Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Vote or Stand aside?

[R Philip Dowds (rpdowds]

In Sociocracy, and the more purist forms of consensus decision-making, there is 
no voting.  There are only the proposal, and objections to the proposal.  If 
all objections are resolved, the proposal is adopted.  If not, then not.

If most community members “like” the proposal — or at least find it to be 
within their tolerance range — while just a couple members object, and these 
objections cannot be resolved … then what?  Is the best outcome for the 
community always the status quo?  Some communities have decided Not, and have 
adopted a voting "escape hatch" to protect or promote majority interests.  But 
this does not occur until after good faith efforts have exhausted all 
possibilities for resolving objections within a consent process.

On the very rare occasions when voting is the court of last resort, should 
voting be limited to those who, having slept well, are thinking clearly?  
Thinking clearly is not a qualifying requirement for voting in American 
elections, and probably should not be a requirement for coho votes either.

Philip Dowds
Cornerstone Village Cohousing
Cambridge, MA

> On Nov 8, 2015, at 6:34 PM, Fern Selzer/US/CA/95003/NBC via Cohousing-L 
> <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> I ask cohousers for your opinion on this circumstance:  someone says they are 
> not thinking straight (lack of sleep)  but will attend the meeting and does 
> not have an opinion on the issues to be decided, 
> 
> 
> What would be appropriate to do if a vote is called:
> 
> 
> Stand Aside?
> Vote No?
> Vote Yes?
> Something else?
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Fern
> New Brighton Cohousing
> Aptos, CA