Main Page/Governance

LFP governance documents

Voting

Voting procedures

Most decisions in LFP happen via rough consensus. When deciding on bigger things like organizational endorsements, or if a member (plus a second) asks that a decision be put to a vote, we use the following voting structure.

Voting takes place on the main LFP listserv. Someone introduces a subject to be voted on, and there are two weeks for discussion and consensus building. This time period can be extended with an LFP member and a second asking for more time. After the discussion period has completed, there is one week for voting, and a form for voting is distributed to the group. Here is a template for voting that we should adapt for our own use: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSest2OkaEGEq__BrB7ycrVy19PY9zG97HAHBPG46wsBeOjBZQ/viewform

Votes take place using a "Fist to Five" voting method.

Fist to Five is accomplished by raising hands as in voting, with the number of fingers raised that indicates level of agreement.

• A fist means, “I vote NO.” or in consensus it means , “I object and will block consensus (usually on moral grounds).”
• 1 finger means, “I’ll just barely go along.” or, “I don’t like this but it’s not quite a no.” or, “I think there is lots more work to do on this proposal.” In consensus this indicates standing aside, or not being in agreement but not blocking the consensus.
• 2 fingers means “I don’t much like this but I’ll go along.”
• 3 fingers means, “I’m in the middle somewhere. Like some of it, but not all.”
• 4 fingers means, “This is fine.”
• 5 fingers means, “I like this a lot, I think it’s the best possible decision.”

At the end of the week, the votes are tallied. Measures will pass with 55% of the voting body in favor. The decision is shared on the listserv and recorded here on the wiki.