Linux Australia election results are in - but is there a mandate?

By David M Williams
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 06:19

Opinion and Analysis

Linux Australia has completed its 2009 election process with a new executive and committee announced. Yet, can the organisation maintain its claim to being the peak body when voter turnout suggests major disinterest?

Linux Australia has completed its annual election process again. Up for grabs were four executive roles and three ordinary committee member positions.

Only one hopeful contested each of the four major positions, three of whom were the incumbents. Stewart Smith continues as President for another year, Stephen Walsh as Vice President and Anthony Towns as Treasurer.

Leah Duncan was successful in her campaign for Secretary, and is a new face, to the executive at least, not to the organisation as a whole.

Where things hotted up was with the three ordinary committee member vacancies which were challenged by seven hopefuls.

The victors are Sridhar Dhanapalan, Ben Powell and Melissa Draper. All three have been long involved in the work of Linux Australia, Linux.Conf.Au and state and local Linux user groups. To these people, congratulations.

What disturbs me about the election, however, is the dismal voter "turnout," as it were, of a mere 66 people.

(For the record, I threw my hat in the ring as an ordinary committee member. I received an impressive 12 first preference votes. To the other 11 people I am truly humbled by your kind support! Of course, I was the first one out!)

If Linux Australia is the peak body how can it have only 66 people across the entire nation who were interested enough to cast a vote? Presumably 11 - or 17% - were the people who stood for roles.

Out of everyone who participated in Linux.Conf.Au, out of every Linux user group in the country, out of every person who is on the membership list of Linux Australia, only another 55 people could muster the enthusiasm to express a preference.

Interestingly, 58 (out of 66) people voted for the President, Secretary and Treasurer but "only" 57 for the Vice President. Was this a faux pas where one energetic soul pressed the tab key twice by mistake, or was it some form of digital slap in the face?

Nevertheless, can President Stewart Smith genuinely assert to government and educators and corporations that he represents the interests of Linux users throughout the country when only a tiny number of them were sufficiently motivated to vote?