Here is a transcript of the conversation between myself (@arengrimshaw) and Olly Brand (@iOlly) over Twitter earlier today. This conversation followed the closing of the Polls for next event plans:
iOlly: Disappointed that the #CMSC can’t use a poll correctly. If you wanted it on Tuesday why bother with a poll in the first place!
cornwallsmc: @iOlly Unfortunately we suffered from voting irregularities which skewed the data. I set the poll block by cookies originally… #CSMC
cornwallsmc: @iOlly …and then had to change to block by IP after it was clear this allowed some to vote more than once. Prior to voting… #CSMC
cornwallsmc: @iOlly …being abused the clear choice made was Tues 12th in Truro. The #CSMC is completely voluntarily managed and therefore funds to pay for…
cornwallsmc: … better poll systems that track IP addresses etc. are not avail to us within the hosted WP system. #CSMC
cornwallsmc: @iOlly I am sorry if you feel we have used it incorrectly. We will look at alternative means to compile feedback at next event #CSMC
iOlly: @cornwallsmc the facebook group page or comments on the blog might actually be a more open and honest way of doing it. #CMSC
cornwallsmc: @iOlly We wre trying 2 reduce admin time by providing fixed choices. Comments elicit open answrs making diff. to get a clear decision #csmc
cornwallsmc: @iOlly Comments were used initially to ascertain dates etc and were open on the post too. #CSMC
iOlly: @cornwallsmc shame, it’s a great concept. Sad to see this occur :(. #CSMC
cornwallsmc: @iOlly I will write this up as a blog post when I get a moment. I will invite you to add comments and invite discussion on better vote methods #CSMC
iOlly: @cornwallsmc there has to be some irony to a social media group not using social media properly đ #CSMC. Will comment on Blog, thanks.
Please feel free to add your comments to the bottom of this post so that we can have a full discussion around this issue.
Cornwall Social Media Cafe 
I think it is unfair to suggest that as a group we ‘do not know how to use social media properly’.
The group is a loose affiliation between local social media users and has no formal structure or organization team.
In planning events, Laura McKay and myself put together the first event plan, involving where possible the members of groups across Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Looking at this next event we looked at means to aggregate all ideas in one place to avoid time and effort required to go through responses, filter down dates, location ideas etc and then put them back out for voting.
Using the original comments on the posts etc. we put forward some possible dates using the WordPress Poll Daddy plug in. This poll provides options to limit voting by cookie or IP.
We choose to block by Cookie; however, more technically minded individuals have clearly mis-used this setting and voted more than once for their preferred date.
I noticed that this voting irregularity happened sometime yesterday morning. Before this point, where voting increased dramatically over a short period of time, the clear choice was Tues 12th May in Truro.
As such, we have chosen to ignore voting past this point, despite the same location and date re-gaining its ground, and remain with the date originally, fairly selected.
To ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to discuss this matter and so that we can put things right I have uploaded the post above and responded to any comments received.
I think that this meets the standards expected from any social media group and I hope that you can understand that this group has no financial interests or backing and is organised completely voluntarily.
All the best, Aren (@arengrimshaw)
Well done, Aren. You’re giving your time and effort to this and it is appreciated.
Having said that, I’m not sure I can make the event this month either but will look forward to the time I can!
All the best,
Robert
Basic maths makes it pretty obvious it was being abused with a bias to Tuesday. The hack is easy and obvious but I neved hacked it.
However, I did canvass people and use democracy to get people to vote for Thursday. After x people voted for Thursday and it was clearly in the lead an annoucment went out to get your votes in. On re-checking I was suprised to find Tuesday in the lead.
So someone was obviously hacking (or canvassing), considering our total member count and the percentage changes. To say Tuesday is the majority from the Poll is unfair, I’m happy with the concept of it being on Tuesday. Just not that the Poll actually proves this.
Asking for comments across the various different social media sites is a bad idea and unmanageble, I agree…… So how about everyone simply tweets the day, date and #CSMC and the results are determined from that (for all to see).
My 2p,
Olly
Thanks Olly,
I do admit that Twittering date and location would be easier; however, not all members of the group are on Twitter. The purpose of using the Polls on WordPress was to allow all levels of experience to take part in voting.
An alternative would be to have everyone state their name, location and date on the Wiki site but take up for membership on there has always been slim.
I note your comments re: canvassing / hacking and can only say that I have used the information as best I can. I am not technical (I am marketing staff) and therefore have no real knowledge in that area.
Aren
Aren, agreed not everyone has twitter but it’s a social media tool (we are a social media group) with very little setup and skills required to use it. If people can’t be bothered to join twitter to vote then should their vote count? A debate that could long rage on. But anyone would have to agree it’s not a big ask and it would also improve our interaction if we followed each others tweets.
Twitter also has a much lighter foot print than our other streams (facebook and linkedin) and as the take up of the wiki is not great, I would go so far as to say there were more benefits to joining twitter than our wiki :D.
While I agree making it open and accessible was a good move and I can see why you did the poll (and I do thank you both for your oraganisation and planning), I think it was open to too much abuse and result should be voided.
Or, feel free to say you just want to have the event on the Tuesday.
Is it really such a big deal? People are giving their time and efforts FOC to organise this as a helpful, fun night out – it’s not a union meeting! Why make it so political?
Some people can’t make one night; some can’t make the other. Whichever you choose, some will just have to get over it and come to the next one instead. Democracy and free speech are not at stake. It’s hardly worth falling out over.
It’s an unfortunate situation – let’s move on.
For what it’s worth, I say we give Aren and Laura the casting vote. Not very democratic, I know, but they’re the ones who seem to be putting the effort in, so it’s only fair.
We will void the decision to hold the event on the selected date Tuesday 12th May should that be what people want.
I invite all members to leave their comment here with a ‘Please Void’ and their preferred date (out of those previously specified) or ‘Please stick with current date’.
Without seeing that there is wider issues with this date it would be foolish to overturn it as this stage.
As for location, we did not detect any irregularities in this vote so take it that Truro remains the favorite choice.
I look forward to your comments.
Aren
Completely agree with David.
I’d like to thank Aren and Laura for working in their spare time to bring this group together both online and at face to face events.
I am able to make 12th but fully understand that others may not be able to. If it’s on a day I can come then great, if not then I’ll read about it on the blog and try and make it to the next one.
Thanks for all your efforts in getting this group off the ground.
In the spirit of transparency everyone should probably know I voted Tuesday…
To be honest wouldn’t it be better to go with whatever was agreed at the last meeting (between Aren and Laura) and put the ‘desparately wanting a Thursday meet-gate’ scandal as a hard lessoned learned regarding unsecure voting systems?
In response to ignoring votes from non-twitter users it should be pointed out that the group is a Cornwall Social Media Cafe, not a Cornwall Twitter Cafe, or a Cornwall Bebo Cafe, or a Cornwall Windows Cafe.
I felt the Cafe is a meet for Social Media users in general. Although an event like this excluding certain users would make for an interesting story in itself…
Richard @richcollett
Please stick with current date
Hopefully, I will be able to make the next one. Tuesday 12th May is cool with me. If there’s going to be much more tension about the when and where of the event, I will bring boxing gloves and head guards. You’ll have to bring your own gumshields though đ
Happy for the 12th or 19th, by the way, but won’t mind if you pick a date I can’t do.
The thing I most want to avoid is more pointless infighting. It’s not going to make people want to come along.
At least the poll showed that just 2 out of the 4 dates were preferred by people!!
I expect if real people feel strongly about a particular date then they will make their feelings shown here.
Ultimately though it should probably be decided by the people putting the most effort in or by a committee.
If it helps UKNetWeb will sponsor the event with ÂŁ50 behind the bar (as long as it’s Tuesday 12th đ ) lol
@tobyparkins
I can’t actually remember which day I voted for, but the 12th is fine by me.
I’d also like to say thanks to Aren and Laura for putting the effort in to organise these meet-ups. It’s very much appreciated by me as a relative newcomer to Cornwall and a great way to meet other people in the digital/web/marketing field here.
Looking forward to the 12th,
Fiona (@patroclus)
thank you for all the trouble you’ve gone to trying to get this right. Tuesday 12th sounds good to me, I hope to be there!
Karen @cornwall100
Forget what date I voted for (I didn’t have any particular preference), but 12th is fine for me.
And, again, thanks to Aren and Laura for organising things and getting CSMC going in the first place – much appreciated.
Can’t make Tuesdays, interesting Guardian article đ
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/30/e-voting-electronic-polling-systems
Appears it’s not just the CSMC that suffers from e-polling.
Olly
Free beer… Toby.. Tuesdays it is… hehe… not that than swung my vote in any way!
Tuesdays will always be my preferred date, as i always work a Thursday eve, and in this present climate I cannot afford to take evening off! Which is a shame as I would like to be able to attend a few!
How about a rolling day, one month a Tues, next month a Thurs so that every one can get a chance to go at some point or another! gives more flexibility then.
Jb
Nice article, Olly… fodder for the Facebook Virtual Flashmob, methinks.
(Anybody seen any unsuspecting online polls lately…?)
The rolling idea is a good one if there are a significant number of people who can’t make one date. (Is there?).