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).