Hey Harry, I'm not sure if ii) *is* easier. Compare the work of verifying members before every AGM and EGM or merely at the point of joining.
We don't really have formal check on membership at the moment - no applicant is asked to prove their residency at their address of that they have provided their real name. In terms of Wikimedia U.K. as a company it is required to keep an accurate list of members addresses and names ( http://www.companylawsolutions.co.uk/topics/statutory_registers.shtml#Ins) (apologies if you knew that already) I don't think it's *required* to check validity of address. While, the legal view (on whether in creating a false membership invalidates any voting rights) will be informative, I'm still not seeing how that is material unless we have a mechanism for ID'ing false applications. Therefore, I still think the key question is one of 'How should we check those members' names and addresses are valid' in a way that isn't too invasive, expensive or time consuming. No suggestions yet... Kat On 19 November 2012 15:19, Harry Burt <[email protected]> wrote: > Aren't there really two points here: > (i) Should we enforce more checks on prospective members? > (ii) Should we enforce more checks on members before we let them vote at > AGMs, whether in person or by proxy? > > I think the legal question is a good one. Are charities required to do > neither/either/both? Legal issues aside, surely (ii) but not (i) is the > easiest by quite a margin. > > Harry > > -- > Harry Burt (User:Jarry1250) > > > On Mon, Nov 19, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Katherine Bavage < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi All, >> >> At the board meeting on Saturday a valid point was made that currently >> the verification process for membership applications doesn't really prove a >> barrier to fraudulent or duplicate applications. >> >> I'd like to look at ways of improving this, so as we aim to expand our >> membership numbers we're also making sure fairness is enshrined in a >> checking process that means people can only have one vote. >> >> If people pay their membership fee with Paypal, this isn't so much of a >> problem, as having a verified paypal account has already required this >> person to link their identity to their postal address - but we want to be >> as open as possible and so there will be people who give us 'a form and a >> fiver'. >> >> What checking processes do we think would be acceptable without being >> invasive/onerous? At a basic level, we should be confirming that the >> applicant is the named person at the address given. >> >> Please flag up concerns, suggestions for services or resources we can >> use, and so on. It may be that we can't completely eliminate the risk of >> fraudulent applications, but we can make it more difficult and provide a >> measure or reassurance that no individual has more power than any other by >> being able to vote twice etc . >> >> Thanks! >> >> -- >> *Katherine Bavage * >> *Fundraising Manager * >> *Wikimedia UK* >> +44 20 7065 0949 >> >> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and >> Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered >> Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. >> United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia >> movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who >> operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). >> >> *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control >> over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.* >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia UK mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia UK mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l > WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org > > -- *Katherine Bavage * *Fundraising Manager * *Wikimedia UK* +44 20 7065 0949 Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
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