[Theforum] Changes to the VotingReqs document

Elfur Logadottir elfur at elfur.is
Tue Feb 5 02:00:40 CST 2002


From: ".jeff" <jeff at members.evolt.org>

| elfur,
|
| ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
| > What about storing the userID in a different place when
| > we want anonymous voting. even in its own table named
| > ANONYMOUS_VOTING or something ??  that way you write the
| > vote result to two places ... the result table, without
| > the userID and the anonymous table (only the userID and
| > the questionID). this would call for a flag of the type
| > of voting, but we're doing that anyways for the voting
| > vs. polling.
| ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
|
| so what you're proposing is having two tables.  one of the tables stores
the
| voteid, questionid, and optionvalueid.  another table stores the voteid,
| questionid, and userid.  this could create the anonymity because there
| wouldn't be any connection between the what their selection was and who
they
| are.  however, that completely removes the ability to allow a user to
change
| their vote while it's still open, which i'm actually fine with.  however,
if
| we're going to allow this total anonymity, we're going to have to decide
if
| it's more important than allowing people to change their votes.  i don't
| think it's prudent to try to support both and create all kinds of
exceptions
| in the database architecture.

no. i'm suggesting having two tables, that much you've got right.
the 'main' table stores result and *all* things related to it (including the
userID) the other table is used *only* when the voting type is anonymous and
then it *only* stores questionID and userID. this way we have the normal
'change your vote' thing, but have the possibility to use anonymous voting.

| RonL wrote:
| I suspect that if we ever get NFP status and/or apply for industry or
| government grants that this kind of thing would be strictly verboten ...
| given various "sunshine" laws and the like here in the U.S.

there's nothing illegal about anonymous voting - this is how you elect your
president ... this is how you elect your congressman, this is how a
shareholder elects his BOD member, why should this NFP be any different. The
difference is when the elected BOD members has to make decisions ... then
they are not anonymous.

thanks
elfur





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