It’s that time of year again in New Eden when all interested pilots in New Eden submit their applications to run for the Council of Stellar Management or CSM. However, if you’re here chances are you’re new to Eve Online and don’t know what the CSM is. Lets look a little of what the CSM and how it came to be!
What is the Council of Stellar Management?
Lets start this conversation by first talking about what the CSM is. It’s a council of 10 players that are elected by their fellow players and then CCP gets to pick 2 individuals who come in 11-20.
The CCP picks are individuals that CCP feels can fill in expertise and knowledge gaps that the 10 may not offer.
What Do the CSM Actually Do?
As a sitting CSM18 member, I’d describe the CSM as an advisory council. Each week we have a meeting (several on rare occasions) with different teams who either show off what they’re working on or are seeking advice. Sometimes the advice may be specialized, like balancing ships or sometimes it just might be “what do your communities think of…”
We also can bring community grievances and issues to CCP. For example, early in the CSM18 term the Incursion Focus didn’t spawn correctly. Since I wasn’t around for the start of the spawn, I didn’t realize it spawned improperly and nobody mentioned it to me. The next day (almost 24 hours later) I figured out there was a problem, took it to the devs and within 2 hours it was fixed.
And, of course when a feature or update is released that the various communities really don’t like, we can collect community sentiment and take it to CCP. We’re also asked frequently how players or communities are liking new features or balance patches.
However, we also get to bring our own ideas to the table. Things like QOL (quality of life) improvement or new features that could be cool. It doesn’t mean that CCP will implement anything, but we do get room to make suggestions and give ideas that could eventually turn into something.
Last, but not least, we can ask questions (within reason) and get answers faster than players can through normal channels. We’re also able to help with bugs or players who are having problems with harassment. Honestly, being heavily involved in community, I have found this CSM super power to be quite powerful.
How Do You Join the CSM?
In order to apply to the council, you need to either be one of the 10 players voted onto the CSM by their fellow players or the 2 players that are picked by CCP. Everyone, however, must apply and get enough votes to qualify for a seat.
What are the Requirements to Run for CSM?
The following are the requirements to run for CSM:
- alpha or omega account that is at least 2 months old
- can’t be employed or volunteer with CCP
- account must be in good standing
- be over the age of 18
- be willing to submit a passport
- post a thread on the Eve Online forum CSM section
Is There a Campaign Period?
Yes, generally there’s about 2 weeks between the candidate announcement and the start of the voting that is considered the CSM campaigning period.
In this time, the candidates will answer questions on their forum threads, talk to different communities and take part in interviews by Eve content creators. There will also be 10 minute interviews of each candidate done on the CCP Twitch Channel.
How Does the Election Process Work?
CSM19 will run the same as 18. So the How to Vote article is still valid for more in depth information.
How Many CSM Can I Vote For?
Each Omega account, that has been Omega for 60 or more days, can vote for up to 10 candidates. So if you have 10 Omega accounts, you can vote 10 times.
Do I Have to Vote for 10 Candidates?
No, of course not. However, if the first person you vote for is eliminated, votes will drop down to your second candidate. It’s worth voting for all 10 to make sure everyone that stands for your values or issues gets a fair chance. With this system, even the 10th spot stands a chance.
Will Eve Rookies Have a CSM19 Ballot?
Yes, we’ll be releasing a ballot again. This will be issued after the last candidate has had a chance to interview with Kshal on behalf of Eve Rookies.
Who is Running for CSM in 2024?
Besides me? CCP will officially do the announcements in a few days. This section will be updated as soon as the announcement is made.
Why is Kshal Running?
After being CCP’s CSM18 pick and having the privilege of serving on the council, it’s clear my work isn’t done. I still want to see CCP go through with a feature that would be a huge asset to public communities and possibly give them visibility in game. Two issues I’m pretty passionate about.
And, of course there’s keeping Eve inclusive. Not only do I want to see players being able to use assistive devices if necessary, I want to make sure the community is welcoming. While Eve thrives on in-game conflict, we don’t need to bring toxicity into it. There’s no room for hate, the isms and phobias. It’s a video game, everyone should be able to play it without having to be exposed to these things.
