From Meetups to Adminship: The Offline Path to Leadership on Wikipedia

Wikipedia is one of the most visited websites worldwide and a cornerstone of contemporary digital infrastructure. At its core is a volunteer-driven governance system in which users elect administrators - trusted community members granted special rights and responsibilities. While previous research has emphasised online behaviours and platform-native metrics in explaining who becomes an administrator, this study examines how offline interactions shape leadership outcomes within the German-language Wikipedia. Drawing on large-scale observational data covering two decades of both online and offline activity, and using hybrid multilevel random effects models, the study investigates who runs for administrator and who is ultimately successful. The findings reveal that attending offline meetings has little bearing on the decision to run but significantly increases the likelihood of being elected. These effects are not consistent over time: while offline interactions mattered most in the early years of the platform, their influence diminished in more recent periods. The results highlight the importance of interpersonal ties even in digital and democratic spaces. This study contributes to broader debates on participation and leadership in peer production platforms.