User talk:7/RFA-OptIn

Introduction

To nominate yourself or another editor for adminship, you must first create an RfA subpage for the candidate. However, it is a good idea to seek out the prospective candidate before you create the RfA subpage – if the candidate wants to wait or doesn't wish to be an admin, creating the page may be a bit awkward for them, so please check first. This will also prevent the candidate from declining the RfA.

The RfA subpage will be created automatically when you follow the instructions in the appropriate section below. You will be taken directly to this new subpage when you click the nomination button. On this subpage, the nominator must explain why this candidate would make a good administrator. Next, the candidate must accept the nomination on this subpage. The subpage should not be transcluded to the main RfA page before the candidate has accepted the nomination and made a statement or answered the optional questions to the candidate's satisfaction. This ensures editors will not vote against candidates simply because they have not completed the nomination – this prevents embarrassment and aggravation for everybody. Also please refrain from 'voting' on an RfA before transclusion. This is a time to prepare the RfA, as well as answer the necessary questions and get co-nominators.

Finally, once the nomination has been accepted, the questions answered to the candidate's satisfaction, and the candidate is ready for the RfA to begin, the subpage should be transcluded to the RfA page. This can be done by either the candidate or the nominator. This is done by following the "edit this page" link in the appropriate section below and adding the template provided above the most recent nomination on the RfA page. Remember to substitute the candidate's name for USERNAME in the template.

Please note that the forms below apply to first nominations – if a candidate has been nominated before, attempting to fill out the form will take the nominator to the previous nomination. To create a second nomination, simply put the number 2, separated by a space, after the candidate's username. This number will progress by 1 each time you try to nominate. If you are on your third time, then add your username, space 3, and so forth.

Instructions

To nominate yourself

1. Wait. We have 48,249,939 registered users, but only 852 administrators – this process is not taken lightly by the community. Take a moment for self-evaluation. Try to consider your contributions to Wikipedia the way that others will see them. Look at recent successful RfAs and unsuccessful RfAs. How do your contributions compare to those of candidates who passed but had notable opposition, or failed but had strong support? Check your edit count (line four of your my preferences tab). While there is no minimum requirement, self-nominated candidates with fewer than 2,000 edits and three months of active editing often see their RfAs closed per WP:SNOW or Wikipedia:Not Now shortly after adding them. More importantly, candidates should have contributed substantially to different areas of Wikipedia and should demonstrate a thorough understanding of Wikipedia policies (e.g., deletion policy, blocking policy, etc.).
2. To proceed, in the form below replace the text that shows USERNAME with your username (double check spelling and capitalization). If, for some reason, there is no text showing in the box, then type in "Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME", with your name replacing "USERNAME".
3. If this is your second nomination or subsequent, then add a space after the username with a number corresponding to the number of Requests for Adminship you have performed. If it is your second, put space 2. If it is your third, space 3 and so forth.
4. When you are taken to the next page, edit that page and follow the instructions listed there.
5. Save the page.
6. Re-edit the page again, and make sure to delete the acceptance line. It is recommended you answer the standard questions. While these questions are considered optional, candidates who do not answer them may garner opposition.
7. Opt-In to the edit-counting tools to allow reviewers to quickly get a picture of your experience (this step is optional, but is often expected of admin candidates - see reminders).
8. If there are any co-noms that wish to participate in the RfA they need to list their names there now.
9. Copy the following code:
   {{Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME}}
----
10. Go to the following page: Edit this page, and paste the above code you copied at the top of the RfA list.
11. Replace the text that says USERNAME to reflect your username (exactly as you did when you created the RfA). If it was space 2, then add that as well. It must be exactly as it was when you originally created it.

    After you have added the above code into the main RfA page this template will be included there.

    At this point users will be able to vote as normal.

12. Once you have submitted the RfA, go to the top of the page and edit the end date to reflect 7 days AFTER the day you submitted it, by following the directions in the header source code.

To nominate someone else

1. Verify with the person you are wanting to nominate. This might save the embarrassing situation of them declining.
2. In the form below replace the text that shows USERNAME with the username of the person you are wanting to nominate (double check spelling and capitalization). If, for some reason, there is no text showing in the box, then type in "Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME", with the person's name replacing "USERNAME".
3. When you are taken to the next page edit that page and follow the instructions listed there.
4. Save the page.
5. Notify the candidate on their talk page when the nomination RfA has been created, include a link to the page you just created (Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME). You may choose to inform them by placing the RfA nomination template on their talk page, which will automatically contain a link to their nomination page:

   {{subst:RfA-nom|YOUR USERNAME}}

6. Suggest that the candidate enable the edit-counting tools to allow reviewers to quickly get a picture of their experience (see reminders).
7. If there is a second nomination, please add a number, for example {{subst:RfA-nom|YOUR USERNAME|2}}, if applicable, or just add a space and the number 2.
8. Wait until the candidate has accepted the nomination before adding the RfA to Wikipedia:Requests for adminship. Once they have accepted, add {{subst:RfA talk|USERNAME|EDIT STATS}} to the talk page of the nomination, and add their edit stats.
9. If there are any co-noms that wish to participate in the RfA they need to list their names there now.
10. If the candidate requests you submit the RfA, go to the top of the page and edit the end date to reflect 7 days AFTER the day you submitted it, by following the directions in the header source code.
11. Copy the following code:
    {{Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME}}
----
12. Go to the following page: Edit this page, and paste the above code you copied at the top of the RfA list.
13. Replace the text that says USERNAME to reflect the username (exactly as you did when you created the RfA). If it was space 2, then add that as well. It must be exactly as it was when you originally created it.

    After you have added the above code into the main RfA page this template will be included there.

    At this point users will be able to vote as normal.

What to do if you are nominated by someone else

1. Go to your RfA subpage, and accept or decline your nomination. If you decline, be sure to inform your nominator.
2. After you accept your nomination, answer the standard questions for all candidates. While these questions are considered optional, chances are very high that the RfA will fail if they are not answered.
3. Edit this page and add the following text above the most recent nomination (replacing USERNAME with your name): (This is also known as transclusion)

   {{Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/USERNAME}}
----

4. Please double check your RfA to make sure there are no votes on the page before it is "transcluded" (added to the main RfA page).
5. Once you have submitted the RfA, go to the top of the page and edit the end date to reflect 7 days AFTER the day you submitted it, by following the directions in the header source code.

User notification

Canvassing for support (asking other editors to vote in your favor) is strongly discouraged. In order to get editors to notice your RfA, you are free to put a {{RfX-notice|a}} on your userpage. Such declarations are most definitely allowed.

Reminders

• Make sure co-nominators are handled before transclusion.
• While your edit logs on Wikipedia are publicly visible, some of the tools which can be used to aggregate your edit counts will not run unless you opt-in to allow tracking of edits per month and which articles you edit most frequently. It is strongly recommended that you opt-in to allow such aggregation by creating a page here (to allow aggregation on English Wikipedia) or here (to allow aggregation on all Wikimedia projects). While this is technically optional, many editors reviewing your RFA will have an expectation that this feature be enabled. After your RFA, or at any other time you may opt back out again by placing {{delete}} on the page you created. You may also privacy blank all or part of the report from the talkpage of your RFA. See the Toolserver Privacy Policy for details.
• It is recommended that no comments are made in the support, oppose, or neutral sections of the RfA before transcluding it into the main RfA page.
• If you have any questions, or are unsure of anything ask an admin or another Wikipedian and they can help you through the process.
• If you have a major bot, don't "advertise" your RfA within the bot's edits, this may cause problems when your RfA is discussed, as it has done previously.

Multiple nominations

If you have self nominated, or nominated someone more than once, there is a way to deal with subsequent nominations. When you do the second nomination for yourself or the person add |# (number of the nomination) or space # (number of the nomination) after the name. It will allow you to create the other nominations.