EVE's second Council of Stellar Management applicants announced
EVE Online differs from other MMOs in a number of ways. Differences in game mechanics and setting aside, even the dynamics among the players is different than with your standard sharded MMO. The single server approach puts all of the players in one world, sometimes creating a tense social dynamic between the players, and especially between CCP Games and the EVE subscribers.
The player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM) is an attempt to have a group of players bridge this gap, and represent the interests of the playerbase as a whole by advising CCP on how to keep the game in step with what the players want. Although the first CSM is still in office, the next election process is well underway. EVE dev CCP Diagoras posted a breakdown of the applications for the second Council of Stellar Management, listing statistics and information about those who have their eyes set on a place among the CSM, and plenty to read about each of the individuals in the running.
CCP received 71 applications in all, 42 were accepted. Among the 29 rejected applicants, some didn't provide all the requisite information and at least one CSM applicant had committed EULA violations (which you might think would make him or her ideally suited to politics).
The accepted applicants are predominantly from the United States, with 20 Americans in the running. In comparison, the United Kingdom only has four, and all other countries represented have even less accepted applicants in the running for the second CSM. What's not apparent is if this disparity actually reflects the demographics of EVE's playerbase. While there's still a bit of gender imbalance, with only two women among the pool of accepted applicants, a wide range of ages are represented as with the first elected CSM, between 17 and 52 years of age.
CCP has put up a Council Candidates page (login required) with info for each individual running, which of course lists each applicant's real life identity and web page, as well as a statement of purpose. Additional info written by each candidate about what they hope to achieve through the CSM can be found in the Jita Park Speakers Corner section of the forums. Voting will begin on November 7th, and finish on November 21st. Voting is open to all players with an active account, at one vote per account.
