Forum:Procedure for unanimous consent
I am proposing a new method to handle community proposals, called unanimous consent. This is based off the like-named principle that is part of various rules of order.
Unanimous consent is a technique used in discussions to expedite the passage of non-controversial proposals or ideas. In the context of The Sims Wiki, I would like to use this tool to allow community input and objection to proposals by others, without necessarily insisting upon a community discussion for every idea or proposal that someone may have.
Below I've drafted up a list of rules for how such a tool would function. I am proposing that this text (or something else that we agree upon) be added to the wiki's voting policy.
- Unanimous consent
Any user who meets voting requirements may propose unanimous consent to adopt a matter that is either under discussion or that might be placed under discussion. The proposal for unanimous consent should include a description of what is being consented to. Unanimous consent may be requested at the beginning of a discussion, or during discussion on a particular matter.
Once unanimous consent is requested, any user meeting the voting requirements may object to consent. When objecting, the user should include a brief explanation of why they are choosing to object; users do not need to object to the matter under discussion itself in order to object to the use of unanimous consent. If any eligible user objects to unanimous consent, then unanimous consent fails and the proposal is discussed and handled through the normal discussion, consensus and/or voting processes. If no user objects to a request for unanimous consent within five days, then the matter being considered is deemed to have received community consensus and is adopted.
Unanimous consent may only be requested once for a particular matter under discussion, and may not be requested if users demonstrate opposition to a proposal in the discussion. Discussions in progress may continue while a unanimous consent request is being considered. Requests for unanimous consent may not be made in user rights request/nomination discussions.
The idea here is to reduce the number of dead threads on the Comm. Discussions Forum, by reducing the number of proposals that have wide community support but relatively little active public support. In these cases, discussions can be derailed or even fail because people weren't vocal enough in their support, even though no one voiced an objection to what was being discussed. The unanimous consent provision also allows for anyone who objects to what is being proposed to stop such unanimous consent from passing, thereby forcing the issue into either discussion or vote. Matters agreed to under unanimous consent would be considered matters of community consensus, since the community did not dissent to their passage during the proposal.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. Otherwise, please let me know what you think, if you agree or disagree, if you have any changes in mind, etc. -- LiR talk • blog • contribs 18:15, January 1, 2016 (UTC)
Discussion[edit source]
Worth giving a try. I'm inclined to support this proposal, largely to clear out the dead threads at TSW:CD. —k6ka 🍁 (Talk · Contributions) 19:08, January 1, 2016 (UTC)
Given the favorable response here, I have implemented the rule as written into TSW:VOTE. -- LiR talk • blog • contribs 07:50, January 17, 2016 (UTC)