Editing MediaWiki approval voting code

[[MediaWiki]] currently lacks [[approval voting]] code with general applicability. It does have approval voting code specifically designed for the [[Wikimedia Board of Trustees]] election, see [[Board vote code]]. However everything except the candidates names is hard-coded, and there can only be one vote conducted on a wiki at any one time. General approval voting code requires:

* The ability to conduct more than one vote at a time
* The ability for users to start votes
* Flexibility in voting rules including:
** Who can vote
** Administration
** Ending dates or conditions

A possibly-vain hope is that it could be used for [[answer recommendation]].

Because voting is sensitive and full of [[conflict of interest]], a [[critical point of view]] should usually be taken when analyzing any voting facilities, for instance this view from the [[trolls]]:

:[[MediaWiki]] is building in [[vote]] facilities to make the bogus [[Wikimedia]] "elections" look legitimate (although they are not):

::http://mail.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2004-May/000122.html

:If the voting protocol chosen is acceptable to [[faction]]s at Consumerium, then, this might be a plus in comparing it to other [[wiki code]].  If not, it will render it much less useful, just as the willingness of that clique to  llegally exploit [[MediaWiki bot]] to shut down critical sites (like  [Recyclopedia]]) did.  If prior patterns are followed, then, anyone who was to  odify or change the voting algorithm would be attacked by those who supported the one in place, and the clique "elected" by it.