1. Getting Positive Results
Negative Votes
Getting Positive Results

2. Six Resolution Options
Persuasive
Withdrawn
Withdrawn with Editorial Change(s)
Not Related
Not Persuasive
Previously Considered
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3. Submitting Negative Votes
Your approach to submitting or resolving negative votes is a critical step in the process of shaping standards It is the single most important element of the ASTM International standards development process.
‘‘Without negative votes and their proper consideration, ASTM would not be regarded as one of the premier standards organizations in the world.’’
Robert Morgan, Director ASTM International
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

4. Vote Early and Vote Often!
It is the most important duty of ASTM Membership
Voting on Ballots is the only Requirement of ASTM Members
Official Votes are required to make sure a Ballot is Valid
60% Return of Ballots
67% Affirmative at Subcommittee
90% Affirmative at Main Committee
Abstentions are Valid Votes
These DO NOT count towards the percent Affirmative requirement
All members may vote on All ballots
All negative votes/comments are considered
All negatives and comments received, including those from non-official voting members, shall be considered in accordance with these regulations.
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

5. The Importance of Being Complete!
Negative Adjudication Options
This Can Happen at a Meeting:
A Technical Contact will Review your Negative
A Motion of Not Persuasive may be made on your Negative
The Rationale of Not Persuasive must be presented
Discussion: At a meeting, there is dialogue and the ability to sometimes provide additional input from both parties and a compromise resolution may be found.
The Vote will be taken
This Can Happen via Online Balloting:
A Technical Contact will review your Negative
Permission to adjudicate via ballot must be given
Your negative and the Not Persuasive Rationale are put in the ballot template
There is no opportunity for additional Discussion, your Negative stands completely as written, so be Clear and Complete in your original writings!!!
It is the responsibility of a negative voter to clearly delineate their negative concerns.  Some complicated negatives contain many parts or issues, and too many negative voters do not clearly spell out their explicit concerns.  Negative voters do have a responsibility to clearly identify their negative technical points that have to be addressed.
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

6. Negative Submission Box Online
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

7. Negatives
The next two slides are examples of the Negative and Affirmative with Comment PDF’s that you will see on some of your closing reports. It includes the contact information of the voter in case you as the subcommittee chairman or the technical contact need to reach out for clarification.

8. Things that Make you go Hmmm….
Considerations when Drafting Your Negative
Consider this question: Can you live with the proposed standard’s content?
Consider concerns related to the draft’s technical content, procedures or safety, or its potential effect on your company
Consider broader industry needs and future impacts
Keep your Negative focused on technical deficiencies
Avoid duplication in content
Avoid duplicate and verbatim votes from voters within your organization
Engage and encourage dialogue with the Technical Contact
Understand your rights as a Negative Voter!
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

9. Additional Tips and Tricks
Getting the Most out of Your Negative
Be specific!
Be detailed!
Refer to the sentence, section or paragraph that brought about your negative.
Be as comprehensive in your rationale as possible about what needs to be adjusted or modified.
If there’s more than one place where you have objections, separate the sections and your comments.
You feel something needs tweaking, such as an editorial change, then vote “Affirm with Comment.” Comments do not keep a draft from moving forward and can appropriately be used for new business as well as editorial changes that correct misspellings or similar errors.
Concerns related to background information provided in the ballot cover letter or rationale statement should be brought forth as comments. These sections are not published with the standard and thus are not technical components of the standard.
Concerns related to technical discussions in the Research Report can be brought forth as negatives.
Include, if at all possible, alternate wording that would address your issue or concern
State whether a change would enable you to withdraw your negative
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

10. Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
Check yourself…
Is my concern technical or editorial / administrative?
Is my technical concern important enough that the item should stop?
Have I clearly identified my technical concern?
If available, have I supported my negative with data?
Can the item be revised in a follow-up ballot or as an item of new business?
If I have two or more important technical concerns, have I clearly identified them in my negative by using a separate paragraph or section for each specific technical concern?
Have I provided alternate language or suggestions that would satisfy my negative vote or allow me to withdraw my negative vote?
Have I engaged the Technical Contact or Task Group to discuss my concerns?   
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

11. Submitting your Opinion!
Negative
Affirmative with Comment
Abstain with Comment
One reason to vote negative (rather than just offering a comment) is to ensure that the technical contact agrees to future ballot action in exchange for withdrawing the negative.  While I understand that such an agreement has no ‘legitimate standing’ with ASTM – a withdrawn negative ends the ‘issue’ – for most of us, a commitment to conduct a follow-up ballot is considered an obligation.  And as you stated, such a negative should clearly state the grounds on which the negative will be withdrawn. 
Another reason for a negative can be to force a discussion on a principle, usually at D02, that concerns the negative voter.  As an example, we’ve had some recent negatives and (strong) discussions about precision, or lack thereof.
Technical suggestions and recommendations that identify specific concerns within the standard.
Considerations of how critical is your concern against the value to industry of having the item progress.
Effective negative voters provide suggestions or language that will satisfy their concerns.
Editorial suggestions or commentary on the standard that may not require the item to return to balloting.
Technical or Editorial Suggestions that may not be related to the balloted section or that are not considered time sensitive or critical.
Technical or Editorial Suggestions that may not be related to the balloted section or that are not considered time sensitive or critical.
Opinion or Personal commentary are also relevant for this type of vote.
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

12. Persuasive How is this decision reached?
General Agreement
Lack of a “Not persuasive” motion
A “Not Persuasive” Motion does not receive a Second
A “Not persuasive” motion fails (does not achieve a 2/3 affirmative)
Result of a “Persuasive” Negative
Item is removed from ballot
The system has been cleared to allow for re-balloting
The ballot item may be revised prior to re-balloting
What it does NOT Mean!
Full agreement or a requirement to do exactly what the negative voters wishes
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13. May withdraw negative at any time Ballot item moves forward
Withdrawn With Editorial Changes
Withdrawn by the voter
May withdraw negative at any time
Ballot item moves forward
Withdrawn by the voter/agreed as editorial
Editorial change introduces no change in technical content, but corrects typos or reduces ambiguity
After a Subcommittee ballot - If editorial changes are involved, please include for next level of balloting
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14. Finding Against the Negative Voter
Not Persuasive
Not Related
Previously Considered
Motion/Second/Rationale
2/3 affirmative vote at a meeting or via ballot
Actions of Subcommittee required to be Upheld by 2/3 affirmative vote at Main Committee meeting or via ballot
Item will move forward to next level of balloting or to publication.
Motion/Second/Rationale
2/3 affirmative vote at a meeting or via ballot
Actions of Subcommittee required to be Upheld by 2/3 affirmative vote at Main Committee meeting or via ballot
Must be treated as an item of New Business
Motion/Second/Rationale
2/3 affirmative vote at a meeting or via ballot
Actions of Subcommittee required to be Upheld by 2/3 affirmative vote at Main Committee meeting or via ballot
There must be clear documentation that the negative was ruled against at a prior subcommittee meeting.
The negative can not contain any new rationales or reasons beyond what was ruled upon prior as NP or NR.
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15. Motion for Not Persuasive at a Meeting
The Technical Contact will present the item and will state:
“I make the motion to find XX Not persuasive for the following rationale…”
It is always a motion to find voter not persuasive; never a motion to find voter persuasive.
Must be seconded
Discussion
Chair or Member calls the question
Re-read the Motion rationale
Only those with Official Voting status can vote.
Announce the result and the Vote Count
If the Motion does not receive a second or fails in the vote; the item is removed from ballot with a persuasive negative.
See ASTM Regulations:
Subcommittee Meeting Subcommittee Handling of Negative Votes
Main Committee Meeting Main Committee Handling of Negative Votes
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16. Request to Ballot Negatives
Subcommittee Level ballot approval
Subcommittee Chairman, or
Majority Subcommittee members
Main Committee/Concurrent Level approval
Subcommittee and Main Committee Chairmen, or
Majority of both Sub and Main Members
Approval can be given at a meeting or via electronic means ( , ballot, etc.)

17. Recommendations: Electronic Balloting
Engage with Negative Voters before the Ballot
Communicate the intent to ballot negative early
Provide an opportunity for dialogue prior to ballot of negative votes.
Examples include; but are not limited to:
Host a virtual task group meeting
Ask for input on an ASTM Collaboration Area
Circulate material via between interested parties

18. Why Use this Method? Standards Development Acceleration
Broader level of input, greater transparency
Low Meeting attendance, No Quorum
Seeking International participation and input
Complexity of Issues or Negatives

19. BALLOT ITEM Electronic Balloting
The Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committee Operations provide for actions on negative votes to be conducted either at a meeting or by ballot. This is a ballot to (find a negative not persuasive/not related or uphold the action of the subcommittee).
Before voting, please be clear as to what your vote means.
AFFIRMATIVE – Indicates that you SUPPORT THE ACTION in ruling the negative vote (not persuasive/not related) and that you DO NOT AGREE WITH THE NEGATIVE VOTER
NEGATIVE – Indicates that you DISAGREE in ruling the negative vote (not persuasive/not related) and that you AGREE WITH THE NEGATIVE VOTER. Negative votes do not include a written statement.
ABSTAIN – indicates that you do not wish to vote to agree or not agree with the task group in ruling the negative vote not persuasive/not related. It is preferable to abstain if you have no interest in the ballot item.
Background or summary on ballot history:
WK-XXXX appeared on Ballot XX(XX-XX) as item XXX
To view the original ballot item, go to the “My Ballots” section of the website, under “Closed Ballots and Closing Reports” section.
Negative Voter:
Negative Comment:
Non Persuasive Rationale:

20. How you Vote:
Before voting, please be clear as to what your vote means.
AFFIRMATIVE – Indicates that you SUPPORT THE ACTION in ruling the negative vote (not persuasive/not related) and that you DO NOT AGREE WITH THE NEGATIVE VOTER
NEGATIVE – Indicates that you DISAGREE in ruling the negative vote (not persuasive/not related) and that you AGREE WITH THE NEGATIVE VOTER. Negative votes do not include a written statement.
ABSTAIN – indicates that you do not wish to vote to agree or not agree with the task group in ruling the negative vote not persuasive/not related. It is preferable to abstain if you have no interest in the ballot item.
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21. Example of Online Results:
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22. Not Persuasive Negatives
Negatives determined Not Persuasive on Subcommittee Ballots attached to ballot item for rest of approval process, includes;
Copy of negative
Copy of subcommittee response
Vote count totals
Negatives found Not Persuasive at Main:
Committee on Standards (COS)
Reviews all Not Persuasive ballot actions on Main Committee/Society Ballots for due process. No technical issues considered

23. Appeal of Not Persuasive
Negative voter at Subcommittee
The item will be on Main Ballot; this is an opportunity to vote negative again
Negative voter options on Main Committee Ballots
If not persuasive, voter may request a confirming ballot on his/her Main Committee negative vote
Must be within 30 day of receiving notification of vote
Electronic ballot conducted to sponsoring subcommittee
No comments on ballot (yes, no, or abstain vote)
Appeal to COS
Response based on basis of Due Process, not technical

24. Helpful Hints for Officers and Tech Contacts
Documentation is Key!
Address each portion of the negative vote
If possible, put your resolution on a written document (Word or PPT)
Examples:
Use the new Excel Format for negative votes
Create a Q&A document
Use side-by-side column format
Make sure the minutes accurately reflect the Stated Rationale and Vote Count
Provide editorially revised document when resolving a negative vote as withdrawn with editorial changes
Submit that revised document in online system or to the D02 Editor!
Comments are intended for editorial issues or technical items of new business
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25. A Quick Note for Technical Contacts!
The Three Step Approach to Handling Negatives
Communication –
Pre-ballot communication; task group sessions, correspondence with interest parties who may be in opposition, open participation during development.
Meeting agendas, minutes, correspondence, direct contact between member & negative voter and other documentation
Consideration –
Both subcommittee and main committee at a meeting or via ballot
Documentation –
Resolution forms, online tools, minutes, correspondence
Emphasize the benefit of negatives at the subcommittee level – this is the stage at which we want to deal with all technical issues.  And in the vein of benefiting from negatives, point out that subcommittee ballot items which are balloted early in a semester can readily be revised and re-balloted in the same semester at subcommittee level, or if the negatives can readily be addressed, the item can be withdrawn, revised, and with suitable permissions, proceed directly to a concurrent subcommittee and D02 ballot in the same semester.     
Getting Positive Results from Negative Votes
9/18/2018

26. Questions?
RESOURCES
When You Do Not Agree: Effective Comments and Negative Votes
Handling Negative Votes – 2008 Standardization News Article
ASTM Member and Officer Training Course
Balloting & Handling Negatives Votes
ASTM Regulations
Committee Officer’s Handbook
Staff Manager – Alyson Fick or

27. Thank you