Governance
Interview with RIPE member Kevin Meynell, on elections, community challenges, and the future of internet coordination
Talking exclusively to BTW Media shortly after his Executive Board election defeat at RIPE 90 in Lisbon, Portugal, Kevin Meynell, Community Engagement Manager at the SCION Association and long-time participant in the RIPE community, shares his thoughts on the present and future of Internet governanc…
Headline
Talking exclusively to BTW Media shortly after his Executive Board election defeat at RIPE 90 in Lisbon, Portugal, Kevin Meynell, Community Engagement Manager at the SCION Association and long-time participant in the RIPE community, shares his thoughts on the present and future…
Context
Talking exclusively to BTW Media shortly after his Executive Board election defeat at RIPE 90 in Lisbon, Portugal, Kevin Meynell, Community Engagement Manager at the SCION Association and long-time participant in the RIPE community, shares his thoughts on the present and future of Internet governance, the structural challenges facing the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system, and the future of the RIPE NCC. With over 25 years of experience, Meynell offers a perspective on topics ranging from funding sustainability and number resource management to electoral processes and the need for stronger community engagement.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Meynell : It’s perhaps something to consider, although I’ve not really heard any concerns about the integrity of the RIPE NCC voting process. There are due diligence checks when organisations or persons become RIPE NCC members, and they are then able to nominate their voting representatives in a reasonably secure manner. Of course, no system is perfect, but that is rarely the case anywhere. The checks and security processes have had to be improved over the years, and I’m sure it’s the case that some organisations may not have reviewed for some time who is casting votes on their behalf. However, I think the low levels of voter participation is the bigger issue, and making it more complicated or difficult to vote will likely further discourage turnout. Meynell: Regardless of whether it might be preferable or not, I think the choice of person who gets to cast votes can realistically only be decided by each RIPE NCC member. It would too complicated and difficult to mandate who in a company should be eligible, far less enforce. Unfortunately, I think RIPE NCC matters will simply not be a particularly high priority for many organisations and therefore not something that will be dealt with by C-level executives. Meynell: Well I’m not that young either! I think there are a number of reasons why it’s difficult for younger ‘newcomers’ to be elected, including a lack of term limits and the need to have long involvement with the RIPE community. Some of these things you can easily address, for others it’s harder, even though I do believe the RIPE community needs to encourage younger leadership. Meynell: It was a member driven vote, although I think less than 5% of the RIPE NCC members voted which is a bit of a concern. Perhaps more incentives need to be provided to encourage a better turnout, although I really don’t know whether it would have made any difference in my case.
Key Points
- Meynell told BTW Media that low voter turnout during the recent Executive Board elections was a great concern, with only 5% of RIPE members casting a vote.
- He also said that the unwritten obstacles to winning a place on the board, such as a lack of term limits and the need to have long involvement with the RIPE community, should be addressed.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
