Simpler to conduct than neighborhood elections
At the higher TDG tiers, there will be fewer voters. So this electoral process is easier to conduct than the TDG neighborhood election.
Let’s say 10 neighborhoods are gathered into a district. This district should meet once a month to discuss affairs of the district. In these meetings, the neighborhood representatives are getting to know each other better. Once a year, this group will hold an election. One neighborhood representative will be elected to represent the district at the next tier.
Most likely, the election will be discussed in previous meetings. So there won’t be a need for a formal notice.
To start the election, there should be some prepared text about voting for “good character” and “capacity for governance.” Plus some wording about not voting for campaigners or factions. But remember, there is no enforcement of these rules. Let the neighborhood representatives figure out these terms for themselves.
Each neighborhood representative gets a ballot. I recommend that the ballot has the name of the 10 neighborhood representatives. Voters need only mark their preference with a simple mark, so that that no one knows who voted for whom. The ballots are put into a box. The box is opened. The ballots are counted to verify the correct number. Then the ballots are opened. Tallies for each representative are set up.
The neighborhood representative with the most votes is the district representative for the next year.
This election process should take about 10 minutes. So the election could be part of a regular district meeting.
The constitution or rules set up by the executive committee could provide a mechanism for absentee voting. Remember, all the neighborhood representatives, as part of their position, have earned the right to vote in this election.
As well, tie votes are more likely with these low numbers. The constitution or rules should specify a mechanism to handle tie votes.
The duties of a district representative will be more intense than the duties of a neighborhood representative. I estimate about 40 hours a month. I hope the district representative’s employer is accommodating to the demands the TDG will place on one of its employees. Having an employee who is a district representative is a good attribute for the employer’s operations.
But Dave, I can’t vote for the District Representative
Correct. Only the neighborhood representatives can vote for the district representative. The neighborhood representatives are in a better position to cast a wiser vote than the general TDG membership. This “tiered voting” is a salient feature of the TDG.
I realize many political junkies won’t like this tiered way. They like the drama around voting for the top dog. I will refute by asking: “How is the current way working for us?”
But I think many citizens will be accepting of assigning their “voting privileges” to their neighborhood representative, who are working more closely with the viable candidates than the neighbors. Political junkies are not the majority.
Published on Medium 2024
