI has damaged its credibility with the membership and -wider community. - -The three candidates removed from the vote tally were Richard Fontana -(incidentally, a former OSI director), Bradley Kuhn, and Bentley -Hensel. Kuhn and Fontana's campaign platform sought various changes to -OSI, including to revise a provision of the OSI board member agreement -to "support publicly all Board decisions," due to concerns that it is -overly broad. The existing process for joining the OSI board would have -included the possibility to discuss the board member agreement with the -OSI board before signing. The newly announced requirement to sign within -a few days after the voting closed excluded that possibility. An +forum can severely harm an organization's reputation. **By adding +requirements *during* an election process and altering votes, OSI has +damaged its credibility** with the membership and wider community. + +The three candidates removed from the vote tally were Richard Fontana (a +former OSI director), Bradley Kuhn, and Bentley Hensel. Kuhn and +Fontana's campaign platform sought various changes to OSI, including +revising a provision of the OSI board member agreement that requires +members to "support publicly all Board decisions," due to concerns that +it is overly broad. The existing process for joining the OSI board would +have included the possibility to discuss the board member agreement with +the OSI board before signing. The newly announced requirement to sign +within a few days after voting closed eliminated that possibility. An [article at *LWN*](https://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/1014603/ac0cfc0a74755501/) states that "a cynical person might conclude that the last-minute requirement -to sign the agreement was to disqualify one or both" and covers more -concerning details around this election. Bentley Hensel on the other -hand was simply busy and didn't respond promptly enough to the sudden -new requirement. +to sign the agreement was to disqualify one or both" and covers +additional concerning details about this election. Bentley Hensel, on +the other hand, was simply busy and didn't respond promptly enough to +the sudden new requirement. With this petition, we do not endorse any particular candidates or -policy positions. We are community members who care about OSI's mission -and its standing in the world. We wish to see OSI thrive in good +policy positions. We are community members who care about OSI's mission +and its standing in the world. We wish to see OSI thrive in good standing. To restore its credibility and reputation, we call on OSI to immediately -release the unaltered election totals, to acknowledge the harms to the -community that this situation has caused, and to credibly recommit to -working with the community on all the steps necessary to repair lost -trust. +release the unaltered election totals, acknowledge the harm this +situation has caused to the community, and credibly recommit to working +with the community on all steps necessary to repair lost trust. -Petition detail ----------------- +## Petition Details This is an open petition. The signed document is available on Codeberg [here](https://codeberg.org/OSI-Concerns/election-results-2025), and supporters are encouraged to submit their signature through a merge -request. If you have a relationship with OSI (e.g., a Member, Former +request. If you have a relationship with OSI (e.g., as a Member, Former Director, etc.), please indicate your relationship to OSI in your signature. -We ask that OSI Affiliates have their Affiliate Representative sign on behalf -of the organization; they and other Affiliate employees/volunteers can of -course sign separtely on their own behalf, too. +We ask that OSI Affiliates have their Affiliate Representative sign on +behalf of the organization; they and other Affiliate +employees/volunteers can of course sign separately on their own behalf +as well. Respectfully, -- 2.30.2