The recently announced result of the poll to reorganize
rec.collecting.stamps into rec.collecting.stamps.discuss and
rec.collecting.stamps.marketplace is being invalidated.

The reason for this invalidation is the vote buying engaged in by
Gregory K Deeter <philate...@worldnet.att.net>.  Ample evidence has
been presented indicating that Mr. Deeter campaigned heavily for
defeat of the proposal by soliciting NO votes in exchange for $50
worth of stamps.  Such an abuse of the the already fragile system is
intolerable, and I see no reason why the fair-minded people of the net
need to abide the result.

Since the vote has been officially invalidated, it is able to be
retaken immediately without the usual six month delay of a failed
vote.  I have asked Mr. Aten, coordinator of the Usenet Volunteer
Votetakers, to set up a votetaker.  This revote will be scrutinized
for any improprieties, not only vote buying but also either side
distributing (mis-)information to an audience which is not accessible
by the other.

I thank the votetaker, Jim Davis, for the fine job he did in
collecting and analyzing the ballots in this unusual vote.

David Lawrence
moderator, news.announce.newgroups