Editing Encyclopedia:Administrators (section)

== Involved admins ==
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{{anchor|INVOLVED|UNINVOLVED|involved|uninvolved}}
{{policy shortcut|WP:INVOLVED|WP:UNINVOLVED}}
{{Quote box
| quote = "No man is a fit arbitrator in his own cause"
| source = [[Thomas Hobbes]], ''[[Leviathan (Hobbes book)|Leviathan]]''
}}
In general, editors should not act as administrators in disputes in which they have been involved. This is because involved administrators may be, or appear to be, incapable of making objective decisions in disputes to which they have been a party or about which they have strong feelings. Involvement is construed broadly by the community to include current or past conflicts with an editor (or editors), and disputes on topics, regardless of the nature or age of the dispute.

One important caveat is that an administrator who has interacted with an editor or topic area ''purely in an administrative role'', or whose prior involvements are minor or obvious edits that do not show bias, is ''not'' involved and is not prevented from acting in an administrative capacity in relation to that editor or topic area. Warnings, calm and reasonable discussion and explanation of those warnings, advice about community norms, and suggestions on possible wordings and approaches do not make an administrator involved.

In straightforward cases (e.g., [[WP:VAND|blatant vandalism]]), the community has historically endorsed the obvious action of any administrator&nbsp;– even if involved&nbsp;– on the basis that any reasonable administrator would have probably come to the same conclusion. Although there are exceptions to the prohibition on involved editors taking administrative action, it is still the best practice in cases where an administrator may be seen to be involved to pass the matter to another administrator via the [[Wikipedia:Noticeboards|relevant noticeboards]].

Non-administrators closing discussions<ref>[[WP:RFC|Requests for comment]], [[WP:RM|Requested moves]], [[WP:AFD|Articles for deletion]], etc</ref> and assessing consensus are held to the same standards; [[Wikipedia:Non-admin closure#Editors who are uninvolved|editors closing such discussions should not have been involved in the discussion itself or related disputes]].