The 'Shroom:Issue LXXXI/Director Election

Director Election

It's that time of the year again, the Director Election!

What is This?

This is an election to decide the new director of The 'Shroom. Naturally, the one with the most votes wins the title.
If a director retires, then an election is held again in the latest issue of The 'Shroom.
An election takes place every December Issue regardless whether an election has already been held that year.
The current director may run in elections if they wish.
This election will start December 20nd.
In the January issue (Saturday, January 18, 2014), the winner will be announced, and they will have at most a week to announce their Core Staff in the comments section at the bottom of the page, as well as their calendar.
There will be a debate between the candidates, please also state when you can participate in the debate in order to get this to work.
You must submit your campaign at least a week (Saturday, January 11, 2014) before the release of the January issue, or else it will be considered invalid and removed by the Core Staff!

It is currently 05:40, April 25^th (EST/EDT)
This election ends Saturday, January 18^th, 2014. 20:00 (EST/EDT)

Candidate Rules

Anyone may run for director during any time of the election (except in Overtime), but they must have a forum account.
A user may only run for themselves, another user cannot nominate them.
All candidates must say what changes will they make. They can also campaign to promote voting for them.
- Campaigns must use acceptable grammar (judgment is given to the Core Staff).
- Campaigns must be original. Nobody is allowed to steal another candidate's ideas. However, if campaigns, for the most part, differ from each other or have key elements to which the candidates disagree on, then sharing a few ideas here and there is allowed.
- No joke campaigns are allowed to be ran.
- No bribing voters is allowed.
Candidates can also hold debates among them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
This is what a voting section should look like:

===Candidate===
What will you do, etc.
 #'''X'''
 #'''X'''
 #'''X'''

So as you can see, that candidate has three votes.

Voter Rules

Voters may vote with their username, no signatures allowed, or they opt to list themselves as X ('''X''') in order for their vote to not be immediately identifiable– note that people may see who voted in such a manner in the page editing history.
Anonymous editors (who do not sign in to edit) are not allowed to cast votes. If you have an account and are simply logged out, please sign in to your account. If you want to vote and you do not have an account, simply create one, sign in, and vote!
Voters may only cast one vote.
Voters may change their vote at any time while the election is in progress.

Ties

In the case of a tie, the Core Staff will establish a runoff election for another week between the tying candidates. Ties beyond that will be handled if they come up by a process decided by the Core Staff.

Duties of the Director

This is what you must do if you win, so read carefully.

The director must accept or decline all new writers' ideas for sections they want to write.
The director assigns a section to users who want to write, but don't know what to write.
The director gives out a warning to users who have not yet sent in their sections one week before The 'Shroom is due.
The director puts The 'Shroom together, and edits the front page, the single page, the 'Shroombox template, and the Shroom Issue template.
The director writes the Director's Notes section, which comments about the month's issue.
The director includes the due date of the next 'Shroom in the Director's Notes, and in the Shroomwarning template.
The director gets to choose their Core Staff, this is: Fake News, Fun Stuff, Music & Art, Pipe Plaza, Critic Corner directors and Sub-Director.
The director must send applications to users who want to become writers.

Looks easy? It is not. So get ready.

Now get out there and go!

Debates

A question-and-answer session will take place in #mwshroom (which can be accessed either from the applet or through Mibbit) on Monday, January 6^th, 2014 at 9:00 PM EST (which is Tuesday, January 7^th, 2014 at 2:00 AM UTC). Should more candidates join the election, a debate will take place at these times instead.

Candidates

Superchao

Hello, 'Shroom readers! Current Activities Manager Superchao here, deciding to throw my hat in the ring. While I technically haven't been with the 'Shroom very long so far (compared to some of the much longer-tenured folks like our current Director), I feel I have the qualifications, experience, organizational skills, and motivation to handle directing the 'Shroom in 2014!

Qualifications

Forum Global Moderator
'Shroom Activities Manager, previously Fun Stuff Director
Awards VII Sub-Director, Awards VI Organizer
mwchat Operator

Campaign Platforms

This year, there was an open call for the Sub-Director position early in the year. If elected, I will set up a system allowing people to express interest in open 'Shroom staff positions; the 'Shroom would not necessarily be bound to select one of the applicants, but it would be a good way to determine people who want to do the job.
I will plan on two major special issues next year, a summer and a winter one, as well as an Awards Special Issue.
As the Sub-Director of the Awards Committee, I will be able to work with the committee to come up with a solid set of awards for 'Shroom Awards V, as well as work on plans to get more informed votes for both the Userpedia and the 'Shroom Awards.
If elected, I plan to keep release dates on the third Saturday of the month.
I'd also try to improve outreach; make it more clear that writers who apply can suggest new ideas for sections, rather than stick to the established sections on our sign up page. I feel that may have contributed to the drought of main team sections in the first half of the year.
Our annoucements program on Twitter and Facebook was neglected for much of the year; I would make sure that they continue to prove updates on a regular basis, most importantly for the releases of new issues.

While the 'Shroom is already at a good place thanks to the current administration, I feel that I could take it to even better places. If you feel I deserve the next directorial term, then go ahead and vote for me.

Votes

YoshiKong (talk)
NSY (talk)
Tucayo (talk)
Super Mario Bros. (talk) — In Superchao's time with The 'Shroom, he has shown himself to be an outstanding writer and staff member. He has a dedication to doing his job and doing it right, is always organized and ready to get things done, and has always worked in the best interests of the paper. I am positive that if he is elected as Director, he will be able to apply his skills and talents in order to make this next year one that stands out.
Uniju :D (talk) — As a very old veteran of The 'Shroom myself having worked on it in 2007 which is 7 years ago as of now - happy new years guys - I can see when I read The 'Shroom that there is a lot of potential in Super "Perch" Chao's work and I would like to offer him my unbridled support in his endeavor to become president.
Marshal Dan Troop (talk)
WeHatePoisonMushrooms66 (talk)
Palkia47 (talk)