[VVSG-post-election] Reviewing terms in the VVSG glossary each week
Wack, John (Fed)
In the interoperability working group, we've been discussing the VVSG glossary that we have online on the twiki. I think we all could agree that the current method for updating the glossary is not so usable and therefore we likely will be moving to something that makes it easier for people to collaborate. In the meantime, I am going to start sending out terms from the glossary each Monday and asking you to send any corrections/feedback you might have on those terms. This was suggested on our most recent interoperability working group telecon, and I hope you won't mind seeing these emails and will contribute your thoughts if you see that one or more of the terms needs some work.
All the terms are from the glossary located at
http://collaborate.nist.gov/voting/bin/view/Voting/Glossary
A good number of the terms have definitions that incorporate other terms in the glossary, e.g., the definition for 1-of-N uses N-of-M. In this case, you will see that N-of-M is a hypertext link to the definition. The definition for N-of-M itself has links to other terms, so it can get complicated but at the same time it seems like a good way to make sure terms are very precise, which is highly important. For any given term whose definition includes other terms, I will include those other terms in what I send to you.
Furthermore, each terms definition can have some other fields that are not strictly part of the definition but are useful. These fields are: Discussion, Notes, See Also, Abbreviation, and Synonyms (synonyms are other terms that mean the same, for example, Parish means the same as County and therefore would be a synonym).
It being Wednesday, I will take it easy on you and only send one term, however this term's definition does incorporate other term definitions :-). Please feel free to comment on or add to this definition.
Thank you in advance, John
This week's term: 1-of-N
1-of-N
Preferred definition: N-of-M voting where N = 1.
Discussion:
Notes:
See Also:
Abbreviation:
Synonyms:
N-of-M:
Preferred definition: Voting variation in which the voter is entitled to allocate a fixed number of votes (N) over a list of M contest choices or write-ins, with the constraint that at most 1 vote may be allocated to a given contest choice.
Discussion: The voter is not obliged to allocate all N votes.
Notes:
See also: cumulative voting
Abbreviation:
Synonyms:
contest choice:
Preferred definition: That with which a vote in a given ballot position is associated (e.g., a candidate, or the value Yes or the value No).
Discussion:
Notes:
See also:
Abbreviation:
Synonyms:
write-in:
Preferred definition: Vote for a candidate who is explicitly named by the voter in lieu of choosing a candidate who is already listed on the ballot.
Discussion: This does not preclude writing in the name of the candidate who is already listed on the ballot.
Notes:
See also:
Abbreviation:
Synonyms:
Deutsch, Herb
There are also many other vote for N situations such as exact vote for where you must make N selections for your vote to be counted. But that would be a different definition no matter what term is used.
From: vvsg-interoperability-bounces at nist.gov [mailto:vvsg-interoperability-bounces at nist.gov] On Behalf Of David Cary
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 4:44 PM
To: Wack, John (Fed); vvsg-interoperability; vvsg-pre-election; vvsg-election; vvsg-post-election; vvsg-human-factors; vvsg-cybersecurity
Subject: Re: [VVSG-interoperability] Reviewing terms in the VVSG glossary each week
A couple of preliminary questions:
Is it expected that material put in the "Discussion" section will be part of the VVSG glossary entry, or is that section primarily just for maintainers of the glossary?
Are you interested in feedback on the related terms as well, whether explicitly identified (e.g. this week "N of M) or not (e.g. this week "contest choice"), or should suggested revisions for those additional terms wait until they are part of a future week's primary listing?
On the term "1 of M":
-- Need to rename this term, for example to "vote-for-1". The "M" is entirely extraneous and irrelevant and does not deserve to be part of the term or the definition.
-- The primary definition should be independent of the definition of "N of M" or the better term that replaces it, e.g. "vote-for-N". Make it easy to understand the glossary entry for the more common situation without having to reference a more complicated situation.
Suggested Revisions (with other glossary-defined terms underlined)
Primary Definition (minimal other terminology changes):
voting variation for a single-winner contest that allows a voter to assign one vote to one contest choice.
Primary Definition (with other anticipated terminology changes):
election method for a single-winner contest that allows a voter to assign one vote to one contest option.
Suggested Discussion
This is a special case of N of M [vote-for-N], where N = 1.
-- David Cary