New Voting System

[Sharp]

Over the years, TBA leaders have relied on club members to provide feedback about anime that is shown at each meeting. We've always had a fairly casual approach, gathering opinions from anybody who happened to be in earshot and encouraging people to post on the forums. While this system has served fairly well, it sometimes leads to vagueness, uncertainty and misunderstanding.

Kyoko Sensei and I believe that the time has come for a stronger system that will allow us to more completely balance our two main goals: exposing the club to new anime showing the club what they enjoy seeing. Here's how it will work.

The Basics
1. Every series is granted a 4-episode trial.
2. During the series' trial, the club will vote on it after every meeting.
3. Each member can vote to continue the series, or to drop the series.

The Trial
4. After the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd episodes, the following rules apply:

a. If 3/4 or more of the club votes to drop the series, it will not be shown anymore.
b. If less than 3/4 of the club votes to drop the series, another episode will be shown at the next meeting.
c. Anyone who abstains from voting will be counted as if they voted to continue the series.

The Final Vote
5. After the 4th episode, the series' trial ends and a final vote will be held to continue or drop the series. The following rules apply for the final vote:

a. If more than 1/2 of the club votes to drop the series, it will not be shown anymore.
b. If 1/2 or more of the club votes to continue the series, all episodes in the current season of the series will be shown.
c. Anyone who abstains from voting will be counted as if they voted to continue the series.

Absentee Voting
6. Anyone not present at a meeting may place a vote on the forums, in the thread listing the lineup of the last meeting.
7. Votes will be counted until midnight of the Saturday immediately following each meeting.
8. Final voting results will be posted in the lineup thread after the absentee voting period expires.

Omake
9. The President reserves the 7th anime shown at any meeting as Omake. Any anime (or otherwise) can be shown at this time, at their discretion.
10. Omake will only be shown if time permits.
11. Anime shown as Omake may be given a trial and allowed to be voted on at the President's discretion.
12. In the event that someone other than the President shows anime for a meeting, that person may show anything for Omake, but they may not initiate a trial or a vote for it.

Record Keeping
13. The Vice President is responsible for collecting votes after each meeting. If the Vice President is not available, the President will appoint another person to collect votes.

Punishment
14. If the President does not post the meeting lineup by midnight of the Monday (Monday night, 11:59 PM) immediately following a meeting, he must buy cookies for every member present at the next meeting.

One goal of these rules is to allow the club see new anime despite early misgivings, while also allowing them to get rid of a much-hated show quickly. That's why it is harder to get rid of a show during its trial.

During the final vote, however, it is only slightly easier for the club to keep the series going than it is to get rid of it. By the time the final vote comes, those who like the show are likely to have gotten attached to it, and we want those people to enjoy it. We feel that if there is only one person between showing and dropping a show, we should give the show the edge and continue watching it.

The Omake rule is there to give the President a little leeway in bringing a little spice to the meeting. I'll probably use it most often to show a second episode of a show we're watching that has passed its trial, but I may use it from time-to-time to show something offbeat, something unlike everything else we're watching, or for any other reason.

Finally, we have placed stricter rules on ourselves about record keeping. (I mean it about the cookies.) For this to really work, we need to provide members with as much information as possible, so they can make a fair decision. We want this to be as fair as possible, while allowing us a solid fallback, should disputes arise.

So, what do you guys think? Does this sound fair and reasonable?

[Titan_X]

I think it sounds fair and reasonable. I'm eager to see it in action.

Also, what kind of cookies?

[Sharp]

President's discretion.

[Fantaisie-Tristesse]

Wow, what a clever system ^^ I really like that!

[The Dawson]

With all this talk of cookies, there better be some at the meeting!!!!!!!

[holmes1701]

mmm cookies
sounds like it should work takes the guesing out.
thumbs up!!!

[Sharp]

Originally Posted by The Dawson

With all this talk of cookies, there better be some at the meeting!!!!!!!

Hey man, relax. A bit demanding, aren't we? Anyway, there's always cookies at Perkins.

[Pocky Whore]

I like this system. I'll not be at this weeks meeting, gonna go see eva on sat.

[The Dawson]

you can never go wrong when cookies are involved!

[Kitsune_rei]

This seems like a good solution to the earlier discussion. I think hopefully people will be more consistent about casting a vote if they don't have to go out on a limb and actually talk about the shows when posting. It did seem like unfortunately only a small number of members were vocal about their feelings on our shows. It was also hard to know what people who do not regularly post on forums had said that the prez would still take into account when deciding what to do about a series. (I'll admit I considered K-ON a DS time show, maybe it gets better later or something. I've also had most of my suggestions shot down when we actually watched them but I watched them all at home so its ok )

The Omake seems like a good idea to still allow the president some control and ability to throw in stuff in the mix. This will also keep people from being disappointed if their anime happens to be last and time doesn't permit for it to be shown.

I was wondering if there will be a neutral voting option? I don't really want to vote on something I havn't seen, but I'm not always able to make meetings.

Mmm cookies
Wait that gives people incentive to try to cut out your internet...