[cabfpub] Proposed change to bylaws: public voting information

Ben Wilson ben at digicert.com
Mon Feb 4 22:02:08 MST 2013


Apparently secret ballot started in Australia in the 19th century and then
caught on elsewhere.  However, up until then, votes were public, and they
still are in many areas of the world.  The rationale for a secret ballot has
been the free expression of preference without fear of retribution,
retaliation, discrimination, or the buying/selling of votes.  

-----Original Message-----
From: public-bounces at cabforum.org [mailto:public-bounces at cabforum.org] On
Behalf Of Gervase Markham
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2013 8:28 PM
To: y-iida at secom.co.jp; public at cabforum.org
Subject: Re: [cabfpub] Proposed change to bylaws: public voting information

On 04/02/13 19:07, y-iida at secom.co.jp wrote:
> What the word "voting" means here is like raising one's hand and/or 
> saying aye or nay, rather voting a real anonymous ballot.
> In the voting process of the forum, every member in the forum knows 
> what people "vote".  Some people even puts digital signature.

Yes, exactly.

> I wish if I could find another good word for this activity...

I hadn't thought about it before; perhaps it is not obvious that these two
things should have the same name. I suppose they are both "expressing a
preference" - it's just that one is done secretly and the other is not.

In English, the idea of "voting" most strongly carries the idea of
"expressing a preference" - whether the vote is secret or not is a secondary
characteristic.

Gerv
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