Hello Tanya!

>         >* The First Elections
>         >
>         >  The Guild's elections are scheduled for February 19,
>         1998; >  this will mark the first time in which the
>         membership has >  been granted the right to vote regarding
>         the direction the >  Guild will take.

The above might more accurately read '...right to elect the people 
guiding the direction the guild will take'. Given that...

> I'd like to see voting opened up to other issues, too, beyond who is
> a member of the GB. 

For instance?

> If there were more publicized opportunities for members to cast a
> vote on issues, I think that may encourage more participation and a
> better awareness of where the membership, as a larger group, stands
> on certain issues faced by the Guild. 

How does the voter confirm to the GB (and the membership) that he/she 
is sufficiently well informed to offer opinion on any given 'issue'? 
For example, does the average (read majority) membership have 
sufficient knowledge of internet/corporate legal topics to 
elect/select a guild attorney? I think the GB might spend more time 
figuring what topics are appropriate for voting that could be better 
applied to investigating, debating, and deciding on the issue as a 
smaller group. That is in fact the purpose of the GB.

> We'd gain a better awareness of ourselves as a Guild. As the GB,
> we'd gain a clear picture of where the Guild wants to go and, in
> turn, be able to better direct that.

I think -ops provides that.

OTOH non-binding 'consensus' type votes might be an option.

BTW I think the rest of your post is very good.

Have a :) day!

jim barchuk
mailto:jb(at)jbarchuk.com
http://www.jbarchuk.com

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