This thread is an explanation of the new Local Mod Election. This is an alternative to the local mod applications that were previously used to pick local mods. Depending on how this first attempt at using this system goes it may become a more regular way to fill local mod positions.

This is how it will work - anyone who wants to be on the "ballot" will send a PM to the global mod inbox. Each person will be evaluated for suitability and then a list of people who are available to be voted on will be made public.

These people will then be able to create a thread where they are allowed to campaign for votes and answer questions that can be posed by other members. These threads must be made in the "Your Forum" After a short amount of time (likely a week) a poll will be created listing the candidates in which people will be allowed to vote for the person they would like to see promoted to local mod. After the vote is done the person with the most votes becomes a local mod.


Rules (breaking any of these could result in disqualification from the election):
1. No buying votes (no using Viz, trust points or other favors to get people to vote for you)
2. No talking about other candidates. This is about what YOU have to offer and not talking down about the other candidates.
3. Only 1 thread per candidate. I don't want to see people making threads all over the place trying to garner attention.
4. Minimal advertising in other threads. You can add something to your signature if you want but do not advertise in the main body of your post.
5. If anyone who chooses to participate stops taking the process seriously (from the staff's point of view) that person will no longer be eligible to participate.

I hope this thread makes sense. This is the first time trying this method out and it may or may not go well. Feel free to clarify anything in this thread. Just don't announce you plan to run in this thread. That is to be PM'd to the global mod inbox only.

Hmm, interesting idea. I'm excited to see how this turns out. I do have a question, though. Who votes for the mods? Anyone, or just staff? Also, what would one say in the PM? Is there any info needed or just a generic "I'm signing up for mod?"

TheFadedWarrior : I'm excited about this change as well.

To answer your question, the whole point of this is to make the users feel more involved with the process, so we've all been talking about it and came to the conclusion that this is the best way to get the users more engaged with whom gets hired in as local. After the "campaigns" from the users interested in running for the spot, the USERS will have the ability to vote for whom they think is best for the job.

While I understand that it is an opportunity for all users to get involved, maybe there should be requirements for who should be able to vote or not? There may be already and I may not be seeing them, but if there are not, I believe there should. All Newbies shouldn't be able to vote, and maybe some Members who don't have 'x' number of posts, or 'x' number of TP. This is because people who are barely familiar with the Board can't really skew the voting by just randomly clicking someone, or so some candidate doesn't make an alt. Otherwise, I really like this idea and can't wait to see it in effect.

Oats : while I agree with you in theory I also don't see a lot of newbies or "newer" members voting that much. At least not in the numbers it would take to sway the vote significantly.

I would agree that there is a chance that it could be skewed by people making re-regs and using those to add to their vote count. And if that happens to be discovered then that person would no longer be eligible or would be demoted from staff as soon as it was found out.

geeogree :

Also, another thing: Would it be possible for people to be voted out, like an impeachment? Perhaps if there was a large number of Trusted Members that didn't find them fair but they didn't do anything against the written rules? I know it's probably a stupid question, but would that be possible?

geeogree : Do you really see people doing that?  It seems as though it would be..... too much work, and that any such offenders would have to be a little obsessed. haha!


So just out of curiosity, the survey to apply is no longer needed?  And does an applying mod have to say what forums they would want to mod?

I'm happy that you guys chose to move forward with the mod election idea. It'll hopefully be perceived as 'more fair' by the majority of people (though I personally don't think most previous promotions were unfair), and hopefully will help bring the community as a whole closer to the mod team.

Oats : there is a screening process that the applicants will go through. We're not going to let just anybody run. However, we also don't want to exclude too many people on grounds that may not be justified.

However, if I had enough people come to me and say that a candidate was bad I might consider removing them. Although, if there were enough saying that then I imagine that same person likely isn't getting a lot of votes.

Singelli : I don't see it as a likely thing but if it is done the person will lose their spot (or if they lost any future chance at being a mod).

The survey application will still exist and may be used in the future depending on how this goes.

Is the survey application going to be posted, then?

Or did I miss it somewhere?   (If I did, Sorry!)

Singelli : the survey is not being used for the election.... it may get used if we need another mod down the road if this method doesn't work out well.

With only one spot to fill, the election will be an intense battle.

I agree it's a more fair procedure, but as somebody has already told me, there's a chance a good candidate might not get voted for not being popular within the userbase. I don't think it will come to that, but not many people realize they must vote the best candidate and not their best friend.

Singelli : Our last forum selection was last week, I personally believe the promoted mod should be given the spots that User has left vacant until his/her testing period is over, which would be June, just in time for the summer.

You should also check the mods of every forum, you will notice something different from past instances.

EX Palen : So there would be something like a trial period for the person who gets picked?

EX Palen : oh?? I'm intrigued now.  haha. Let's have me go look and see if I'm terribly slow or if I catch on!

Edit: oooooh, so mods are hired per forum AREA.... nice!

geeogree :  Oh alright. That's kind of what I meant by asking if the survey application was going to be used.

So hiring IS going on right now, but through election and not survey?  And when elections aren't ongoing, that's when the survey would be used as needed?

Singelli : we're giving the election process a try. I want to see the kind of person the members pick that they think makes a good mod. I've been a staff member on various message boards for upwards of 15 years. That's longer than some members have been alive . I've likely got a different idea of who would make a good mod and who wouldn't. However, I want to see who the members think is good. Depending on who they pick (and how that person performs) will decided if this method is used again or if we go back to the survey application method.


And I agree, the person getting this spot will take over User's forums for now. It's too much work to rearrange everyone again after having gotten it set just a few weeks ago.

Singelli : And is even nicer to see we don't overlap sections with each other and how our sections are aligned. 

It looks way better this way than it did before, and is also balanced for all mods. I remember some mods having double the amount of forums than me, and when a mod stepped down back then, it completely messed up the structure of some forums.

zanderlex : It's not what you think. It's basically giving the new mod a bit of time to adapt to the position. Of course, he/she won't be demoted for missing quota in the first months, but those months will serve as a trial to see if he/she can manage the role, the quotas and the responsibilities.

You can see that half the mods hired in late September aren't in the team anymore, and that's because they struggled so much with quotas.

zanderlex : every new mod had 3 months to prove that they can handle the job and quota. If they can't get their posting up to snuff then they lose their spots. It's been that way for a while.

Obviously the spot can be lost sooner with poor judgement but if not then every new mod gets 3 months to prove themselves.

The one thing I'm concerned about with this mod election is that users might base their decisions solely on who they chat with, rather than how qualified they are for the position. Is there any way to prevent something like this from happening?

gamerforlifeforever2 : by talking about the reasons for voting for someone. There isn't much else we can do. Look at elections around the world and tell me the absolute best person gets picked every time. They don't. It's as simple as that. More often than not people get picked for superficial reasons rather than substantial reasons. I'm not voting that way but there are always people who will.

geeogree : BLASPHEMY! Making the people in that not insult others is like a presidential election without insulting or donald trump! I deem this as madness!