Talk:1978 Gilbertese Chief Minister election/GA1

GA Review

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Nominator: Thebiguglyalien (talk · contribs) 05:44, 22 July 2024 (UTC)

Reviewer: Chipmunkdavis (talk · contribs) 06:21, 22 July 2024 (UTC)

Very pleased to see this. Initial notes:

• The meaning of "The four candidates on the ballot were allies, so the two lesser-known candidates campaigned while the two well-known candidates did not" is not clear in the lead (is clear in the body).
• The body explanation of the election being at-large should be clearer, parliamentary elections also take place over the entire country.
• Images are hard to find, but in the absence of something better why not include our only image of Tabai?
• Currently thinking over "usual standard for elder status", I know what it means but I'm wondering how accessible it is.
• Would it be possible to get more information on the electoral system? It sounds like it was a straight first past the post, and getting 55.6% in a four-cornered election is impressive, but would there have been a second round or similar for a plurality win?

Best, CMD (talk) 06:21, 22 July 2024 (UTC)

Chipmunkdavis: I wasn't able to find anything in the sources about whether a plurality win would count, which is frustrating because it counted in other elections so I know the answer. I've made the other changes, though I'm ambivalent about the 2009 image of Tabai. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 04:57, 23 July 2024 (UTC)

Well, something to keep in mind if a source pops up. I have similar feelings regarding the image but my interpretation of GACR6 is to do what is possible. Would it help if the image is moved to the Aftermath section?

My reading from the 'Evolution of Electoral Provisions' section of the relevant Nohlen et al. chapter is that it was a plurality system:

The president had to be elected by plurality from a minimum of three and a maximum of four candidates who were nominated by and among the Members of parliament on their first session after the general election... While in 1978 every House member had the chance to nominate four candidates...

To me, the way this is worded infers that the plurality system has been used from the start. A UN Decolonisation Committee document I came across also inferred that the provisions for the election of the Chief Minister were rolled over and remained the same for post-independence presidential elections. I suspect the Report of the Gilbert Islands Constitutional Conference will be the best source to 100% confirm this. Number 57 22:51, 23 July 2024 (UTC)

• Lead covers all sections and has no novel information.
• Spotcheck on Van Trease 1993, pp. 18, 48. in Background is cleared, supports text and no plagiarism.
• Can't access the source, could the sentence "The proposal was endorsed by the House of Assembly" be modified to note if it was the pre- or post-1978 House? Pre I assume, but it could be clearer.
  • Added "that year".
• Can more context be added to "travelled to the outer islands", maybe "travelled from [core islands] to...". Or perhaps a more detailed explanation? It seems important to Tabai's electoral appeal and his eventual vote count across all constituencies, so it would be good for a clearer picture of this political divide to be present in the background. Some seems present in the Candidates subsection, could be shifted or modified.
  • Specified "from the main archipelago"
• Speaking of candidates, it seems implied by the text and by Van Trease 1993, p. 65. (albeit for a later election) that only MPs can be candidates. Would be good to have this explicitly stated.
  • Added.
• "He was also in favour of creating a national defence force for the Gilbert Islands", Van Trease 1993, p. 17. implies to me that the force was created ("promising to abolish it"). I assume the current text is right, but thought worth checking.
  • I reworded it so it's specifically about his belief instead of the sequence of events.
• When did Kirata get back into parliament after leaving in 1971? Similar question for Teiwaki.
  • None of the sources in the article mention it.
• "Unlike his allies in the election, Teiwaki was Catholic", needs to be stated what religion the other candidates followed for this to be fully understood.
  • Added.
• Beyond GACR but MOS:NUMNOTES recommends not starting sentences with numbers.
  • Fixed.
• Macdonald 1983, p. 62. doesn't need to be cited twice consecutively. Noting here I only have access to the Van Trease source, so that is the one I am spot checking.
  • Fixed.
• Worth explicitly mentioning that the anti-Ratieta alliance was unable to pick a single candidate?
  • Added.
• On the age and "respected elder" mention, was this an expectation specifically for politicians or is it a general customary leadership expectation? The current wording suggests politicians became respected elders, rather than the other way around. Is that correct?
  • Specified that it was "traditionally associated with leadership".
• Van Trease 1993, pp. 18–19. spot check cleared, as did 19 on its own. Noting that even though these are plain facts there is rewriting in own words.
• "Each candidate benefited from the favourite son effect, receiving a higher percentage of the vote in their home constituencies." Does the source give more details about this? Based on the table, Teiwaki didn't even win in his home constituency while still winning other constituencies.
  • Switched to "showing a strong performance" so as not to imply they each won their home constituencies.
• Thoughts on moving the "After independence..." sentence after independence? Would fit thematically with the title switch to President, and also work before the re-election sentence.
  • I can see why putting "After independence" after independence makes sense. Moved.
• Van Trease 1993, p. 65. notes Tong withdrew his candidacy for President, so perhaps instead of "main opponent" he could be described as "opposition leader" or similar?
  • Switched to "one of his opponents".

Despite nitpicks, prose generally clear and relevant MOS followed. Everything cited, spot checks passed. Seems to address the topic neutrally, no stability problems. More images don't seem immediately possible. On hold pending nitpick discussion. CMD (talk) 15:14, 23 July 2024 (UTC)

Chipmunkdavis I've replied to each comment above. I think the spot checks are sufficient given the length of the article, but if you had wanted to look at more, I was able to access the other sources through WP:TWL. Thebiguglyalien (talk) 17:34, 23 July 2024 (UTC)

Thanks for the replies and advice, I may see if I can do so if I have time later but have checked sufficiently for this GAN. Similar, Number 57 has identified a potential source which looking online I suspect some Wikipedians will be able to access and might be worth looking into, but that is not an issue enough to hold up the GAN. Picking up on the "outer islands", looking into it I don't think it's correct that it's contrasted to the main archipelago, I think it's contrasted to Tarawa alone. See page 15, where Tarawa is contrasted with the outer islands. (Page 19 as an aside mentions a bit more clearly the distinction between customary elders and young politicians.) A story about Tabai and a newspaper implies similar. This ADB project considers even Abaiang an outer island. CMD (talk) 01:11, 24 July 2024 (UTC)

For now I've fixed the outer islands part. Where did you look to find those sources? Thebiguglyalien (talk) 01:23, 24 July 2024 (UTC)

Just some specific google searches. Thanks for fixing, passes GACR1 and therefore all GACR. CMD (talk) 01:54, 24 July 2024 (UTC)