Due to a combination of the retirement of several ZSDW staff members and the phenomenal growth the site has experienced in the first quarter of 2011 we have opted to hold the third ZSDW election. Positions available during this election will be three moderator slots. On this page we will detail rules for this election.

Who is eligible to stand?
Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to stand for election;

• Has been/Will be an active member of the ZSDW for 6 months on or before June 15th.
• Has 400 contributions to the ZSDW of which 40 must be page edits.
• Has not have been banned from the ZSDW for longer than 3 days.

When will this election be held?
Election week is from June 15th to June 21st. During this period ZSDW users may cast their votes.

How do I nominate myself for election?
There is a sub-page under the "Election 2011" page titled "Nomination Form." Fill in the details on this and you will have submitted yourself as a potential candidate.

When can I nominate myself?
Immediately, the sooner you do it, the better it will be. The deadline for candidates to nominate themselves is May 31st 12:00 midnight EST.

What happens between June 1st and June 21st?
From June 1st to June 4th current ZSDW staff shall review candidates to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements as stated above.
From June 4th to June 14th candidates are permitted to create one thread detailing what they can contribute to the ZSDW.
From June 15th to June 21st candidates are permitted canvas potential voters through private messages and their single thread. Note that all private messages that relate to your campaign must be sent to a moderator as well for review. Anyone found in breach of this rule will have their candidacy revoked.

Who can vote?
Every ZSDW user who has registered before May 5th may cast one vote, provided they have 20 contributions.

What voting system shall we use?
AV - Alternative Vote. This is the system Australia uses. As we are electing multiple candidates for 3 offices at once it is essential that everyone's vote counts at least three times, and that every person gets a candidate they like.
View this 7 step animation to see how the AV works.
When you vote you number the candidates you like 1, 2 and 3 in order of preference.