Nominet NED election time again

[jasman]

Before, the purpose of Nominet was to run the registry. But now with Nominet getting involved in so many extra commercial activities, they are just looking like a tech conglomerate like Verisign. It no longer makes any sense that they have an exclusive right to manage the .uk registry. Surely the .uk registry ought now to be put out to tender so other companies can have a chance to bid for the registry, on the basis of efficiency and keeping prices at a level that is good for the industry. I'm sure the likes of Camelot, Virgin etc would be interested.

I agree that the NED positions are just there to make it look democratic, ever since the government and Nominet staged a false stand-off and tricked members into giving up their voting power. Anyway I wish you the best of luck Alex. You may be able to throw a spanner in the works. You have my vote.

 

[Whois-Search]

Is @monaghan standing then ?

 

[Systreg]

Is @monaghan standing then ?

Yes he is, I'll definitely be voting for him, good luck.

 

[Edwin]

I will wait and read his candidate statement closely. But I will probably support him.

 

[aZooZa]

Alex - you will have my vote. Best of luck!

 

[monaghan]

Thanks guys, has been a little manic this last week otherwise I'd have confirmed sooner. If anyone's at the conference today, I'll be heading up there soon, I think I can get to the Bletchley Park event if anyone's about for that.

 

[Whois-Search]

Five people have declared they are standing so far on the Nominet forum:

David Thornton
Rob Golding
Denesh Bhabuta
Alex Monaghan
Cameron Leask

Rumour is there is a big sixth candidate !

Either way I’ll be voting first for the incumbent (David Thornton) as he has the best chance of getting in against a large registrar candidate.

He seems to have put the effort in attending every board meeting over the past three years. He has also attended the last three ICANN meetings (Puerto Rico, Vancouver and Panama City) at his own expense: http://www.davidthornton.uk

Then I’ll be voting second for @monaghan too after meeting him at the Registrar event last week.

Voting starts later today (26th June)...

 

[martin-s]

I absolutely *won't* be voting for David Thornton, even as a 2nd or 3rd vote. And I don't understand why anyone would consider it to be honest.

 

[monaghan]

How you vote is your decision (I'd like to think you'll consider voting for me!), however, the most important thing given that Nominet is a member organisation that we all get our fingers out and actually vote. I know the weighted voting is confusing and many suggest unfair, but if you don't vote then it almost guaranteed that the candidates you would like won't get it.
Read the paperwork, contact the candidates with questions, make your decision and then tick the boxes on the form, whether you vote for me or not, please vote.
I can't be in Oxford for the webinar as I have an exam that evening, however, technology allowing, I'll be joining from the comfort of my living room and my email is always open for questions.

 

[DaveP]

I will also be voting for David Thornton again.

He has more than 20 years experience in domain names and has been a Nominet member and registrar for the majority of those years. He has experience with the Nominet board and to my knowledge has attended every board meeting over the past three years.

He is also very firm and straight to the point. He focuses on the problems that really matter to the members and always puts them first.

 

[dee]

Is there a place I can read candidate statements ? Can't seem to find anywhere. Thanks.

 

[Edwin]

I absolutely *won't* be voting for David Thornton, even as a 2nd or 3rd vote. And I don't understand why anyone would consider it to be honest.

Ditto. Probably not to anyone's surprise.

BTW, just worth pointing out what is probably obvious, but you don't have to give any preferences beyond the first, if you don't want to. So if you like one candidate and don't particularly fancy any of the others, don't hold your nose, just vote for that one person you like and stop there. That way you won't be helping - even a little - the people you've decided shouldn't get the job. After all, there's no way to vote by a negative amount, so the most influence you can have after voting FOR someone is NOT voting for any of their opponents...

 

[RobM]

Agreed, so many things weren't done against our will because we had picked a voice to represent us...




said nobody ever.

 

[monaghan]

Is there a place I can read candidate statements ? Can't seem to find anywhere. Thanks.

These get posted on the Nominet governance website, can't remember the date but I think it's any day now.

 

[dee]

Thank you. That's probably why I couldn't find them

 

[Edwin]

These get posted on the Nominet governance website, can't remember the date but I think it's any day now.

"Later this week" seems to be the broad consensus on the Nominet forum. So watch this space...

 

[martin-s]

I will also be voting for David Thornton again... snip ... He focuses on the problems that really matter to the members and always puts them first.

I don't honestly know how you can say that. A strong attendance record is the least you could expect and a vote for David is a vote for "more of the same." Nominet needs less of a "yes" man, and more someone who is willing to stand up for the membership and moderate the Executive's misdirected enthusiasm.

David's time in the role has proven that he won't/can't do that.

 

[RobM]

In his defence I think it's a case of 'can't' instead of 'won't'.

 

[Edwin]

In his defence I think it's a case of 'can't' instead of 'won't'.

Not really. If he "couldn't" there was no need for him to proactively defend a Nominet stance he didn't agree with. He could have done what he could in the board meetings, and that's that. But instead he was vigorously proactive in banging the drum for Nominet... Their biggest ever cheerleader on Acorn, by a very wide margin.

You don't disagree with something and simultaneously sing its praises to the heavens. If you're pragmatic, you grudgingly accept that you have little influence over that aspect of policy, but continue to try to exert what influence you can. But you certainly don't publicly defend what you don't agree with!

 

[RobM]

I think once he realised he had absolutely no power to do anything and was just a token he decided not to bite the hand that was feeding him and started licking it to make sure he carried on being fed. The same will happen to every NED.