Given the non-real-time nature of a bulletin board (necessitating lengthy voting periods--especially on a BB full of traveling people) and the fact that TalkBoard members are volunteers (and there WILL be, as there has even recently been, periods where members may not have the time to research and understand the full causes and ramifications of a motion), I still think there is some value to a way to register that you are not comfortable participating in a vote.

That said, Spiff did say that a member who does not wish to vote can contact the TB President to allow the vote to close earlier than it otherwise would, and so I am not entirely opposed to simply eliminating the third option (whether it be "abstain," "present," or whatever.), although I still believe there may be value to having that third option as I described above.

I definitely do agree that abstentions should be rare events, and I myself do not currently plan on abstaining from any TB votes unless it represents a direct conflict of interest for me.

You mean I wasn't the first to say that?!

And here I thought I was being so original!