The @W3C Needs You: Please Vote For Change In The @W3CAB Election

Tonight, 23:59 Eastern Time (as is customary for W3C), is the deadline for voting.

Please Vote in the 2019 W3C Advisory Board Election (W3C Member-only link, only Advisory Committee members can vote).

My fellow Advisory Board (AB) candidates and additional members of the W3C Community have shared their thoughts on the AB election, some on their blogs, and some on W3C Member only list(s).

It is very important that you explicitly rank candidates according to what is most important to you due to the way the current W3C STV mechanism is interpreted and implemented by the W3C Team. Past STV elections have shown that a Ranked 1 vote is crucial to candidates, Ranked 2 may have some impact, and the likelihood of effect drops off precipitously from there (though you should still rank at least a few more, ideally all candidates, just in case).

I’ve previously stated why I think W3C is facing several existential crises, how I will do my best to help W3C during this crucial time of transition, and thus ask for your Ranked 1 vote:

The AB has seven open spots in this election, so I will recommend six others for your consideration of a Ranked 1 vote.

Each of these candidates has many strengths, I am highlighting just one or two, depending on what may be most important to help steer the W3C in the next two years. Each of these candidates has many more strengths. Ordered by those with their own posts/blogs first (then by full name).

If web developer perspective is most important to you, choose Aaron Gustafson as Ranked 1

Aaron has worked as a profession web developer, written several well regarded books on web development, and spoken with & taught numerous web developers. Of all candidates he brings the most modern and most aware perspective of what matters to web developers today on the web, and what standards the W3C must prioritize in order to better serve today and tomorrow’s web development community, the community that builds the web you and I depend on day-to-day. Read his blog post for more

If experience is most important to you, choose Chris Wilson as Ranked 1

Chris Wilson has been working on the web for over 25 years, more than any other candidate. He has written code in web browsers, written specifications, chaired working groups, and served for five years on the Advisory Board. He has more experience, and a broader perspective, across more companies essential to the evolution of the web, than any other canidate. See his post for more

If bold directness & standing up to W3C Management is most important to you, choose Elika Etemad as Ranked 1

I have had the good fortune of working with Elika (AKA fantasai) for numerous years in the CSS Working Group, have seen her contribute to invited W3C Advisory Board discussions, and Advisory Committee meetings as well. She always brings a well considered, often bold, and always direct perspective. She brings a strength of commitment that is inspiring and I believe necessary to represent the needs of the web community especially when such needs require standing up to W3C Management. This will be an essential skill during W3C’s upcoming transitions. Read her blog post for more

If accessibility is most important to you, choose Léonie Watson as Ranked 1

I have had the good fortune to work with Léonie Watson during my past tenure on the Advisory Board. She has consistently brought a diverse and inclusive perspective in all our matters, especially making sure the AB was aware of accessibility implications of any number of policy decisions. Read her blog for more

If consensus building is most important to you, choose Alan Stearns as Ranked 1

I have also had the good fortune of working with Alan Stearns for many years. He has been an extremely effective chair of the CSS Working Group, a very large and diverse set of individuals with a variety of backgrounds, interests, and priorities, that is also extremely prolific. He has demonstrated time & time again that when there is conflict, he is able to mediate a dialog to find common ground, find fair ways to resolve differences, or often get parties to defer when progress can be made regardless.

If Chinese standards efforts representation is most important to you, choose Judy (Hongru) Zhu as Ranked 1

While I was on the Advisory Board, I got to know Judy and very much appreciate her participation. She brought key insights with regards to the interactions of global standards efforts, especially with standards efforts in China. I believe these insights have helped the governance of W3C, and W3C’s goals of producing truly global standards.

Thank you Natasha and Mike

Huge thanks to Advisory Board incumbents Natasha and Mike for their service. I am glad I got a chance to work with Natasha and Mike on the AB. Natasha provided a refreshing perspective and I hope she considers running for the AB in the future. Mike has served on the AB for a very long time, and demonstrated the ability to actively evolve the AB, the W3C, and forge a productive relationship with the WHATWG (as noted in the recenty announced MoU). Both Mike and Natasha set good examples for whoever is next elected to the AB.

Please vote!

Go Vote in the 2019 W3C Advisory Board Election (W3C Member-only link, only Advisory Committee members can vote).

If you have already voted, thank you for voting. If you have not, please take the few minutes to do so. In either case please consider the above candidates for their strengths and consider (re)ranking accordingly. Thank you for your consideration.