This is an advance notice regarding the forthcoming call for nominations to fill ICANN Board Seat 11. The current term of Patricio Poblete, the ccNSO-nominated Director for this seat, will end at the ICANN87 Annual General Meeting in October 2026. By that time, Patricio will have served two consecutive terms and is therefore eligible for reappointment. According to ICANN Bylaws, a Director may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms.
In accordance with the ICANN Bylaws and the applicable ccNSO internal procedures, the ccNSO Council is required to select a candidate. To meet the Bylaws requirement of appointing a Director by 17 April 2026 (six months prior to ICANN87), the nomination process will begin on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at 00:01 UTC and will close on Wednesday, 23 July 2025 at 23:59 UTC. Elections will follow in November 2025, after a professional firm completes due diligence checks on the nominee(s). A Q&A session with the candidate(s) will take place during ICANN84 (25–31 October 2025).
Eligibility criteria for candidates are outlined in the ICANN Bylaws [Section 7.2(c)], including requirements concerning citizenship or domicile. The applicable ccNSO Guideline outlines additional requirements, including those related to employment by a ccTLD. Notably, since Byron Holland, the Director occupying Board Seat 12, is domiciled in Canada (North American region), the candidate for Seat 11 must not be domiciled in the North American region.
Employment with a ccTLD is not a prerequisite for nomination. However, any employment or other relationship with a ccTLD must be disclosed in the Candidate Statement.
The ccNSO Secretariat will provide further details by Tuesday, 1 July 2025, including:
- Nomination and seconding procedures
- A reminder of eligibility requirements
- The timeline and next steps
To stay up to date on the nomination process, please refer to upcoming announcements on the ccNSO Members mailing list and the ccNSO website.