How To Vote

Now that the polls are open, here is a guide to voting easily and efficiently. Thanks to some hard work by CCP Dolan and the CCP Web Team, voting is much easier this year. Rumors that bribes of expensive alcohol were offered to them in return for this are, of course, completely and utterly true.

In previous posts, I've explained why voting is important, how the voting system works, and which candidates I think should be on your ballot. You may also want to visit the campaign section of the EVE Online Forums and see what the candidates have to say for themselves, or use Vote Match to find candidates whose opinions are closest to yours.

If you want to follow my advice, or use it as a starting point, all you have to do is click on one of the voting links listed below, which will take you to the eveonline.com voting page. At this point, one of two things will happen.

• If you are already logged into eveonline.com, then the Candidate Search box will be filled in with a list of candidates -- and this year it has been improved; you can enter multiple candidate names, separated by commas, and they will get highlighted, moved to the top of the candidate list, and sorted!
• If you are not logged in, you'll need to click the orange Log in button and log into your main account. When you do, you'll be returned to the voting page. Unfortunately, the list of candidates will not be preserved; to fix that, come back here and either click the voting link again, or cut-and-paste the list of candidates you'll find below each link into the Search box.

Update: there is currently a bug that will erroneously fill in slots in your ballot if you voted last year; if this happens, just drag the candidates out of your ballot before performing the next step!

Then all you have to do is double-click on each of the hilighted candidates in order to move them into your ballot. Just put your mouse pointer on top of the first (top-left) candidate and double-click once of each candidate; each time you double-click, a candidate will move into the ballot. If you make a mistake, you can drag candidates back out of the ballot, or drag them around the ballot to reorder them.

You can just fill in the ballot with my recommendations, or make whatever changes you think best.

Once your ballot is the way you want it, click the big yellow Submit Vote button. If you have more than one account, click the Log out link at the top of the page, then click the Log in button and log in to your next account. Then go back to the voting page and you should find that your ballot has been filled in for you; if you want to vote the same ballot again, just click Submit Vote!

If for some reason the ballot links given below don't fill in the Candidate Search box (some browsers can be a bit cranky), you can simply cut and paste your preferred list of candidates into it.

Happy voting! And tell your friends to vote as well!

My Recommended Ballot Voting Link selects:

DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,James Arget,Steve Ronuken,Sugar Kyle,Major JSilva,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

My High-Sec Voting Link selects:

Mike Azariah,Steve Ronuken,Xander Phoena,Sugar Kyle,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,James Arget,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Major JSilva,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

My Low-Sec / Factional Warfare Voting Link selects:

DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,DNSBLACK,Sugar Kyle,Steve Ronuken,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,James Arget,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Major JSilva,Psychotic Monk

My Null-Sec Voting Link selects:

DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Xander Phoena,Major JSilva,Mike Azariah,James Arget,Steve Ronuken,Sugar Kyle,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

My Wormholes Voting Link selects:

James Arget,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,Major JSilva,Steve Ronuken,Sugar Kyle,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Psychotic Monk

My Industry Voting Link selects:

Steve Ronuken,Xander Phoena,Sugar Kyle,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,James Arget,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Major JSilva,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

Remember, these ballots are just my recommendations -- you should add or remove candidates and/or change the order based on your own preferences. Just make sure to vote a full ballot of 14 candidates, as this will maximize your voting power. For more background on the candidates and why I recommend them, check out my "Who I Like" post.

PS: If you'd like to construct your own voting link to send to your friends, simply enter a comma separated list of candidates into the Search box on the voting page; as you do, the url will update. You can then copy this link and forward it. I recommend adding a comma at the end of the list of candidates you enter into the search box, just in case parameters get added to the URL (EVE Gate does this) that might result in the ballot url failing to hilight the final candidate on your list.

Who I Like

There are many great candidates for CSM 9, and with 14 possible slots on your ballot, there's a lot to think about.

What I look for in a CSM candidate is knowledge about the game, a passion for its future, and perhaps most important, the stamina needed to endure the grind -- because being on CSM is an exhausting experience.

What follows are my recommendations about the candidates that are not clear "locks" for election because they are the official candidate of a large in-game group. This list is intended to help unaffiliated voters fill out their ballots, and perhaps persuade "bloc" voters to make some modifications to the ballot they've been asked to vote.

The Fantastic Four

Four years on the CSM have shown me what it takes to do the job right. These are the candidates that, from long personal interaction and observation, I know have the “right stuff.” They will make excellent CSM members, I endorse them without reservation, and they should be high up on everyone's ballot.

If you have supported me in past elections, please do me the favor of supporting them in this one. Getting all four of them elected would be the best thank-you you could ever give me.

DNSBLACK

Brad King is one of my favorite people -- not just in-game but in real-life as well. I first ran into him because of an interview he did on the Lost in EVE podcast, and soon found a home in the corporation he leads, the infamous Dirt Nap Squad. Famous for losing more Arazu's than any other pilot in EVE history, Brad is dedicated to making sure everyone in DNS has the most fun possible, and his passion for the EVE community is obvious and undeniable. Out-of-game, he serves as a coach and a union representative, which gives him a skillset that will come in very handy on CSM. Over the years he's built up a lot of personal relationships with CCP staff, which will mean he will hit the ground running.

ALI ARAS

Ellen McManis was one of the big -- and welcome -- surprises of CSM 8. A relatively young podpilot, she impressed everyone on CSM with her knowledge, dedication and boundless energy, and zealously represented the interests of both new players and the NRDS community. Bluntly, she worked her ass off (for example, she took the lead in producing the Winter Summit Minutes), and fully deserves a second term.

MIKE AZARIAH

Michael Dawe was always a bridesmaid, never a bride when it came to CSM -- until the change in election systems that debuted in CSM8. He then demonstrated that the voters had made the right choice by being a steadfast advocate for the High-Sec community, making sure that CCP took better note of their concerns. If you live in High-Sec, you want Mike back on the CSM.

XANDER PHOENA

David Whitelaw showed me he had the stamina to be a good CSM when he interviewed just about every CSM8 candidate on his Crossing Zebras podcast. I've been grilled by him more than a few times, and he has impressed me with his knowledge of the game, no-bullshit attitude, and great communication skills.

The Legion of Superior Candidates

No matter what area of the game you like the best, there are good candidates that feel the same way. Make sure the appropriate ones are on your ballot in addition to the Fantastic Four.

James Arget is a CSM incumbent representing wormhole space. He's worked hard on CSM8 and quietly gone about doing what needs to be done. Wormhole residents should send him back for another term.

Steve Ronuken is a level-headed industrialists, and he has also done a lot of work developing 3rd-party applications. CREST development is an increasingly frequent topic of discussion between CSM and CCP, and he'll be invaluable for that.

I like the way Sugar Kyle presents herself (in particular, her concern for new players), and I get the same vibe from her than I did from Ali Aras in last year's election.

Major JSilva is the main Pandemic Legion candidate, but the reason I'm including him is that he has his head screwed on correctly on the big meta-topics of Force Projection, Sov and TiDi. Helping CCP find a good solution to these issues is the biggest challenge CSM9 will face.

DJ FunkyBacon is a well-known and respected host on EVE Radio, so he'll be great at communications. But he will also be a badly-needed voice for Low Sec and Factional Warfare.

Jayne Fillon is a passionate PVP advocate who will do well helping CCP with their ongoing ship balancing efforts.

corbexx, Proclus Diadochu and Asayanami Dei are the other three wormhole candidates. Wormhole space probably has enough votes to elect two candidates this year; they are on my ballot to help ensure that this happens.

And finally, in the wild-card slot, there is Psychotic Monk. I'm not a huge fan of ganking and scamming, but they are a community that should occasionally get a voice on the CSM.

Recommended Ballots

Now that I've listed the 14 candidates I think should be on your ballot, there is the matter of the order in which they appear. In STV, you want to place your favorite candidates first, so the order will vary depending on your in-game interests.

Here are my recommended orderings:

General Ballot

DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,James Arget,Steve Rokunen,Sugar Kyle,Major JSilva,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

High-Sec

Mike Azariah,Steve Rokunen,Xander Phoena,Sugar Kyle,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,James Arget,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Major JSilva,corbexx,Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

Low-Sec / Factional Warfare

DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,DNSBLACK,Sugar Kyle,Steve Rokunen,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,James Arget,corbexx, Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Major JSilva,Psychotic Monk

Null-Sec

DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Xander Phoena,Major JSilva,Mike Azariah,James Arget,Steve Rokunen,Sugar Kyle,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,corbexx, Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

Wormholes

James Arget,corbexx, Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,Xander Phoena,Major JSilva,Steve Rokunen,Sugar Kyle,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Psychotic Monk

Industry

Steve Rokunen,Xander Phoena,Sugar Kyle,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Mike Azariah,James Arget,DJ FunkyBacon,Jayne Fillon,Major JSilva,corbexx, Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Psychotic Monk

Small Gang/Solo PVP

Jayne Fillon,DNSBLACK,Ali Aras,Xander Phoena,James Arget,DJ FunkyBacon,Sugar Kyle,corbexx, Proclus Diadochu,Asayanami Dei,Mike Azariah,Steve Rokunen,Major JSilva,Psychotic Monk

Use these ballots as a starting point; if you have a favorite candidate who is not on my list, by all means add them to the ballot, and if you think my ordering is wrong, change it!

Other posts in this series: Why We Vote, How We Vote and How To Vote (has voting instructions and links).

How We Vote

One of the interesting things about the CSM election is the use of the Single Transferrable Vote system, which was introduced in the previous election cycle. As some of you may live in areas of the world where it isn't commonly used, here is a quick primer.

In STV, instead of voting for a single candidate, you vote for all the candidates you like -- and rank them in your order of preference. The STV voting algorithm (specifically, the Wright STV variant) then attempts to make the best use of your vote to elect your preferred candidates in your order of preference.

STV thus largely avoids the problem of tactical voting. If you can only vote for a single candidate, then you run the risk that your candidate will not get elected -- in which case, your vote is effectively wasted. Let's say you really like Alice, but you think she's unlikely to get elected, and you sort of like Bob, and think he has a better chance. You might decide "If I vote for Alice, the vote will be wasted -- it won't elect her, and it could have been used to elect Bob, so he might not get elected either. So I have to vote for Bob, even though I like Alice a lot more. Sucks to be you, Alice!"

Under STV, on the other hand, your ballot would list Alice as your first choice, and Bob as your second (and as many other candidates as you like as well). When the votes are counted, if Alice doesn't have enough support to get elected, your vote will help Bob get elected. Even better, if Alice does get elected, your vote will be split, and whatever part of it isn't needed to elect Alice will help elect Bob.

This allocation and splitting process continues until there are no candidates left to help, which is why it's a good idea to list all the candidates you like on your ballot. It take a little longer than voting for a single person, but it maximizes your influence.

In the final days before the election, both the candidates and the pundits will be publishing their recommended ballots -- and I will be no exception (though as a pundit this year!). While the candidates obviously want to get elected, they also want to mutually support other candidates they like.

So if you really like a particular candidate, strongly consider using their recommended ballot -- but as a starting point. Feel free to modify it as you see fit.

But what ever you do, Vote Early and Often -- after all, each of your paying accounts gets a vote!

Other posts in this series: Why We Vote, Who I Like and How To Vote (has voting instructions and links).

Why We Vote

Now that the final list of candidates for the CSM9 elections has been posted, I thought I would take a moment to explain why it is important that everyone vote in the CSM elections.

As a veteran of 4 years on the Council, I have had a unique perspective on the evolution of what is, in many ways, the most exclusive in-game profession in all of computer gaming -- after all, it's a part of EVE that only about 70 people have had the opportunity to play.

In my time on the CSM, it has evolved from being an exercise in frustration to an engaging and useful tool for improving the game. In CSM5, apart from the summit meetings, we only had forum communications with the developers, and they were sporadic. CSM8, on the other hand, communicates with CCP devs on a daily basis via multiple Skype chat channels, the forums, and roughly one teleconference a week.

CSM now provides advice on just about every aspect of the game. It's rare that a game-design devblog or ship-balancing post hasn't been reviewed by us before being released to the public.

The people who get elected to CSM9 will have a real opportunity to influence the future direction of the game, both in the short-term and for years to come. That's why it's so important to elect hard-working representatives who deeply understand the areas of the game that matter to you.

No matter what part of the game you love, make sure there's someone on CSM who loves it just as much as you -- and will work to make it better.

Four years ago, I was frustrated with EVE and ready to quit, but I decided to run for CSM as a platform to express my concerns, without any expectation of getting elected. Then that infamous #^&#*& butterfly flapped its wings, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Each ballot you cast is like the flap of a butterfly's wings. You can send someone else on the same incredible journey I got to take.

This year's candidates are the most qualified in CSM history, and they deserve your support. When the polls open, take a few minutes and vote in the CSM elections.

I'll have more to say about the elections and the candidates over the next few days -- stay tuned!

Other posts in this series: How We Vote, Who I Like and How To Vote (has voting instructions and links).