The existing general governance voting framework, while robust, requires careful adaptation to facilitate the election of the xGov council. This new task in fact presents a distinct challenge: the selection of 11 counselors from an initial pool of 22 candidates. Unlike previous voting instances where the success of individual measures was independent of others, this process necessitates a reliable mechanism to accurately “sort” the candidate list based on the collective preferences of the entire community. This adaptation will be crucial to ensure the legitimacy and effectiveness of the xGov council, reflecting the true will of the decentralized governance participants.
We are therefore introducing a new vote counting mechanism designed to provide a more nuanced and representative outcome. Governors now have three ways to express their preference for each candidate:
- Yes: This option signifies a positive endorsement of a candidate.
- No: This option explicitly indicates that a governor does not want a particular candidate to be elected.
- Abstain: This option allows a governor to express no strong preference for or against a candidate, likely due to the lack of knowledge about the candidate.
The Power of Explicit Rejection
The inclusion of an explicit “No” option is a significant improvement over traditional approval-only voting systems. Here’s why we think it’s better:
- Discourages “Least Bad” Choices: In systems where only approval is possible, voters might approve candidates they don’t fully support simply because they are perceived as the “least bad” option among undesirable choices. Explicit rejection allows voters to actively voice their opposition to candidates perceived unsuitable, preventing them from gaining seats through a lack of strong alternatives.
- Highlights Strong Opposition: A high number of No votes for a candidate clearly signals a significant portion of the electorate’s disapproval, even if that candidate also receives some approval votes. This provides a more accurate picture of a candidate’s overall sentiment among the governors.
- Promotes More Representative Outcomes: By factoring in negative preferences, the new mechanism helps to filter out candidates who might have moderate approval but also significant opposition. This leads to a council composed of individuals who not only have a base of support but also do not face strong disapproval from a large segment of the electorate.
- Reduces Strategic Voting: When voters can only approve, they might engage in strategic voting, approving candidates they don’t truly endorse to prevent a less preferred candidate from winning. The reject option can reduce the need for such strategic maneuvers, encouraging more honest and direct expression of preferences.
How the Winners are Determined
The winning list of candidates is determined by a simple calculation:
- For each candidate, the total number of No votes is subtracted from the total number of Yes votes.
- Candidates are then sorted in descending order based on this calculated score (Yes Votes - No Votes).
- The first 11 candidates on this sorted list will constitute the first xGov council.
This new voting mechanism, particularly the introduction of explicit rejection, aims to create a more robust and truly representative xGov council, ensuring that the elected governors reflect a broader and more accurate sentiment of the community.
Reserve List
The elected xGov council is expected to be in operation for a year. Furthermore, the two non-elected candidates with the highest scores will form a reserve list for the first year, ready to step in should any elected council members be unable to fulfill their duties, thus ensuring continuity and stability for the xGov council if needed.