Vancouver Contest Updates

I’ve just tallied votes and updated rankings in the Vancouver Voters’ Guide Blogging Contest. Bill Tieleman moved up from #8 to #6, changing places with In Support of Public Education. And we welcome new contestant The Vancouver Observer!

Cumulative award totals

Past vote tallies

Ballot with contestant links

Vancouver Contest: The race is on!

Two races, actually.

In the blogging contest, The Tyee and David Eby are neck-&-neck, with Tyee ahead in this week’s ranking and David ahead in total awards to date. We’ve awarded $1500 so far in our first 5 weeks.

It’s a great time to blog about Vancouver civic issues, now that NPA has nominated Peter Ladner and Vision has chosen Gregor Robertson. We voters need some insight to help us choose between these superficially similar candidates for mayor.

As a member of Fair Voting BC, I helped conduct the Vision Vancouver 3-way nomination vote last Sunday – hectic but fun!

Vancouver Contest: 2nd weekly update

I’ve just tallied the votes for the Vancouver Voters’ Guide Blogging Contest. The top 3 are unchanged: David Eby at #1 for his second $100 weekly award, The Tyee #2 ($80), City States #3 (declining awards). Stephen Rees has moved up from #6 to #4, Price Tags from #9 to #7, and new entry Report Card starts at #11.

So now are all the blogs where they belong? Check them out and vote once a week!

How to Change Corporations by Informed Voting

I originally designed voter-funded media to reform corporations, and spent years promoting the idea to institutional investors. I have not yet gained enough of their support to implement it, in the face of the expected opposition from boards of directors. Instead, I’ve been sponsoring implementations in democracies.

But now a new organization called ProxyDemocracy is pushing ahead with some of my ideas for informed voting of corporate shares. (I’m on their board.) Focused mainly on American corporations and mutual funds, it lets you compare funds’ voting records, and choose funds with voting styles you agree with. For example, you can look at voting on environmental issues, executive compensation, corporate governance etc. You can also get email notifications if you want to copy their decisions when you vote shares you own as an individual.

This increased transparency and competition should help improve the quality of voting decisions by funds and individuals, thus making corporate management more accountable to shareowners and the public.

Vancouver Contest Terms

I've posted terms for the Vancouver Voters' Guide Blogging Contest at www.votermedia.org/vancouver/terms.html.

Basically the terms say that since this is an experiment, anything could happen, I can run the contest any way I choose, and the only recourse for those who don't like it is to not participate.

I welcome your comments, advice, questions etc!

Vancouver Blogs: Weekly Award Cycle

We’re now far enough into the Vancouver Voters’ Guide Blogging Contest that the rankings are more stable and I have a sense of how it’s all working. Next I’d like to propose a weekly cycle of ranking updates and cash awards.

Especially for those with busy weekday schedules, more blogging, reading and voting may happen on the weekend. So I’m thinking I’ll tally the votes and update the ranking once a week, on Monday afternoon or evening. (Tuesday after a Monday holiday.)

I’m willing to sponsor weekly awards totalling $300: 1st place $100, 2nd $80, 3rd $60, 4th $40, 5th $20. If a winner declines an award, their prize and those below shift to the next position down. I’ll accumulate each winner’s total and mail cheques on request.

Shall we start this Tuesday May 20? I welcome your comments, questions and advice!

Vancouver Blog Ranking: Update #2

Today I tallied the past two days' votes and reranked the Vancouver blog contestants. Vote percentages and explanation are here.

Please vote (again) to revise the new ballot ranking!