Summary: A simple process by which registered members are able to enable an “Informed” vote.

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1. How Authorized

With the interest of reaching the highest achievable degree of integrity in the voting process, a pre-vote may be initiated prior to a Final Vote in order to decide on the need for qualifying questions. The implementation of the Qualifying Questions’ mechanism is determined in the pre-vote by the Issue Participants. The pre-vote is incorporated into the Reduction Rating period. If the implementation of the Qualifying Questions’ mechanism is not authorized by the Issue Participants, the Final Vote will be scheduled without them.     index

2. Choice of Method

A. Pre-vote Results

If the result of the pre-vote is that Qualifying Quest ions are required, the Issue Participants need to make two additional decisions:

i. Choice

Either a restrictive or permissive method will be implemented:

a. Restrictive

If the Pre-vote requires the Qualifying Questions to be restrictive, the registered member will have to answer all Qualifying Questions correctly before he or she will be allowed to vote.

b. Permissive

If the Pre-vote requires the Qualifying Questions to be permissive with fractional value, the number of questions answered correctly will determine the value of the vote: 1/10, 2/10,3/10, etc.     index

3. Submission

A. When to Submit

Issue Participants may submit their proposed issue-specific or proposition-specific Qualifying Questions anytime during the ‘submit qualifying questions’ period. This period will vary depending on the priority level of the issue. In anticipation of qualifying questions being required in the final vote, Issue Participants may submit issue specific qualifying questions anytime from the beginning of the discussion period onward. If qualifying questions are required, the Webmaster will issue the prescribed notice for a close date for submitted qualifying questions immediately upon the conclusion of the proposition rating phase. The ‘qualifying questions submission’ phase is immediately followed by the ‘qualifying questions rating’ phase.

B. Number of Qualifying Questions

The number of qualifying questions is determined by the Issue Participants who enter their ratings in the proposition rating phase. The maximum number of qualifying questions that may be asked during a final vote is limited by the settings referred to as the "QQ Maximum Limit." This setting is determined by the total registered members in the settings section of the site.

C. Design

Qualifying questions may be based upon actual propositions or readily available materials external to the site. The Qualifying Questions must require either a true or false answer or a multiple-choice answer. Registered members decide on the maximum word limit for qualifying questions. Registered members enter their notices concerning this value in the settings section of the site.

D. Answer Location Requirement

Qualifying questions submissions shall also be accompanied by the specific location of the answer that will assist members in determining the correct answers.     index

4. Choice of Questions

A. When

The “Qualifying Questions Rating phase” shall begin immediately upon the close of Qualification Questions submissions phase. The duration of the qualifying questions rating phase is determined by the setting known as the “QQ rating duration“ (either the regular setting or urgent priority setting) set by the total registered members in the settings section of the site.

B. Selection

The qualifying question(s) that simply receive the highest number of votes will be selected as the ones to be asked and answered in the Final Vote of the associated issue.

C. Publishing

The results of the qualifying question rating will not appear in the sites verification section. All registered members may view the list of all the submitted qualifying questions, without the choice of answers included, in the qualifying questions archive after the QQ rating phase is completed. The full question with its complete list of possible answers will appear only in the Final Vote.     index

5. Implementation

A. When

Qualifying Questions are to be asked and answered on the Final Vote Page prior to submission of the Final Vote.

B. How Presented

QQ’s and their complete list of potential answers will be randomly computer generated so that each voter potentially receives them in different sequences.

C. Number of Attempts Allowed

Issue Participants may make as many attempts as they wish, prior to the Final Vote deadline, if the qualifying questions type is "restrictive." If the qualifying question type is "permissive," an Issue Participant is provided only one attempt to answer the questions before his or her final vote is registered.     index

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Co-authors: None
Part of proposition copied from a previously submitted proposition: None

General Statement in Support:

1. How authorized

2. Choice of Method

There really are only two ways to fairly determine one’s degree of participation in a decision – concerning the community’s desire to ensure the understanding of the facts. Either all qualifying questions are answered correctly and the voter is allowed full participation; or a fraction of the qualifying questions have been answered correctly, and the voter is allowed only a limited participation in the decision. In the latter case, the percentage of correct answers is the percentage of participation allowed. In other words, the value of a member’s vote can be fractionated according to their demonstrated understanding of the facts.

3. Submission

When submitting suggested questions it is important to understand the intent and purpose of the questions. The questions should be designed to highlight the most important components of a particular proposition. This is not a hide and seek game so the questions should not be sly, tricky or devious. A question should be clear, easy to understand and include a reference to its answer’s location so it is easy to find.

4. Choice of Questions

Qualifying questions should not be barriers to the voting process. They should be designed as enhancers of understanding concerning the most critical parts of the proposition.

5. Implementation

No further explanation required.     index