Vote, vote, vote.

[icarus]

I have two favors to ask of you.

First: Vote.

Second: Post about the Livejournal representative election. Urge your friendslist to vote and then post about the vote.

If massive numbers of fandomers surge to vote, then we will have our pick of fandom candidates. Instead of being a race between an anti-fandom candidate, jameth and fandom candidate legomymalfoy, we can have a race between legomymalfoy and rm.

I know we can easily reach 14,000 fandomers. I've added up the f-lists of those who've posted about the vote already. And you don't have to wait. Because you can change your mind between now and Thursday.

The three top fandom candidates:

legomymalfoy
rm
vichan

As of this moment, the numbers are:

jameth - 2508 (17.8%)
legomymalfoy - 3785 (26.9%)
rm - 1522 (10.8%)
vichan - 707 (5.0%)

I've nothing against this guy personally, but I don't like his paranoid campaign and troll history.
jameth attacked fandom once he fell behind, accusing us of sockpuppeting with up to 200 puppets per fandomer (seriously?) all based on an "anonymous tip." (Other moments that smack of conspiracy theories include fears that LJ is locking in votes and jameth blaming legomymalfoy for a supporter being kicked off IRC chat by burr86. Let's not forget the backhanded pre-emptive swipes at all the candidates, with the caption "I don't think _my_ platform is going to change. Not sure about anyone else's, though." Not someone I would want to work with. For more paranoia: He now fears Legomymalfoy's ahead because the LJ support team doesn't like him.)

Longstanding fandomers like telesilla (whom you might remember from her reporting of strikethrough and FanLib) and caras_galadhon and others, remind us jameth is a known troll, while bethbethbeth points out the strongly anti-fandom attitude of his supporters, which he's made no effort to contradict.

But hey, let's plague an epileptic's journal with flashing icons!
So I guess it should come as no surprise that his supporters are deliberately posting flashing icons in the comments of an epileptic's journal. At least one other epileptic has been affected, so turn off graphics if you click to rydra_wong's journal. The bigdecision08 community which is run by three jameth supporters has posted about this, unfortunately directing jameth's supporters to her journal. I've asked jameth what, since he's seeking a leadership role and has been comfortable telling people to vote for him in all three categories, does he have to say about this? So far, although he's fine with directing people to vote for him and then null out in all categories, not a peep. To rydra_wong it's not his problem. Nice guy. ETA: I asked him about it and he replied "what post?" This guy's totally full of shit. He'd already replied to rydra_wong's post several times. He's attempting to run on his RL credentials, but I've learned in comments here that someone who's worked with him IRL "does not have complimentary things to say about his skills with dealing with people."

I've collected endorsements of legomymalfoy here.

I've collected endorsements of rm here.

We've got great candidates. The current second-place candidate is someone I don't want, I don't know about you. He is anti-fandom.

Comments

[auntie-maim.livejournal.com]

I don't expect to you vote for him. I just think it's ridiculous to claim he's running a smear campaign while fandom is running a pretty aggressive smear campaign against him. I think that's the only reason this has turned so wanktastic. Fandom made it a personal attack against jameth and his Flist. Don't get me wrong, I understand that his/our side has said quite a few things that weren't the most positive, myself included. But your side isn't innocent either.

Don't vote for him, whatever. That's your prerogative. But there's no reason for personal attacks on any side of this thing.

Why would I support jameth? Honestly? Because he's fun. He doesn't take things too seriously. I honestly believe he cares. If he were elected to an advisory position, I think he would take his post seriously. He might not be involved in fandom, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't represent them fairly.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I honestly believe he cares.

I'm not so sure. I spent some time this afternoon talking to him, getting a feel for what he's like. And while I'll agree that he doesn't take things seriously -- and when he gets pissed off he manages to retreat to a light tone -- I caught him in one lie, and a lot of wheel-spinning and shuck & jive. I didn't hear any sincerity from him.

[auntie-maim.livejournal.com]

That's neither here nor there. If you don't want to vote for him, don't vote for him. Talk up your candidates and we'll do the same. Everyone needs to quit with the mudslinging.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Tell you what. If he puts down his false accusations of fandom using sockpuppets to vote -- which as a member of fandom I find personally insulting, and a desperate ploy on his part -- then I won't actively campaign against him. But if he continues his negative campaign, then he'll just have to accept the dislike he has incited.

Personally? I think it was a mistake on his part to attack fandom. He should have portrayed himself as inclusive. After slamming us? He'll never convince fandom to vote for him.

[auntie-maim.livejournal.com]

I can only provide him with a link to this conversation. What he does from there is his decision.

When exactly did he attack fandom? So much has happened in the past few days, it's hard to keep track of who said what first. Right now, it's just so much "NUH UH! YOU SAID IT FIRST!"

Ugh! So much trouble started over such a meaningless position.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

He and I had a long back-and-forth conversation this afternoon. He has always been welcome to come to my journal.

[cambler.livejournal.com]

I can speak for myself, as a candidate.

I have not accused fandom of sockpuppet voting. I have, however, accused this election of having sockpuppet voting.

There are those who claimed it wasn't possible. It's been conclusively shown that it is.

I've had two individuals claim to have done it to the tune of 70 and 200 accounts. I can't verify their claims, of course, but it seems logical to me that if something can be done, it will be done.

It will likely be done by both sides, to be honest.

So what do we have if that's true?

A fraudulent election.

And as someone who had no chance to win in the first place, I have nothing to lose by calling it as I see it. My goal was to get my positions out there, and I've done that.

But that doesn't change the fact that I find that multiple voting renders this election moot. At best.

(Edit to correct a doozy of a grammar error)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

jameth has specifically pointed legomymalfoy (largely fandom) supporters and accused them of sockpuppet voting.

As a fandom supporter who voted for legomymalfoy, I'm insulted.

I've had two individuals claim to have done it to the tune of 70 and 200 accounts.

From our prior conversation you already know my views on that. I don't know anyone who can maintain that number of RPG journals (which are more work than a normal journal) and it is incredibly uncommon (in fact, unheard of by me) for people to have more than one or two. But we've been down this road already.

Bottom line: I don't buy it. And if they're telling you, then they must have voted for you. Obviously it didn't impact your chances.

[cambler.livejournal.com]

The 70 is RP. The 200 is a troll - self-identified, in fact.

Both of them said that they did not vote for me. I think my numbers can bear that out.

But even if they're both lying, it can still be done. And RP users with 10 or 20 accounts, of which there are more than enough, could do it.

If it can be done, it will be done. To think otherwise is putting your head in the sand.

As for what Jameth said, he said that his tip named malfoy. So did mine. But in both cases, those are simply tips. I never asked anyone to take my word for it.

But now that we have people posting that they've actually done it, a few with 3 accounts, one with ten accounts... well, the die is cast. Because those who do it with more surely aren't going to out themselves.

So presume that all candidates are honest and encouraged no such thing. I'm prepared to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Doesn't change the fact that it's still being done.

The vote is moot.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

And you believe this person?

Why would anyone go to the trouble to vote for someone 70 or 200 times -- and then reveal themselves? Wouldn't it be easier just to lie, and then point to the candidate you didn't want to win?

[cambler.livejournal.com]

Because I know them - as in real-life know them.

To her credit, the 70-account person retracted her votes today, afraid that she'd be caught and lose her RP accounts.

The other one, not so much. He doesn't care, he thinks it's funny.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Good, I'm glad she retracted them.

In my fandom circles, which represents a sizeable portion of the people voting for legomymalfoy, I have never heard of anyone having that many RP journals. Two, maybe a couple of old dead ones lying around, perhaps. It's not a big concern.

If one side's voting multiple times (why wouldn't your RL friends vote for you?) the other one probably is. They'll cancel each other out. Or do you think that jameth's supporters -- who tell me they're "in it for the lulz" -- aren't likely to vote multiple times?

[auntie-maim.livejournal.com]

Integrity. We has it.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

This still doesn't seem right.

Why wouldn't a friend of cambler vote for him? Why would someone come forward to the opposition to say "I cheated on behalf of your competitor"?

It doesn't make sense. I don't buy it.

[cambler.livejournal.com]

I honestly couldn't say if I think both sides would do it. My knee-jerk reaction is to say yes, but after Jameth asked people not to, I also think they likely wouldn't.

I think the RP contingent does, indeed, have less multiple account people in the 20+ range than do the trolls. But, that said, it's the trolls that worry me.

My RP friend said she voted for the fandom candidate because that's who she supports. I tend to hang out with honest people, in general, and she knows that she didn't hurt my feelings by speaking her mind.

The troll, again, not so much. I think there's a better chance that he feels that if there's enough stuffing, it'll create more drama. In any case, though, he's more of a real life "acquaintance" than friend, if you want to get the semantics straight. ;)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

My knee-jerk reaction is to say yes, but after Jameth asked people not to, I also think they likely wouldn't.

Will they? Oh good. Then Jameth can tell people to stop deliberately putting flashing icons in epileptics' journals.

Oh. Right. I remember now. He told me he can't influence people. Well. Based on what he said, nothing he says will prevent people from voting with multiple sockpuppet accounts.

My RP friend said she voted for the fandom candidate because that's who she supports. I tend to hang out with honest people, in general, and she knows that she didn't hurt my feelings by speaking her mind.

I have to say that I don't have a lot of respect for your friend, or her so-called honesty. If she was so honest, what was she doing voting for anyone with 70 sockpuppets in the first place?

But, that said, it's the trolls that worry me.

The trolls won't vote for legomymalfoy. They're more likely to vote for the "lulz" candidate, jameth. Or--most likely--vote randomly for someone who's losing badly, knowing troll behaviour. Or just lie about how many times they voted when in reality they voted, say, five times, to see if they could do it. Trolls don't tend to be trustworthy people. Or acquaintances.

Frankly, I've noticed you support jameth now. Jameth's cynically using this because he's losing. I see too many holes in what you're saying, and no proof whatsoever except your word. I don't know you. Even with someone I know, I'd have to see proof of something like this.

This story has holes like a collander.

[elf]

I've known of several people who have dozens of accounts, active and not... linked to the same email address.

Since voting is done by verified email address, having dozens of accounts doesn't give a person dozens of votes.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, that's a lot more than I knew. The two I have go to the same email.

I didn't even hear about this election until Friday night, and most people on my f-list were still saying "what election?" on Saturday. jameth accused fandom Friday (http://jameth.livejournal.com/4349665.html) before anyone woke up to there being an election.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

(Edit to correct a doozy of a grammar error)

I really have to learn how to edit comments myself.

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

Hi, just jumping in here to note that editing comments is actually a paid account feature, IIRC, which is why you've been having trouble figuring out how to do so. The only way for non-paid accounts to edit is to delete comments and repost.

Anyway, thanks for the linkage in your election posts over the last couple days. ^_^

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Aha! Mystery solved.

I want to thank you. Without your post I would never have known that regardless of the influence of the LJ Advisor post, we just don't want him on the same board as Bob Lessing.

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

No problem. I'm glad to be of service. The Advisory Board is currently made up of Brad (of course), Lessig, danah boyd (a PhD candidate at Berkeley who is very involved in studying social identity and culture on the internet, and who has a background in activism), and Esther Dyson (philanthropist, journalist and business owner who is active in tracking emerging digital technologies, and who also speaks fluent Russian).

Here's the announcement of the Advisory Board (http://community.livejournal.com/lj_2008/3384.html), actually. So while I know you know this, the Board is no small potatoes, and it's incredibly important that any additions made to it are people who are well-situated to understand the issues under discussion, and are people who can be taken seriously as representatives of the userbase.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm getting frustrated with legomymalfoy's not showing up for her own campaign.

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

I can understand wanting to keep away from swirling controversy, and I can understand real-world obligations coming up, or even not budgeting time for what has turned out to be rather hotly-contested election campaigns, but yeah, it would be nice for her to pop out of the woodwork and keep up with the campaign in a more visible way.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

She may not have to. jameth has now done this (http://jameth.livejournal.com/4367477.html).

It's like someone knocked out jameth-the-candidate, locked him in a trunk, and hired MsScribe to play the perfect troll to advance legomymalfoy's campaign.