This referendum is not about "transformation". It's about aligning the rules so that the titles are effectively interchangeable. It allows Council to smoothly transition from working with Nokia to working with the Hildon Foundation. There is nothing lost in doing this.

All other rules? What other rules? There are no other rules that I'm aware of for Maemo Community Council. Everything besides the election rules, from when to hold meetings to how to interact with the community, is based on tradition and has changed over time.

For example, when I became Council I pushed to have weekly public meetings on IRC. Before that they were held semi-randomly, sometimes announced on the mailing list, sometimes on TMO, sometimes not at all.

Even if there are other rules, the ByLaws don't impose any new rules to Council. It allows it to self-govern. So this effectively transfers all of Councils current rules into it's own governing rules, including keeping all the things around referendums.

Did you read my reply to Joerg_rw?

This referendum is needed to fix problems with the existing rules. This includes the 3/5 issue, and the fact that the existing rules call out for a Nokia rep to make choices in special circumstances. The only thing this referendum is changing is that specific language.

To be clear: Nothing is changing about when a referendum is required and when it's not.

You have rules for Maemo Community Council that make a referendum mandatory only for changes to rules on elections and referendums. That is the only time referendums have ever been mandatory. The changes in this referendum DO NOT CHANGE THOSE REQUIREMENTS AT ALL. In fact, it solidifies that requirement, so that as Council transitions from working with Nokia to working with HiFo, those remain in effect.

The existing ByLaws do NOT require a referendum for anything. Those ByLaws are already in effect. By keeping that language while aligning the other rules to match those in the ByLaws, Council is effectively reaffirming it's own governing rules (which the ByLaws say it can do) that referendums are required to change election laws for Council.

There is no "power" in any of this. You've seen what happens when someone tries to "take power" in this community. They tend to get booted pretty quick.