Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Arbitration Committee Elections December 2015

This is a request for comment about the upcoming December 2015 English Wikipedia Arbitration Committee election.

Purpose of this request for comment: To provide an opportunity to amend the structure, rules, and procedures of the December 2015 English Wikipedia Arbitration Committee election and resolve any issues not covered by existing rules.

Background: In the case of proposals that change existing rules, or that seek to establish new ones, lack of consensus for a change will result in the rules from the 2014 RFC remaining in force. Some issues are not covered by the existing rules but will need to be decided one way or another for the operation of the election, in those cases it will be up to the closer to figure out a result, even if there is no clear consensus, as they have had to in the past.

Structure: This RfC is divided into portions, each of which contains a discussion point for the community. The standard RfC structure will be used, in which any user may make a general statement that other users may endorse if they so agree. The points will be listed in the table of contents below, along with the users who have made statements.

Per the consensus developed in last year's request for comment, the electoral commission timetable is as follows:

• Nominations: Friday 00:00, 9 October - Friday 23:59, 16 October (7 days)
• Evaluation period: Saturday 00:00, 17 October - Friday 23:59, 23 October (7 days)
• Commission selection: completed by Friday 00:00, 30 October

Per the consensus developed in previous request for comments, the arbitration committee election timetable is as follows:

• Nominations: Sunday 00:00, 8 November - Tuesday 23:59, 17 November (10 days)
• Setup period: Wednesday 00:00, 18 November to Sunday 23:59, 22 November (5 days)
• Voting period: Monday 00:00, 23 November to Sunday 23:59, 6 December (14 days)
• Scrutineering: Begins Monday 00:00, 7 December

The points have been chosen in part from the comments from Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2014/Feedback. More proposals may be added if other concerns arise.

Duration: This RfC is scheduled to last for about 30 days; on or after September 28, it will be closed, and an uninvolved editor(s) will determine the results of the RfC. The results will determine the structure, rules, and procedures for the election.

Use the following format below; post a new statement at the BOTTOM of the section in which you want to make a statement. Endorse by adding a hash symbol (#) and your signature.

===Statement by [[User:USERNAME|USERNAME]]===
Comment ~~~~

;Users who endorse this statement:

#~~~~

Users should only edit one summary or view, other than to endorse.