Board Elections FAQ

Read on to learn about the Global Voices Board of Directors.

Ivan Sigal, Executive Director of GV, along with 2017 GV board members Annie Zaman, Marianne Diaz, James Deane, Rebecca MacKinnon, and Ethan Zuckerman.

[From the left] Ivan Sigal, Executive Director of GV, along with 2017 GV board members Annie Zaman, Marianne Diaz, James Deane, Rebecca MacKinnon, and Ethan Zuckerman.

What is the Global Voices board all about?

Like all nonprofit foundations, GV is governed by a board of directors. You can see the members of the current board here.

What's the structure of the GV board?

The current GV board of directors comprises nine seats. Two of these seats are reserved for the founders of GV (Ethan and Rebecca), three for the GV community members, and four external for other individuals of the board's choosing.

Who are the current GV community board members?

Gabriela García Calderón is the current Contractors’ Representative, and Juke Carolina Bransiecq and Subhashish Panigrahi are the current Volunteers’ Representatives.

What are the obligations of GV community board members?

The GV community board representatives ensure that the organisation serves the best interests of GV community members. They are the community's spokespeople at the board level and the channel for community perspectives for the board. As such, they should be in regular touch with you all to listen to and familiarise themselves with your opinions and concerns. Of course, this does not mean you cannot directly approach Ivan, Georgia, or any other section heads. Still, neither Ivan, Georgia, nor any section heads can vote on board matters, so the representatives play a vital role.

How often does the GV board meet?

The GV board meets at least once each quarter, i.e., four times a year. Most meetings take place by conference call.

How do people become part of the GV board?

The GV community elects the GV community board members, and the entire board appoints the external board members.

For how long do GV board members serve?

The co-founders have two permanent seats. The term of office for all GV board members is three years and ends following the first call after elections. Board members can be reappointed or re-elected to serve a second term at the end of that period.

Who's in charge of running the election and counting the votes?

The board appointed Ivan and Georgia as the people to set up and run the election. Therefore, this means that Ivan and Georgia will not be eligible to run or vote.

How are the candidates nominated?

A community member can nominate who they think is the best candidate. They can nominate themselves too!

What are the eligibility requirements for candidates?

The Contractors’ Representative candidate can be any GV community member who: 1) heads a Global Voices’ department (i.e., Global Voices, Rising Voices, Advox, Lingua) or an editorial or translation team (i.e., Newsroom Editors, Translation Managers) and 2) who has posted to a GV website at least four times in the calendar year before elections.

The Volunteers’ Representatives candidate can be any GV community member who: 1) does NOT head a Global Voices’ department (i.e., Global Voices, Rising Voices, Advox, Lingua) or an editorial or translation team (i.e., Newsroom Editors, Translation Managers) and 2) who has posted to a GV website at least four times in the calendar year before elections.

What methods can candidates use to conduct their campaigns?

Candidates can use any reasonable method to conduct their campaigns, including email, photos, images, audio, video, and VoIP.

Can candidates use GV mailing lists to conduct their campaigns?

Yes, candidates may use the GV Community Google Group for campaign purposes once the communications are clearly labelled “GV Election Campaign Message.”

Can a candidate be disqualified?

Any candidate who maligns another candidate or removes, defaces, or in any other way interferes with another candidate's campaign materials or who orders another to do such on their behalf will face immediate disqualification from the election. We're pretty sure, however, that no GVer would ever stoop to such a level.

Who's eligible to vote?

Any member of the Global Voices community who: 1) has been a member of the community for at least three months before elections and 2) who has posted to a GV website within five years before elections can vote in the election. A list of eligible voters is circulated enough time before elections.

How will people cast their votes?

You'll cast your votes via an online platform. Then, we'll send you more information and detailed instructions for voting closer to the voting date.

Will everybody vote for both the contractors’ and volunteers’ representatives?

Yes! Every eligible voter will have three votes: one to cast in the Contractors’ election and two in the Volunteers’ election.

How will the winners be determined?

In the Contractors’ election, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes will be considered the winner. In the Volunteers’ election, the top two candidates receiving the largest number of votes will be regarded as the winners.

If you have any other questions about the elections, please don't hesitate to ask the Managing Director.