ArbCom and steward elections continue

Elections for the Arbitration Committee are ongoing; these elections end on Sunday, December 16. Results of the elections are available, with only two users ( Newyorkbrad and FT2) over 80%. FayssalF, Sam Blacketer and Deskana all have between 70% and 80% support, and Thebainer, Rebecca, Raul654, and Manning Bartlett trail behind in the 60-70% range. At least five candidates will be chosen after the elections by Jimbo Wales.

Elections for new stewards are also ongoing; these elections also end on Sunday, December 16. After the elections, the Board of Trustees has the option to select any candidate with at least 80% support. At present, eleven users have at least 85% support: Spacebirdy, .anaconda, Dungodung, Jusjih, Zirland, Thogo, Wpedzich, Lar, Millosh, Andre Engels, and Dmcdevit. Nick1915 is currently right at 80%, and DerHexer trails just below the cutoff point at 78%.

Confirmation of current stewards is also in progress; comments left there will be considered by current and incoming stewards, and some present stewards may lose their positions.

Wikimania 2009 bidding begins this week

Wikimania 2009 bidding officially opens on Saturday, although bids have already been created. New bids will be open until January 12, at which time the jury will be announced. Bids already created will be open until February 3, when bidding will end, and deliberations will begin. On or before February 20, the host city for Wikimania 2009 will be announced to the public.

Fundraiser continues, passes last year's totals

The Wikimedia Foundation fundraiser continued this week. In the first seven weeks of the fundraiser, about 35,600 people had donated at least US$1, and the Foundation had raised about $1,118,000. This surpasses the $1,040,000 raised in 2006; without counting a $286,600 matching funds donation from 2006, daily donations have averaged about 40% more than last year's.

Tuesday, December 4's total donations ($11,708.93) and Monday, December 10's number of contributions (345) reached a fundraiser low; however, average donations have risen, at least partly due to a few larger donations this week, including $1,000 donations by M Amy Batchelor and RuthAnn Harnisch, and anonymous donations of $2,000, $1,000, and ¥150,000 ($1,351.35).

Briefly

• The Main Page was briefly deleted this week by Eye of the Mind, who claimed the deletion was made by his/her sister. The account was desysopped, and briefly blocked; the account has since been unblocked, but its sysop status has not been restored.
• The Greek Wikipedia has reached 30,000 articles.
• The Lithuanian Wiktionary has reached 15,000 articles.
• The Thai Wikipedia has reached 30,000 articles.
• The Limburgish Wikiquote has reached 200 pages.
• The Arabic Wikipedia has reached 100,000 registered users.
• The Venda Wikipedia has reached 100 articles.
• The Hindi Wikipedia has reached 15,000 articles.
• The Indonesian Wikipedia has reached 70,000 articles.