We soon have elections for seats on the board of the OpenStreetMapFoundation.
In addition there are a few proposed changes to the foundation’s Articles of Association up for election.
For the AoA you have to be a “normal” member, for board elections any membership type qualifies.
Please sign up before the 13th of November to be eligible to vote.
We need more members than we currently have in case another company tries to do a mass-signup of new members potentially influencing or taking over the board.
Remember last tine when GlobalLogic (that company mapping for Grab) signed up a hundred potentially fake accounts just on the last day before the election? We need a larger membership base to be robust against such things.
Sock puppet accounts to vote on OSM AoA? That’s terrible. Thanks, Stephan, for pointing this out.
Can you list the proposed changes to the Articles of Association?
I tried to sign up as a ‘normal’ member, but could not. The site demands a “valid post code”, which I provided, but it would not accept. Also a mobile number, which I could not change from +44. I wonder how many people have tried to contribute to OSM but couldn’t?
Off the topic, but would very much like to hear about your experience at SOTM.
Tom, please contact the foundation by eMail probably using secretary@osmfoundation.org and membership@osmfoundation.org, describing the troubles you have. I feel sorry that it is extra work for you, but we should not waste your vote as a member because of such technical problems.
On the first form, you could state “none” as a postal code. I don’t see it asking for a mobile phone. Could be later asked by PayPal maybe.
There are alternative payment options in case PayPal is not working. It might be challenging to meet the timeline for signing up. I don’t know which date counts for the alternative sign-ups. Hopefully the date you sent the application by mail to the membership secretary.