Plaza Election 4.5: Voting closes March 13th!

[Narv]

Hi all -- first off apologies for the delay, which was completely due to me being v busy with some real life business and not the result of contacting remaining nominees, all of whom were inspiringly prompt.

Second, I'm pleased to announce we have 7 brave souls who have accepted nominations:

@Aikári Salmarinian
@Arnyn
@Fuin Elda
@Pele Alarion
@Rillewen
@Romeran
@Silky Gooseness

Many thanks to these 7 for being willing to potentially take on an admin role!

Third, voting is going to be a little different as I mentioned before. My Surveymonkey plan tragically died this morning as a couple key features we need for anonymous/secure voting turned out to be paid features (as in like $200 a year paid features) and as much as I love you all that wasn't happenin. I've found a replacement however which I think should do the job nicely for making the voting more open / transparent / anonymous without compromising security -- and it happens to be just the right amount of nerdy & old-school-web-tech to fit in nicely with the Plaza aesthetic. It does use a slightly different/fancier tallying method than the previous vote-point one I made up, but hopefully you folks are ok with that..

Now that said if this is a flop, then I won't use it again, but I figure we might as well give it a shot for this mini-election:

TO VOTE, PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK: https://civs1.civs.us/cgi-bin/opt_in.pl

Enter either 1) the email associated with your plaza account, or 2) the email you entered on the nomination form, if you chose to use a different one there. You'll be emailed a confirmation code - once you enter that code on the page you'll be all set to vote.

NOTES:
- If you've logged into the plaza anytime in 2022, you SHOULD automatically see a link to "LotR Plaza Mini-Election: Mar-Jun 2022" show up on that page after activating, which you can use to go vote. If you haven't logged in recently or don't see a link after entering the code, then lemme know here or at [email protected] and I'll make sure you get added in the system, at which point you'll get an email invite to vote.
- The site will only allow one vote per email address, only from the email addresses I allow (i.e. email addresses from plaza members), and nobody will see the election results until I close the poll, probably next weekend (March 13thish). At that point I'll be able to see the results will report the winners.
- Also note that when you vote you'll see a 'vote receipt' that you can apparently use to change your vote if you so desire anytime prior to the poll closing. To change your vote, re-click the link above and re-enter your email -- you'll get a link emailed to you that you can click, enter your vote receipt, and cast a new ballot.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this new process, or run into any issues with voting.

NOMINEES: if you'd like, feel free to use this space to put anything you'd like in terms of a blurb about yourself, any plan/outlook you may have on the site or adminning it or what have you. This is totally optional although I've got the vibe that some folks like the blurbs so.. up to you

[Narv]

Oh, one more technical note on the ranking.... you'll see there's a 'no opinion' ranking option for each nominee which is a little different form how we did things before. Feel free to use it, but make sure you understand the implications if you do: https://civs1.civs.us/faq.html (see the first FAQ item). Basically unless you really don't want to provide any input as to whether that nominee is elected or not, I'd recommend slapping a rank number on there instead of 'no opinion', as that gives more information as to which nominees you *do* want to see elected.

[Winddancer]

So will a rank 7 give them "points"?

[Silky Gooseness]

Hi it’s Sil. RL has been kicking my goosely tail feathers lately but if you are befuddled enough to elect me I will attempt to assume what is normal admin service for Sil, usually featuring a series of baffling and incomplete games. If not, I shall resume my gloriously lazy retirement, and potentially a more drawn out series of baffling and incomplete games.

[Narv]

Winddy: As noted above, this is a kinda different system than the rudimentary 'higher-rank = more points on my google spreadsheet' thing I've been doing - though I suspect that for a simple election like this, the results will come out very similar. The math involved is here and I'd rather not go into the weeds on it - but to answer your question, if you give someone Rank 7 (lowest rank) then they won't get the equivalent of any 'vote points', since they're not ranked ahead of anybody else.

This system is all about the relative rankings you assign. Hence 'no opinion' can be a little deceptive, since 'Rank 1' isn't a higher ranking than 'no opinion'. If you really want to just vote for a couple folks then it's best to give those ones a high rank and the others a lower rank.

[Pele Alarion]

Why do I even need to write a blurb... Not sure if there's anything I can say that you wouldn't know already. :P

[Arnyn]

Pick me if you want an undercover spy.

Think of me as a Ned Stark/Daenerys Targaryen (before season 8)/Tyrion Lannister hybrid. Not sure if I can translate that into LotR characters! Honor code, gentle heart but strong willed, discrete and diplomatic... but far from perfect and all knowing, and very aware of that fact.

[Romeran]

Vote for me if you’d like to, or not, that’s the great thing about democracy. If elected I’d like to see the plaza continue to be a friendly, user-driven, forum for Tolkien lore, RP, and other related content.

[Winddancer]

Why do I even need to write a blurb... Not sure if there's anything I can say that you wouldn't know already. :P

For any new members who dont know you! :P

To me blurbs do help with picking who I would like to see as an admin. I know I do not vote based of whos RP/Lore posts I like or even my friends. I look for what I want to see in an admin. I would like someone who is passionate about the Plaza and intent on seeing it prosper. I would like to be ensured they are unbiased towards friends if an issue arises, fair when it comes to deciding what to do in situations that calls for an admin to step in, active on the Plaza in general and aware of having to perhaps go into forums they do not frequent to take care of whatever arises whether it is requests for adding something to dealing with unfortunate comments and outright fights. And with that it is important to know that the person would be willing to step in and deal with it, if it happens they are on all on their own. Now seeing as all but Sil havent been an admin here on NuPlaza before, how are we meant to know you can do this if you do not tell us? ;)

And then there is of course the pledge you will be held to if successful, you could ensure us of your intentions to uphold this:

1. To enforce our rules and code of conduct, fairly and without prejudice, until such time that the admin team collectively chooses to change them.
2. To maintain the privacy of the admin team. What’s discussed in our private admin forums and chats should stay amongst the current admin team.
3. To make no admin decisions unilaterally - this means for important and hard-to-undo issues, we will consult each other and agree as a team.
4. To forgo tribbing ourselves and each other for the duration of our service.

Now not saying you all have to make an essay of pledges and promises. Just giving some advice as to what you could say in a blurb if you are finding it difficult to write something :)

Looking forward to welcoming my new colleagues, there is work waiting for you! :P

[Narv]

fwiw I am personally digging these low effort blurbs as someone who is a lifelong blurb-writing-hater, but winddy makes some fine points too I suppose

[Aikári Salmarinian]

My memory of eighteen nice years should be sufficient whom to choose and all are well-known longstanding members. So that should easy for me.

[Fuin Elda]

So I am an active member that loves creeping lore and almost every other type of thread ever so windy and I may fight over who gets to tribute who because I could see that being a thing.

I have art/editing capabilities for atrs motm, I know some basic coding and won't need much training in back end requirements having run several non Tolkien forums on phpbb I am bribeable with good food.
...
...
...
I have been informed I should not tell you that good food is a form of bribery to me but I don't care how you'll get good food to me I don't know no place delivers to my house which makes me sad

[Winddancer]

@Narv See, it's still possible to make short blurbs while telling a lot :P
@Fuin Elda You will never have to fight me to trib! As long as tribbing is being done, I am happy :D

[Fuin Elda]

@Winddancer I mean I can see us 'fighting' over who gets to trib who first in certain cases cause there are some fantastic posts on here made regularly!

[Winddancer]

Aint there just, <3

[Romeran]

Since I'm a newer face around these parts I'll add a few things that @Winddancer mentioned.

I'd like to think that I'm a fairly unbiased individual (as a statistician I spend a lot of my time thinking about bias), but I have a slight advantage as a relative new comer to the NuPlaza in that I haven't had the time to develop stronger friendships with the people on the NuPlaza. I make a point, as some of you may have noticed, of participating or at least reading the content in every sub-forum including Lore, CoLP, and all of the kingdoms. Part of my RL work involves being a mediator between teams and individuals with competing goals and I'm quite comfortable stepping in to ensure that a positive discussion is had and that the rules are upheld. I have experience with back-end and front-end engineering from work (although not with phpBB) and so I could help there if necessary. As I said briefly in my previous post, my intentions would be simple: uphold the admin pledge, ensure that friendly discussion and RP persists, and encourage that the plaza continue to be user (rather than admin) driven.

[Arnyn]

Alrightie! I suppose I could mention my experience with HR to support my claims of being discrete and diplomatic. I am known at work and privately for my ability to look at matters from different/opposing perspectives and understand where people are coming from, which aids a lot in disputes and/or discussion.

Team spirit and customer orientation are always scored high on my evaluations. ^^ a strong team with room for fun, and customer satisfaction make or break a job in my opinion, which explains why I feel they are so important.

No proper coding experience though open to learning!

Happy voting (and blurbing), everyone!

[Winddancer]

Thanks guys! <3

Oh and dont worry about the coding, that is all in the hands of the troll still and Narv is fine with that :D

[Silky Gooseness]

Narv is a blessing to all of us, of course, but it’s certainly admirable for people to offer the possibility of the code burden not all being upon the shoulders of one person, no matter how chiselled and trollish… what? got carried away there.

[The Good Hunter]

He wandered aimlessly to bar, trying hard to look aimful. "Say there, uh, bar," he said to whichever of the two innkeepers decided they were the one that heard him, "got any, uh, complimentary....." he paused, thinking hard for what might be farthest possible thing in the universe from relish, the most ontologically and diametrically opposed, ".... mustard?"

Someone give this troll his mustard!

[Moriel]

While Narv may or may not want to share the code burden now or in future, a bit of IT skills (or the willingness to learn!) is absolutely useful for the admin job- glad to see people mentioning both the all-essential people skills, and other things that could be helpful in an admin

[Winddancer]

Nobody but the owner (Narv atm) will have access to the code. The only exception was Tara and that is not likely to happen again (nor is there any immediate need). However, not really the place to dicuss this. While having the skills is fine, my point was do not worry if you do not have them, they are NOT a requirement to be an admin and likely will never be.

[Moriel]

Windy, I find it troubling that you continue to speak for Narv and the future admin team(s).

[Winddancer]

I am not mentioning anything that is a secret or hasn't been mentioned to us before. You included. And I am not talking about future admins teams, other than this current one as Narv is still going to be dealing with the coding at least up until the next election. So my point is still valid, no need to be concerned about not knowing coding.

1) Re: me. I'm sure it will surprise no one to hear that I've been a bit of an absentee demiurge this past term and (and probably a while before for that, for the sake of completeness). The other, proper admins have done a great job carrying my hollowed husk along but I don't feel very good about continuing to wear the I Run The Website hat when I don't really.. you know, run the website. So, I'm going to take that hat off and (un)officially promote myself to Narv Moris, Tech Support. Which for now means the hosting account is still in my name and I'll (try to) keep fixing the site when it breaks and such, as well as help with anything that's asked of me - but any decision making on the site I will leave to the elected admin team - I intend to step in only in the remote possibility of any really egregious or Terms-of-Service violating, basically. Oh and I'll also run this election, just for kicks - but what happens for future ones will be up to the team we elect this round.

Now, if you would like to discuss this further, please take it to a seperate thread/email/PM and lets get this thread back on track and let the nominees post their blurbs? Surely this isnt a place for you to post about your worries about me?

[Narv]

I am both loving and fearing the May-2020-esque (or maybe moreso May-2002-esque) anarchic vibes in this admin nominee thread, so I will put down some notes

1) pssst guys I'm trying to make people actually want to be admins here

2) Tech stuff is in hand for the foreseeable as Windy says, but I certainly wouldn't turn down assistance in that area if it happens to be something people are familiar with. There's a broad continuum between 'I have only ever seen this website on my phone' (cough sil cough) and 'I unexaggeratingly know the code better than Narv does' (cough tara cough) and the site can benefit hugely from helpful folks at any and all points on that continuum.

3) Highly perceptive readers of this thread may note faint traces of conflict. Moreso than coding, moreso than tribbing, moreso than reading threads and being up on the latest plaza trends, I've learned the last couple years that an admin's job is often to be steeped in conflict. Most of the time it's other people's; sometimes it ends up being your own. It's an emotionally draining thing to do and I have been both really impressed with the ability of all the admins we've had so far to deal with it, and 100% understanding of folks who've decided that kind of thing is not worth the toll on one's soul and have opted out. I don't know that I have any actual point here but I guess I just wanted to acknowledge this while we're on the subject of 'what is the job really', and to give the standard advice I give when asked personally what makes for successful adminnery: empathy, and an ability to accurately gauge the importance of stuff that happens on this website (i.e. low in the grand scheme of anything), even when it can consistently take an outsized toll on one's peace of mind.

How about those blurbs though WOW i am loving them folks

(and thanks for the voting turnout thus far, we're doing decently on that front at present)

[Aikári Salmarinian]

The English speaking world keeps coughing the most oddest words. Burb/blurb/brub is air that escapes the stomach, in my imagination...

Ma Dance Macabre.

My basic real life profile surrounds these conditions: Organising, (flexible) problem solving, analytical, friendly, reliable, respectful and accurate. Just plucked from my resume and translated. An emphatic lass I was never, yet with love I care unconditioned for my dad with Alzheimer to who my life is mostly dedicated to these days. And I have a niece who demands my attention when she comes around visiting. I was promoted to aunt nearly five year ago. Further I am member of old, joined in 2004 and have a total of 19.428 posts. My face can be found >>here<< in Under the Hood in Imladris. I am not easily rattled by something nasty, I was trained as social worker and know how to keep the balance of the mind. It is a piece of equipment to live alongside a person with progressive mental illness. Most of my interests dwell around handicrafts, history, space travel and social developments, music, writing Dutch and English stories, poems and other forms of poetry and photography. I guess this sums up a bit what my real life person could be? And with this my dance macabre ends.

Narv: Thanks for your most helpful input. You had in point three exactly what I was searching for!

[Lail]

Hey @Narv, I haven't opened the poll yet (sorry if my question would be answered there just haven't had a chance to sit down and do it), was just wondering if we only vote for 2 or do we vote 1-7 by rank (1 the highest, 7 the lowest)? Also, thanks for coordinating the election and answering questions and such.

Also, thanks to all 7 of you willing to volunteer your time and energies.

[Narv]

It'll work best if you rank all 7 (with 1 being highest, yeah) - you can do ties if you really don't have a preference between certain candidates. 'No opinion' is also an option for each candidate, but I don't particularly recommend it per my notes here and here.

[Lail]

thank you!

[Narv]

I'm able to see the number of votes cast so far and we're past our turnout from December, so I'm taking that as a sign that we don't need to extend things any further beyond the original plan. So I'll close the vote tomorrow evening, probably around 10pm PST on March 13th.