Late on Tuesday, July 19, CCP announced the election cycle for the eighteenth Council of Stellar Management (CSM 18). This year’s election event looks fairly similar to the last couple of years, though it has a significant change that will likely affect the balance of the CSM moving forward. You can read CCP’s announcement of the CSM 18 timeline here.
The CSM, for those who are unaware, is a consultation and feedback body for CCP. They provide feedback on topics ranging from game balance and marketing to new game features, as well as raising topics of concern from the players that CCP may not have recognised yet.
Before we get into the details of the situation, though, we need to note that due to a change back in 2020, this year we are saying goodbye (for at least a year) to Brisc Rubal and Kenneth Feld. Both of these members have served on the CSM for the past three consecutive years, and due to the introduction of Term Limits in 2020, both Brisc and Kenneth will be ineligible to run for a position this year. Here at INN, we’d like to acknowledge their consistency and contributions to EVE these last three years.
The Election Cycle
Moving on to the key details, this year sees a CSM period of 14 months, following the election and announcement of CSM 17 in June of 2022. The full timeline for the CSM 18 nomination, campaign, and election period is as follows:
1-15 August – Candidate submissions open
2-18 August – Application processing
23 August – Live candidate announcement
23 August – 3 September – Campaign period
4 September – 11 September – Voting period
21 September – CSM 18 Announcement
This CSM cycle is a somewhat extended period compared to recent years, with around 15 months being served by current members this term. This slightly longer term is, according to CCP, designed to accommodate a return to announcing the results of the CSM elections live at Fanfest, which is happening in September this year.
If you’re interested in running for the CSM this year, you should check out Brisc Rubal’s advice on running for CSM, as well as checking out CCP’s page on what is required of CSM members.
What’s New?
The key difference this year isn’t the longer timeline for elections, though. It is, in fact, the addition of 2 more members of the CSM. Yes, you read that correctly – CCP have decided that CSM 18 will consist of 12 members.
The election portion of the CSM selection is the same as it has been in recent years. Candidates put themselves up for nomination, and then are selected by the eligible voters (AKA Omega accounts, or subscribed players) by way of a Single Transferable Vote (STV) election. The ten candidates receiving the largest number of votes will be elected to the Council. Nice and easy.
The 2 other members of CSM 18 will be an interesting twist. These extra members will be selected by CCP from the candidates in positions 11 through 20 of the popular vote. CCP had this to say about the new additions and their selection process:
“Our selection will be based primarily on what areas of knowledge we perceive to be most valuable in the coming term based on our plans for EVE development. Operationally, there will be no distinction made between the 10 elected and 2 appointed members of the CSM.
This means that EVE players will get the benefit of having two additional experienced council members working for them with no reduction in voter agency. As the candidates eligible for selection will have come from a pool who made it quite far into the STV elimination process, they will be people who have significant support from the community, even if not *quite* enough to have been directly elected.“
We shall have to wait and see how CCP chooses to use their new role as arbiters of some CSM membership – it will be interesting to see who is chosen and why they are chosen.
In the meantime, though, we would remind you all that the best way to make your voice heard is always to participate. Get out there and vote!
