As the VOTING PERIOD will be starting shortly (1-26-98), I am posting this 
message as an explanation of various types of ballots, and to clarify any 
questions the voters may have concerning voting procedures.
 
Any ballot received that cannot be verified will be tagged as questionnable 
and will not be used in the tallying process.  I will be verifying EACH 
ballot received to ensure that the ballot is valid.
 
--Martin--
 
                    ***** Begin Sample Ballots *****
 
          VOTING PERIOD IS  January 26, 1998 to February 15, 1998.
 
                       DO NOT use this as your ballot.
 
In this election, there are 8 candidates running for the position of
Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator (Z1EC).  As such, a procedure called
preferential balloting is being used to prevent the need for run-off
elections should no candidate receive a majority vote.  Preferential
balloting simply means you rank the candidates in order of your
preference.  If there is a candidate you do not want to vote for,
simply do not list that candidate on your ballot.  However, understand
that if all of those candidates that you did list are eliminated in
any round of tallying, so would your ballot be eliminated. (see examples).
 
The basic information that is REQUIRED in order for your ballot to be
counted is as follows:
 
                  ***** REQUIRED INFORMATION *****
 
1)  Your name as it appears in the Fidonet nodelist and your
    node number as it appears in the Fidonet nodelist.
 
      NOTE:  This information will be posted for verification
             purposes after the close of the voting period in
             a list of those who voted listed numerically by
             node number.  This list will NOT contain the vote
             or keyword used.
 
2)  A password/keyword that is to be used to verify your vote.
 
      NOTE:  The password/keyword will be posted along with
             your vote for verification after the close of
             the voting period in a list containing all of
             the passwords/keywords and vote associated with
             that password/keyword listed alphabetically
             by password/keyword.  This list will not contain
             voter name or nodenumber.
 
             Try to keep the password under 15 characters.
             8 characters is preferred.  Passwords used that
             are considered "vulgar" are not acceptable passwords.
             What is considered "vulgar" is at my discretion.
             In the event that you choose to send an unacceptable
             password, the password will be changed and I will
             send you the new password either my routed netmail
             or e-mail.
 
3)  Your Vote - A list of one or more valid candidates names.
            NOTE:  The first valid candidate name listed on the
            ballot is first choice, followed by the next valid
            candidate for second choice and so forth.  Any
            extraneous ordering information will be ignored.
            EXAMPLE: Any numbers listed or other information
            other than the name of a candidate.  Please list
            candidates names on seperate lines. Or you may vote
            for a single candidate.
 
 
              *****  END OF REQUIRED INFORMATION  *****
 
You may send your vote via any of the following methods:
  NOTE:  Please use  VOTE  for the subject line.  It will make it
         easier on me.  The subject line is NOT a requirement for
         a valid ballot, simply a courtesy to the vote counter.
 
DIRECT NETMAIL to Martin Belcke 1:232/10 or 1:232/16
DIRECT NETMAIL to Election Coordinator 1:232/10 or 1:232/16
ROUTED NETMAIL to Martin Belcke 1:232/10 or 1:232/16
ROUTED NETMAIL to Election Coordinator 1:232/10 or 1:232/16
E-MAIL to mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com
    NOTE:  The other e-mail addresses listed in Fidonews 1449
            are not working correctly, so if you send your vote
            by e-mail, you will need to send it to the above address.
 
SAMPLE BALLOTS:
   The following are several types of ballots.  The examples are NOT the
   only types of valid ballots.  Any ballot that contains the REQUIRED
   information, as per the election rules, is considered a valid ballot.
   If the election coordinator is unable to understand your ballot, you
   will receive a netmail (or e-mail) message asking for clarification.
 
   For these examples, we are going to use the following names as
   candidates:  George Washington, Henry Adams, James Kirk, Joan of Arc,
                Mary Shepherd, Joe Public, Pat Paulsen, Barry Goldwater
 
SAMPLE BALLOT #1 - - This voter is listing only 1 candidate. The name
  and node number information is contained in the header of the netmail
  message.
 ======================================================================
From    :   Joe Voter (1:222/333)
To      :   Martin Belcke (1:232/10)
Subject :   VOTE
 =========================BODY OF MESSAGE==============================
PASSWORD -  XXXPPPTTTBBB
 
George Washington
 
   Joe Voter
 
 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- END SAMPLE #1 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
SAMPLE BALLOT #2 - - This voter is listing 3 candidates, listed in
    order of preference.  The order the names are entered will be used
    as the order of preference.  Any numbers that appear next to the
    names will be ignored. The name and node number information is
    contained in the header of the netmail message.
 ======================================================================
From    :   Joe Voter (1:222/333)
To      :   Election Coordinator (1:232/10)
Subject :   VOTE
 ===========================BODY OF MESSAGE============================
PASSWORD -   BYTRENMPOIM
 
George Washington
Henry Adams
James Kirk
 
   Joe Voter
 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- END SAMPLE #2 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
SAMPLE BALLOT #3 - - This voter is listing 8 candidates, listed in order
   of preference.  The order the names are entered will be used as the
   order of preference.  Any numbers that appear next to the names will
   be ignored.  The name and node number information is contained in the
   header of the netmail message.
 ======================================================================
From    :   Joe Voter (1:222/333)
To      :   Election Coordinator (1:232/10)
Subject :   VOTE
 ===========================BODY OF MESSAGE============================
PASSWORD -   BYTRENMPOIM
 
George Washington   6
Henry Adams         5
Jimmy Durante       4
Joe Public          3
Barry Goldwater     2
Pat Paulsen         1
James Kirk          8
Mary Shepherd       7
 
   Joe Voter
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- END SAMPLE #3 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
SAMPLE BALLOT #4 - - This voter sent their vote through the internet.
 
 ======================================================================
From    : joe@voter.com
To      : mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com
Subject : VOTE
 =========================BODY OF MESSAGE==============================
NAME          :   Joe Voter
NODE NUMBER   :   1:222/333
PASSWORD      :   XXXCCCMMMBB
 
The rest of this ballot could look like any of the other ballots shown
above.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- END SAMPLE #4 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
SAMPLE BALLOT # 5 - - This voter listed the candidates names on the same
   line.  The order listed is the order of preference.  Any numbers listed
   will be ignored.
 
 ======================================================================
From    : Joe Voter (1:222/333)
To      : Election Coordinator (1:232/10)
Subject : VOTE
===========================BODY OF MESSAGE=============================
PASSWORD:  XCVBYN
 
George Washington, Henry Adams, Joan of Arc, Barry Goldwater,
Pat Paulsen, James Kirk, Mary Shepherd
 
  Joe Voter
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- END SAMPLE # 5 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
EXPLANATIONS:
 
In SAMPLE BALLOT #3, the numbers that appear next to the names are ignored
and the names as listed are used as the order of preference.
 
In SAMPLE BALLOT #5, the names are used in order listed.  It will be a LOT
easier on the tallying if each candidate is listed on a seperate line.
 
In preferential balloting, the first valid name that is listed is the
"preferred" name in counting the ballot.  After the votes are tallied,
if no candidate receives the necessary number of votes to win, the
candidate that receives the LEAST number of votes is eliminated and
the votes are then recounted using the first valid name listed.  If
a candidate has been eliminated, then that name is no longer a valid
name.  In SAMPLE #1, if George Washington had been eliminated,
then so would that ballot be eliminated, thus reducing the number of
ballots by 1.  The number of votes needed to win would also be adjusted.
 
In SAMPLE #3, there is an invalid name listed (Jimmy Durante).  This
name would be considered to be an invalid vote and would not be used.
If George Washington and Henry Adams were eliminated in any round of
tallying, then the next valid candidate (Joe Public) would be used
as the preferred name for SAMPLE #3.  In SAMPLE #2, if George Washington,
Henry Adams AND James Kirk are all eliminated in any round of tallying,
then so would the ballot be eliminated, thus reducing the number of
ballots by 1.  The number of votes needed to win would also be adjusted.
 
In SAMPLE #4, the voter chose to send the ballot via the internet in an
e-mail message addressed to mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com.  Since the header
information does not contain the NAME and NODE NUMBER of the voter as
it appears in the Fidonet nodelist, that information --must-- be listed
in the BODY of the e-mail message.
 
--Martin Belcke--
  Election Coordinator
--- DB A3000sl/001347
---------------