User:L235/ACE2025

I'm sharing who I will be voting for in the hopes that the research and thinking I've done will be useful to others – I know these elections can take a lot of time to try to read up on. One thing to note is that I have had personal interactions with the majority of the candidates, in some cases having served alongside them as arbitrators or functionaries. On the one hand, I think this makes it easier to identify positive qualities and offer personal testimonials (which are much of what I've written below). On the other, I'm sure it biases the perspective that I bring – so certainly do take this with a grain of salt.

I also know that looking back at my ArbCom election votes over the years, I have been wrong many times. Every single year, I end up very pleasantly surprised at folks I may not have voted for who go on to prove their worth as truly wonderful arbs.

One of ArbCom's underrated functions is to issue decisions on "matters unsuitable for public discussion for privacy, legal, or similar reasons", as the arbitration policy puts it. Almost definitionally, ArbCom will not be able to share all the information it relied upon in deciding those matters, so in my opinion, as a voter, you should ask yourself:

• Would I trust the people I am supporting if they made a decision that seemed potentially unjustified, but said that can't explain why and asked me to trust them?

If the answer is no, you need to vote for a different group of candidates. If there is no group of candidates like that, then oppose everyone. Seriously — this is one of ArbCom's essential responsibilities, and it just sometimes can't be helped that ArbCom will need to make a decision like that.

I already wrote thoughts on most of the candidate talk pages, so this table largely collates what I've already written about the candidates, sometimes with a bit more commentary.

More information Candidate, Comments ...

Candidate	Comments	My thinking
Aoidh	Aoidh is running for a second term. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Aoidh is a hard worker and quite talented at the role. I've been very impressed by his first term and I intend to support his reelection."[1]	Support
Asilvering	Asilvering is an administrator and recently selected CheckUser running for his first term on ArbCom. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Absolutely delighted that Asilvering is running!! An incredibly dedicated editor, his willingness to put in the work has absolutely awed me this year, and I'm so very excited to be voting for his ACE candidacy."[2]	Support
Clovermoss	Clovermoss has been an administrator for two years and was the 2024 Wikimedian of the Year. She is also widely recognized for her talents in establishing Wikipedia:Editor reflections and is a deeply respected community member. However, for the reasons I mentioned on the discussion page, I think she may not be a good fit for ArbCom: I join Barkeep49 in both his appreciation for Clovermoss and his concerns as to whether ArbCom is the right fit for Clovermoss's set of skills and abilities. Somewhat separate from the points Barkeep raises, I was recently reminded of a situation earlier this year when Clover recreated an article about herself after it was previously redirected as a result of an AfD she submitted. Then, at the resulting second AfD, Clover posted 13 comments and initially argued somewhat strongly for her own notability, though eventually was persuaded otherwise. Her first comment opening with a ping to the nominator and closing with I also think that if source analysis and notability debates are the type of thing one is passionate about, there's lots of articles at List of Wikipedia people that have much weaker sourcing than this one.  – a veiled comment on the nominator's motivations that personalized the dispute. On the whole, I share the belief that part of the arbitrator role is skillfully managing and defusing drama, especially when the drama is not serving some higher purpose like the longer-term sustainability of the encyclopedia. In that light, recreating a COI autobiography after being redirected at AfD that would predictably trigger a second AfD (instead of waiting for another editor to independently propose recreating the article if she is notable, or following the guideline's alternatives or even requesting recreation at WP:DRV), and then making comments that could sound quite defensive at the second AfD, seems counterproductive. I will also reiterate that Clovermoss is a unique asset to the Wikipedia community and am very grateful to her for her dedication and work. But in light of the above as well as what Barkeep has written, I, too, will be opposing this candidacy.[3] Others have also written on the discussion page and those are also worth a read.	Oppose
Geni	Geni is the candidate I am struggling the most with in reaching a vote, and I am genuinely unsure at this moment how I will end up voting. But the answer to question 6 doesn't seem to engage with a very legitimate question that I think I'd want answered before offering Geni the kind of trust I mention above.	Unsure
Girth Summit	Girth Summit is a longtime functionary and first-time ArbCom candidate. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: ""Yay!" sums up my thoughts about Girth Summit's candidacy! I've looked up to Girth Summit's hardworking nature – not to mention his affability and charm – for many years now, and I'm delighted to have the chance now to support his election to ArbCom."[4]	Support
Guerillero	Guerillero served on ArbCom twice (2015-16 and 2023-24) and served as an ArbCom clerk at various times between the two terms as well as after his most recent term. He is running to return to ArbCom. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "I strongly encouraged Guerillero to run to return to ArbCom this year and am so very excited that he is doing so (even in light of an unexpected medical event in his family during this election period, which I know has weighed on his ability to spend as much time on this election as he otherwise would have). I have worked with Guerillero on-and-off in various ways (as a functionary, ArbCom clerk, and arbitrator) since 2015 and just so deeply admire his dedication to this project and the free-knowledge mission that animates us all. Of the candidates running this time, he's the only one who brings valuable history and institutional knowledge, having served as an arbitrator as far back as 2015-16 – institutional knowledge that I know I really relied on him for when I was serving on ArbCom with him in 2023-24. I can also attest to the fact that Guerillero lives what he says in terms of being a workhorse, not a showhorse, which he has continued to do even while off the Committee. I am very much looking forward to voting for him."[5]	Support
Hawkeye7	Hawkeye7 is a former administrator (RfA 2009, desysopped 2012) who has been a dedicated and prolific content editor for many years since. Hawkeye7 is clearly a deeply valuable contributor, but his answers to the questions from QuicoleJR (answer) and Vanamonde93 (answer) seemed to have sidestepped engaging with the substance of the questions and the difficult but candid reflections that they invited. At this time, I must oppose.	Oppose
HJ Mitchell	HJ Mitchell is a first-term arbitrator running for reelection. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "I was overjoyed when HJ first joined ArbCom two years ago and since then he's consistently been a dedicated arbitrator and an asset to the community on the Committee. I will be supporting his reeelction."[6]	Support
HouseBlaster	HouseBlaster is a current ArbCom clerk and administrator running for ArbCom for the first time. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Absolutely! HouseBlaster has served at various points as ArbCom's de facto lead clerk, and though I will miss his clerk service, I am thrilled to be supporting his election to ArbCom. In addition to his obvious talents in this space, he's also just one of the most friendly people I've met, and I know ArbCom will benefit greatly from his presence."[7]	Support
Izno	Izno is a former arbitrator (2022-23) running to return to ArbCom. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Hard agree! I really missed Izno's presence on ArbCom when his term ended in 2023, and I am so very thrilled that he's running to serve again. He has my support."[8]	Support
Sdrqaz	Sdrqaz is a first-term arbitrator running for reelection. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Sdrqaz was a joy to work alongside on ArbCom, and I'm thrilled they're running for another term, which I will of course be supporting!"[9]	Support
SilverLocust	SilverLocust is a current ArbCom clerk and administrator running for ArbCom for the first time. At the candidate discussion page, I wrote: "Really quite thrilled that SilverLocust is running – it has been quite a delight to work alongside him during his time as a clerk, and I know he will go far as an arbitrator."[10]	Support

Close

Thanks to each and every one of the candidates for standing. I'm truly grateful that we have so many folks who volunteer to devote many hours a week, every week, for two years, all in service of this project, simply because they believe in free knowledge (enough that we have an election to choose between them for their volunteer service!). Each of the candidates deserves enormous commendation.