ASO AC Operating Procedures

The Address Council of the Address Supporting Organization (ASO AC) was established under the provisions of Section 3 of the ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). These operating procedures establish the governing procedures of the Address Council.

Operating Procedures of the Address Council of the Address Supporting Organization (ASO AC OP)

1. Purpose

The Address Council of the Address Supporting Organization (ASO AC) was established under the provisions of Section 3 of the ICANN Address Supporting Organization (ASO) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). These operating procedures establish the governing procedures of the Address Council.

2. Objective

The Address Council was established to perform the following tasks:

  • Undertake a role in the global policy development process as described in Attachment A of the ASO MoU.
  • Provide recommendations to the Board of ICANN concerning the recognition of new RIRs, according to agreed requirements and policies as currently described in ICANN Policy 2.
  • Define procedures for selection of individuals to serve on other ICANN bodies, in particular on the ICANN Board, and implement any roles assigned to the Address Council in such procedures.
  • Provide advice to the Board of ICANN on number resource allocation policy, in conjunction with the RIRs.
  • Develop procedures for conducting business in support of their responsibilities, in particular for the appointment of an Address Council Chair and definition of the Chair’s responsibilities. The ASO MoU requires all such procedures to be submitted to the Executive Council of the Number Resource Organization for approval.

3. Members

The Address Council shall be composed of members as described and provided for in the ASO MoU.

4. Officers

The Address Council shall be composed of members as described and provided for in the ASO MoU.

4.1. Number

The officers of the Address Council shall include a Chair, two co-Chair and such other officers as the Executive Council of the Number Resource Organization may determine.

4.2. Duties of the Address Council Chair

Leading the ASO AC to carry out its established functions and ensure that it follows approved operating procedures.

Ensuring the ASO AC has an approved work plan for that year and overseeing the implementation of the same.

Ensuring the performance assessment is carried out of ASO AC appointees to different committees

Liaising with the NRO EC as appropriate

Liaising with ICANN and other bodies within ICANN as appropriate

Maintaining a consistent understanding of the scope of ASO AC

4.3. Duties of Vice Chairs

Vice Chairs are appointed by the Chair of ASO AC and act as support and backup for the Chair and may be requested by the Chair to act on its behalf in presentations, meetings or other forums.

During extraordinary circumstances where the Chair is unable to fulfil the role, the Vice Chairs are expected to confer and agree to nominate one of the Vice Chair to act in the Chair’s capacity.

4.4. Procedure for Election of ASO AC Chair and Vice Chairs

4.4.1. Chair and Vice-chair Term Limits

The chair and vice-chairs are selected for a term of one year. The chair and vice-chairs terms will extend through the first meeting of the new year if a new chair has not been selected. The chair will be ineligible to serve as chair for one year after completing five consecutive one year terms. The Chair will be ineligible to serve as vice-chair for one year after completing one or more one year terms. The vice-chairs will be ineligible to serve as vice-chair for one year after completing five consecutive one year terms. Fractional terms of 6 months or longer will be counted a completing a one year term.

4.4.2. Election of Chair

A person who is or will be a member of the ASO AC in a particular year is:
– eligible to become Chair in that year provided he or she has not exceeded the term limit in section 4.4.1.
– notwithstanding the fact that the procedure for electing the Chair begins during the preceding year.

4.4.3. Appointment of Vice Chairs

The newly elected Chair shall appoint two ASO AC members to be Vice Chairs. To be appointed, each of the appointees shall:
(a) First, accept the appointment; and
(b) Be from a different region to the other appointee and to the Chair; and
(c) has not exceeded the term limit in section 4.4.1.

4.4.4. Election Procedure for Chair

(a) The Secretary of the NRO EC shall oversee the conduct of the election.

(b) Nominations for the positions of Chair for a particular year shall be posted on a private ASO AC mailing list no earlier than 00:00 UTC on 1 December and no later than 24:00 UTC on 14 December of the preceding year. Self-nominations are allowed. Nominations must be seconded by another eligible voter. Confirmation of interest from nominated candidates must be posted on a private ASO AC mailing list no later than 31 December at 24:00 UTC.

(c) At its December meeting, the council shall establish the days and times for the opening and closing of the polls for the purpose of electing the chair of the council. The polls shall not be kept open for more than seven (7) calendar days. Within three (3) calendar days after the polls have closed, the winner of the election will be announced. Records of how each AC member voted will be kept secret. The candidate receiving the most votes is elected Chair.

(d) In the event of a tie, there shall be a second round of electronic voting, in which the candidates are those who tied for first place during the first round. The list of candidates and the days and times of the opening and closing of the polls shall be announced.

4.4.5. Casual Vacancy

If the Chair resigns or is removed from his or her position on the ASO AC at any time during the term, the Vice Chairs shall designate one of them as the acting Chair, as between themselves, within 7 days. In the absence of agreement between the two Vice Chairs, the acting Chair shall be decided by lot within 7 days. An election to fill the position of the Chair for the remaining term shall be completed within 30 days of the casual vacancy occurring. The election shall be overseen by the NRO Secretary.

5. Meetings

5.1. Regular Meetings

The Address Council shall meet a minimum of four (4) times annually for the purpose of conducting business.

5.1.1. Schedule

The Address Council shall each year establish the schedule of date and time for the regular meetings of the council for the year. This schedule will include the following meetings:

5.1.1.1. Election of Address Council Officers

The Address Council shall meet within the month of January of each year for the purpose of electing the officers of the Council. This meeting shall not be required if the Council establishes a procedure to elect the officers by some other method.

5.1.1.2. Activity Review

The Address Council shall meet within the month of December of each year for the purpose of reviewing the activity of the Council for the year just completed and for the purpose of orienting new members to the council.

5.1.2. Notice

A reminder for all regular meetings shall be sent by email by to all AC members no later than 10 business days prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. All AC members shall respond to the notice.

5.2. Quorum.

Eight members of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business providing that there is at least one person present from each of the five (5) RIR Geographic Regions. If all three ASO AC representatives from a particular region are unable to attend an ASO AC meeting, they can specifically request that the meeting is rescheduled, at least 24hrs before the start of the meeting. Unless such a rescheduling request has been received, a quorum of 4 regions will be accepted for the ASO AC meeting to proceed.

5.3. Special Meetings.

Special meetings of the Address Council may be called for any purpose at any time by the Chair of the Address Council or any five (5) council members providing that there are persons from at least three (3) RIR Geographic Regions. Notice of any special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and shall be made no later than five (5) business days prior to the meeting.

5.4. Posting of Minutes.

Following an ASO AC meeting the Secretariat will send the draft minutes in a timely fashion to the ASO AC for comment. The comment period will last no longer than 1 week. After the review period the Secretariat will then post the Draft Minutes to the ASO website with a header explaining the minutes will be approved during the next regularly scheduled ASO AC meeting.

5.5. Cancellation of a Regularly Scheduled Meeting.

If insufficient members respond to the notice or an insufficient number indicate their ability to attend the meeting for a quorum to be established the meeting will be cancelled. Such action will be taken by the Chair no earlier than 24 hours prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. If the meeting is cancelled the Chair will notify the council via email that the meeting has been cancelled. The Chair shall then immediately determine whether a special meeting shall be called to conduct business or whether the business before the council can be deferred until the next regular meeting. The Chair will notify the council by email of this decision within 24 hours of the cancellation notice. If a special meeting is to be called the procedure described in paragraph 5.3 shall be followed.

5.6. Types of Meetings

Meetings of the Address Council may be held in-person, via teleconference or via video conference. The council may waive conducting the in-person meetings. Such a waiver shall be approved by the Executive Council of the Number Resource Organization. The in-person meeting will be conducted at an ICANN Community Forum.

All ASO AC meetings, in-person or tele/video conference, will start with an open session followed by a closed session (if required). Observers are welcome at the ASO AC open session but they will not be provided speaking time or standing. ICANN Board Members, ICANN Support Staff, RIR Staff or individuals specifically invited by the ASO AC Chair will be given standing as required. Where ever possible remote participation facility will be provided for the in-person meeting.

Meeting details, including the draft agenda, will be published on the ASO AC website and will be announced prior to the meetings at the relevant RIR mailing lists too.

If any meeting requires discussion about the selection of individuals to the ICANN Board of Directors, this will be done during the closed session.

6. Global Policy Development

6.1. Authority

Under the provisions of Article VIII of the Bylaws for ICANN, the ASO is responsible advising the ICANN Board with respect to policy issues relating to the operation, assignment, and management of Internet addresses. Under the provisions of the ICANN Address Supporting Organization MoU, the Address Council is tasked to perform this task.

6.2. Overview

Attachment A of the ASO MoU describes the policy development process for global Internet number policies. Section 5 of the ASO MoU defines a global Internet number resource policy. The Address Council participates in this process during the Introductory Phase and the Ratification Phase. Between these two phases, the policy passes the RIR Discussion Phase wherein the proposal is discussed and ratified in each RIR policy forum. It is facilitated during this phase by the staff of the appropriate RIR. The Address Council will use the procedures described below to fulfill its responsibility in the global policy development process.

6.3. Global Policy Proposal Facilitators

At the beginning of each term the Address Council shall organize at least one (1) Policy Proposal Facilitator Team (PPFT) consisting of one council member from each of the regions. During the course of the year additional teams may be formed at the discretion of the council. The members of the PPFT will be responsible for the actions described in the procedures below.

6.4. Introductory Phase

A global policy may be introduced in one of three ways:

  • Submitted to an RIR policy forum. The proposal is introduced into an RIR policy forum in accordance with its policy development process.
  • Submitted to the Address Council. The proposal is submitted to the Address Council for consideration as global policy.
  • The ICANN Board of Directors requests the Address Council to initiate a policy proposal.

6.4.1. Submitted to an RIR Forum

Within ten (10) days of the introduction of a global policy proposal in a particular region, the PPFT member of that region will notify the Chair of the Address Council of the introduction of the proposal. The Chair of the Address Council will notify the council of the proposal and will place the policy proposal on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Address Council as an information item. At this meeting the Address Council will examine the proposal to determine if it meets the definition of a global policy. If it does not then the PPFT member of the particular region will notify the appropriate RIR that the policy proposal that it does not meet the criteria of a policy proposal. The Address Council will take no further action. If on the other hand the proposal meets the criteria of a global policy proposal then the PPFT will within ten (10) days of the completion of the determination request to their respective RIR that the policy proposal be placed in the policy forum for their region for processing in accordance with the regional policy development process.

6.4.2. Submitted to the Address Council

Within ten (10) days of the submission of the proposal to the Address Council, the Chair of the Address Council will notify the council of the proposal and will place the policy proposal on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Address Council as an information item. At this meeting the Address Council will examine the proposal to determine if it meets the definition of a global policy. If it does not then the Chair will notify the proposal author that the policy proposal that it does not meet the criteria of a policy proposal. The Address Council will take no further action. If on the other hand the proposal meets the criteria of a global policy proposal then the PPFT will within ten (10) days of the completion of the determination request to their respective RIR that the policy proposal be placed in the policy forum for their region for processing in accordance with the regional policy development process.

6.4.3. Requested by ICANN Board

The ASO MoU provides for the ICANN Board to request that the Address Council initiate a policy proposal. Any such request must include an explanation of the significant viewpoints that call for policy development and must meet the requirement of a global policy proposal. The Address Council will organize a policy proposal team consisting of one (1) member from each region. This team will work with the ICANN staff to draft such a proposal and will submit it to the ICANN board for concurrence before proceeding further. Once the language of the proposal is mutually agreed upon by the ICANN board and the Address Council the PPFT will request to their respective RIR that the policy proposal be placed in the policy forum for their region for processing in accordance with the regional policy development process.

6.5. RIR Discussion Phase

Once the global proposal has been introduced, the proposal author is expected to participate in each regional forum. Each RIR will work with the author as provided for in their respective policy development process. The Chair of the Address Council will notify by letter using the template in Annex (), the Chairs of the other ICANN Supporting Organizations and the Chairs of the ICANN Advisory Committees that a global policy proposal is being discussed in the RIR policy fora. This letter will encourage participation by the constituents of these other organizations in the RIR policy fora. The PPFT will monitor the progress of the proposal and will report on this progress at each meeting of the Address Council until such time as the proposal is remanded to the Address Council for the ratification phase. (It should be noted that the ASO MoU provides for the staffs of the individual RIRs to reconcile the language between the RIRs.)

6.6. Ratification Phase

The Ratification Phase begins when the Number Resource Organization (NRO) Executive Council (EC) transmits the final global policy proposal to the Address Council. A global policy proposal is finalized once it has been ratified in each RIR policy forum and any language reconciliation has been completed. The Ratification Phase consists of two (2) segments, the Address Council Review segment and the ICANN Board Ratification segment.

6.6.1. Address Council Review Segment

When the NRO EC transmits the policy proposal to the Address Council for ratification, it will establish a calendar start time. Within sixty (60) days of this start time the Address Council will conduct a final review the proposal and either:

  • Pass it to ICANN for ratification as a global policy;
  • Advise the NRO Executive Council that the Address Council has concerns as an outcome of its review and that the proposal requires further review within the public policy development process; or
  • Request the NRO Executive Council for an extension of time to complete the review of the proposal.

Upon receiving a global policy proposal from the NRO EC the members of the PPFT for that proposal will produce a report using the template described in Annex (). This report will consist of a statement that the published policy development process of each of the RIRs was or was not followed. If it is determined that the published policy process was not followed, the report will provide detailed information where, when, and how the process was not followed.
Upon completion of its final review, the Address Council will, by majority vote then take one of the three actions identified earlier and described below.

6.6.1.1. Pass the proposal to ICANN for ratification as a global policy

If the Address Council determines that the policy proposal has met the review requirements, it will authorize the Chair of the Address Council to transmit the proposal to the Secretary of ICANN for ratification by the ICANN Board of Directors. The Address Council will also establish the expected calendar start time of the ICANN ratification period. The letter of transmittal will use the template described in Annex (). The minutes of the meeting authorizing the transmittal of the proposal to ICANN will note the expected calendar start time of ICANN Board Ratification period. Upon receipt by the Chair of the acknowledgement of receipt by the ICANN Secretary, the Chair will confirm the calendar start time of the ICANN ratification period.

6.6.1.2. Advise the NRO Executive Council that the Address Council has concerns as an outcome of its review and that the proposal requires further review within the public policy development process.

If as a result of its review of the proposed global policy, the Address Council has concerns regarding whether each region’s PDP was followed, the Chair of the Address Council will so notify the Chair of the NRO EC of these concerns and if appropriate, request that the proposal be returned to the regional policy fora for further consideration.

6.6.1.3. Request the NRO Executive Council for an extension of time to complete the review of the proposal.

If in the opinion of a majority of members of the entire Address Council, the review of the policy proposal cannot be completed in the prescribed time, the Chair of the Address Council will so notify the Chair of the NRO EC and will request an extension of time to complete its review.

6.6.2. ICANN Review and Ratification

6.6.2.1. ICANN Board Actions

The ICANN Board may review the policy proposal and may ask questions and otherwise consult with the ASO Address Council and/or the RIRs acting collectively through the NRO. The ICANN Board may also consult with other parties as the Board considers appropriate. Within 60 days of receipt of the proposed policy, including any consultation, the ICANN Board may either:

  • Accept the proposal by a simple majority vote; or
  • Reject the proposed policy by a supermajority (2/3) vote; or
  • By a simple majority vote request changes to the proposed policy;
  • Take no action in which case the policy will be considered ratified as it was presented to ICANN.

6.6.2.2. ICANN Board Acceptance and Ratification

When the ICANN Board accepts the proposal as presented it will so notify the Address Council. The Chair of the Address Council will so notify the Chair of the NRO EC. The NRO EC will notify the RIRs who in turn will implement the policy.

6.6.2.3. ICANN Board Rejection

If the ICANN Board rejects a proposal it will provide the Address Council with it specific concerns regarding the policy proposal. The Address Council will work with the NRO EC to examine the concerns and make an effort to resolve them with the ICANN Board. If the concerns cannot be met without changing the substance of the policy proposal, the proposal will be returned to the RIR fora with the ICANN comments. The Address Council will then await a re-transmittal of the proposal by the NRO EC.

6.6.2.4. ICANN Board Change Request

If the ICANN board requests changes to the policy language the Address Council will provide this request to the NRO EC. The NRO EC will consult with the RIRs. If one of the RIRs objects to the proposed language change, then the proposal will be returned to the RIR PDP fora and the Address Council will await a re-transmittal of the proposal by the NRO EC. If all of the RIRs accept the proposed changes, the NRO EC will so notify the Address Council who will in turn notify ICANN who will then take the action prescribed in the ASO MoU.

6.6.2.5. Notice of Rejection

In the event that the ICANN Board rejects a proposal transmitted as described in paragraph 6.6.2.4 above, the Address Council will so notify the NRO EC who will in turn take action as prescribed in the ASO MoU.

7. Procedures to Appoint Members to Various Bodies

The Address Council (AC) appoints members to various positions on committees, working groups, task forces, or other bodies. This procedure will apply to such appointments, except where a more specific procedure exists. For example, this procedure does not apply to appointment of ICANN board members, because there is a separate procedure for that.

7.1. Non Time Constrained Appointment Requests

If there is sufficient time, the AC will evaluate the request to make an appointment in an ASO AC meeting. The address council may choose, by simple majority vote of the AC members attending the meeting, to

  • make the appointment,
  • defer until the next (planned or emergency) ASO AC meeting, or
  • hold an electronic vote (eVote).

7.2. Solicitation of Interest

The AC members may decided to solicit interest from a wider group than those in attendance at the meeting, including, but not limited to:

  • other AC members not in attendance,
  • AC members whose term is expiring at the end of the year,
  • AC members elect, and
  • outside individuals, such as NRO or RIR staff, or member of the NRO/ASO community.

7.3. Time Constrained Appointment Requests

The AC Chair may decide to make the appointment by eVote after discussion on the mailing list1, in order to meet appointment deadline.

7.4. eVotes

All eVotes must have a scheduled start and end date and time, in a specified time zone. The voting must be open for no less than seven days. Approximately one day before the scheduled end of voting time, each AC member will get an email noting if their individual vote has been recorded, instructions on how to vote, and the total number of votes cast. The election will close at the end of the scheduled voting time or may close early if all AC members have voted. The appointment will be based on a relative majority if more than half of the AC members have voted.

7.4.1. eVotes for Multiple Appointments

In the event of an election for multiple appointments, members will be permitted as many votes as there are appointments to fill. Each member may vote for as many or as few candidates as they desire, up to the maximum set in terms of 7.4.1, but may not submit more than one vote per candidate. The appointments will be based on a relative majority where the candidates with the most votes will fill the available appointments, provided more than half of the AC members have voted.

7.4.2. eVotes for an Unknown Number of Appointments

It is possible that an eVote can be held where the number of appointments is not known in advance. In this case, members will be permitted as many votes as the number of candidates, or such smaller number as may be decided prior to the start of the eVote. Each member may vote for as many or as few candidates as they desire, up to the maximum set in terms of 7.4.2, but may not submit more than one vote per candidate. The threshold for determining an appointment must be decided prior to the start of the eVote. Some examples include but are not limited to:

  • all candidates tied for first will be selected,
  • all candidates within two votes of the the lead candidate will be selected,
  • the number of votes cast for the candidate in third position will be determined, and all candidates will be selected who receive at least that many votes, or who fall short of that threshold by no more than two votes will be selected,
  • all candidates with a simple majority of votes will be selected.

7.4.3. eVote Extensions

If half or less of the AC have voted, the election will be extended another seven days, unless the AC Chair decides otherwise due to relevant time-restrictions or requirements at a given time. In such a situation the decision of the Chair should be explicitly documented and the AC should be informed.

  • An email will be sent to all AC members announcing the new end date of the vote, and will list the names of those who have already voted. It will also include voting instructions.
  • Votes cast prior to the extension period will be counted, so there is no need to cast a vote in the extension period if the AC member has already voted prior to the extension period.
  • At the conclusion of the extension period, the appointment will be based on a relative majority of those who voted.

7.4.4. eVote Runoffs

In the event that an eVote results in a tie, or similar circumstances, a runoff election will be held including all candidates who were not eliminated during the previous round. To the greatest extent practical, the runoff election will be held in the same manner as the first round, except that, if the first round was an eVote over a period longer than seven days, then the duration of the runoff election will be reduced to seven days, unless the AC Chair decides otherwise due to relevant time-restrictions or requirements at a given time. In such a situation the decision of the Chair should be explicitly documented and the AC should be informed. A runoff election may be closed early if all ASO AC members have voted. This procedure is not included for appointments made in a meeting, as anomalous results can be immediately dealt with through

  • discussion,
  • a newly constrained vote, or
  • a motion about how the results should be considered

7.5. Updates from Appointees

Upon accepting an appointment, appointees shall provide regular updates to the ASO AC on their work, and the work of the body they are appointed to.

  • Appointees may be invited to provide updates during ASO AC meetings.
  • Updates may be provided via email in addition to, or instead of, attendance at a meeting.
  • Appointees may be invited to attend ASO AC meetings as observers, even when no updates will be provided.

8. Procedure for Removal of ASO appointed members

The Address Council (AC) appoints members to various positions on committees, working groups, task forces, or other bodies. This procedure will apply to removal of such appointees, when permitted, except where the ASO AC has a more specific removal procedure.

8.1. Non Time Constrained Appointment Removal Requests

If there is sufficient time, the AC will evaluate the request to remove an appointee in an ASO AC meeting. The AC may choose, by simple majority vote of the AC members attending the meeting, to hold a vote for appointee removal. The appointee removal vote can be conducted via an eVote. The AC may also choose to make a new appointment in parallel or contingent upon removal of a current appointee.

8.2. eVote

The AC Chair may decide to hold an eVote after a 7 day discussion on the mailing list1. eVotes will follow the procedures described in our PROCEDURES TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO VARIOUS BODIES sections 7.4 except as follows in section in the next section:

8.3. Results

  • Only a unanimous vote to remove the appointee will result in removal.
  • As single vote cast to not remove the appointee will result in the appointee remaining in the position.
  • Abstentions and members not voting is acceptable, provided a simple majority of eligible voters vote in support of removing the appointee.
  • At the conclusion of the removal eVote, if the results are inconclusive, then the vote will be extended by another 7 days. Each AC member will get an email noting if their individual vote has been recorded, instructions on how to vote, the total number of votes cast, and the new date concluding the election.

9. Selection of Individuals to the ICANN Board of Directors

9.1. Authority

Under the provisions of Article VI of the Bylaws for ICANN, the ASO is responsible for selecting persons to fill seats 9 and 10 of the ICANN Board of Directors. Under the provisions of Article VIII of the Bylaws for ICANN the Address Council is tasked to select these persons.

9.2. Overview

The ICANN bylaws establish the beginning of the terms of seats 9 and 10. In those years when the term of one of these seats is to expire, the Address Council will establish a timeline in accordance with the General Selection Procedure described below to enable it to select a person to fill the projected vacancy. In the event that a seat is vacated prior to the expiration of the term, then the Address Council will exercise the Extraordinary Selection Procedure described below. In either case the procedure will consist of the four phases – Nomination, Comment, Interview, and Selection.

9.3. Eligibility Requirements

All candidates desiring to be selected to the ICANN Board by the Address Council must meet the selection criteria and conflict of interest requirements as stated by ICANN in its Bylaws and other relevant documents that ICANN publishes or identifies. No candidate will be considered who does not sign a Letter of Certification attesting to compliance with the ICANN stated requirements as well as attesting to previous conduct and character. This letter will be sent via email to each applicant with a set of administrative instructions concerning its execution. Any applicant who fails to follow these instructions will not be considered as a candidate for selection. Following the selection process, the elected candidate will be subject to an independent due diligence review consistent with those performed on all Nominating Committee selected Board members. This due diligence review is further outlined below in section 9.4.9.

9.4. General Selection Procedure

The General Selection Procedure (GSP) will be used to fill the ASO designated seats when those seats are vacated by expiration of the term of service. Any ASO AC member who accepts a nomination to be considered for selection by the ASO as an ICANN Director shall not participate in any discussion or vote relating to the ASO AC selection of Directors, until the ASO has selected its full complement of Directors.

9.4.1. Procedures for Selection Process

In those years when a selection is required, the Council will establish a timeline in accordance with the requirements to seat the board member as stated by ICANN. This timeline and procedures will be announced on the ASO website, other websites, and email lists as agreed by the Council. Appropriate messages will be posted at the beginning of each phase, as outlined below, and as agreed by the Council.

9.4.2. Qualification Review Committee

A Qualification Review Committee (QRC) will be established for the purposes of establishing a qualified slate of candidates for the interview phase. This committee will consist of one member from each region. In the event that a committee member indicates to the committee that they are unable to fulfill their responsibility, another member from the same region will be designated to fill that role as soon as possible and in a manner that the committee determines.

9.4.3. Nomination Phase

The period of the nomination phase must be at least 60 calendar days. The Secretariat will post an announcement to the ASO web site, other web sites, and email lists as appropriate declaring the nomination period open and specifying the deadline for presenting nominations. This announcement will contain instruction directing interested parties to the ASO website where they may obtain information regarding the selection process, candidate eligibility requirements, and the responsibilities upon selection. Anyone may nominate any person whom they wish. Nominations will be sent to the Secretariat who will contact the nominee, notify them of their impending nomination, and provide them with a copy of the Letter of Certification and a general questionnaire. The questionnaire will also secure written consent of the candidate to permit the due diligence provider to complete the due diligence review as required. The nominee will complete the letter and questionnaire and return them to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will forward them to the QRC.

9.4.4. Candidate Evaluation Phase

The QRC will review the submissions for completeness and for compliance with the eligibility criteria and conflict of interest requirements. If it deems necessary, the QRC may ask for additional clarification information from any nominee. As each person is determined to be a qualified candidate, their name will be published on the ASO web site to a running list of candidates. Persons who do not complete this activity by the close of the nomination period will not be considered as candidates. If there is not at least one more candidate than the number of open seats, the nomination period will be extended until such time as this number is obtained.

9.4.5.Comment Phase

The period of the comment phase will be at least 30 calendar days plus the amount of time required to conduct the interview phase. The comment phase starts at the close of the nomination phase. A comment section will be made available on the ASO web site. Anyone may submit a comment. All comments will be moderated prior to display. The comment phase will conclude at the same time as the interview phase.

9.4.6. Interview Phase

The period of the interview phase is a maximum of 60 calendar days and commences 30 days after the start of the comment phase. During this phase, up to three rounds of interviews will be conducted: Round (1) will be in written, Round (2) will be conducted via videoconference (with audio conference as an option if video is not feasible), and round (3) in person, in that order. The round (1) written interview is compulsory. The round (2) interview may be skipped in the event that an in-person interview is conducted. However, if an in-person interview is not possible, a video conference (with audio conference as an option if video is not feasible) interview will be conducted.

9.4.6.1. Interview Committee

An Interview Committee (IC) will be established for the purposes of conducting interviews with candidates. This committee will consist of one member from each region. Members of the QRC are eligible to participate on the committee. In the event that a committee member indicates to the committee that they are unable to fulfill their responsibility, another member from the same region will be designated to fill that role as soon as possible and in a manner the committee determines. The IC may enlist the support of additional ASO AC members to aid in the conducting interviews including assisting in asking questions to candidates, preparing, and presenting written reports. These volunteers will be considered auxiliary IC members. The committee members may ask different candidates, different questions in an interview but are collectively responsible for the questions asked during all interview rounds. Subsequently, the committee will produce a comparative report. It is expected that such a report would include a ranking of the candidates, description of how the ranking was derived, and a summary of the questions and answers.

9.4.6.2. Interview Round 1: Written Interview

The written interview will be conducted for all candidates. At the beginning of the interview phase each candidate will receive a list of questions, developed by the Address Council, to answer in writing. The candidates will have 10 calendar days to complete the questionnaire and return it to the Secretariat. The Address Council will meet to examine the responses to the written interview questionnaire from each candidate and determine if any candidates should be further interviewed. Persons not considered for further interview will be removed from final consideration for selection.

9.4.6.3. Interview Round 2: Video Conference Interview

The telephone interview can be conducted for any number of candidates. This interview will be conducted by the IC. Other members of the Address Council may be present at the teleconference, but they will not be allowed to ask questions or otherwise comment during the interview. Prior to the interview, each candidate will be provided with a list of questions to assist in their preparation for the interview. The committee may ask for answers to those questions or pose questions not previously provided to the interviewees. The interview committee will present a report of each interview conducted to the Address Council. The Address Council will meet to examine the report of each candidate’s round 2 interview and determine if any candidates should be interviewed further. Persons not considered for further interview will be removed from final consideration for selection.

9.4.6.4. Interview Round 3: In-Person Interview

In-person interviews can be conducted for preferably three candidates, or less, per vacancy. In-person interviews will be conducted by the IC. Other members of the Address Council that may be present at the in-person interview may observe, but they will not be allowed to ask questions or otherwise comment during the interview In the event there are more than three qualified candidates, the AC should seek approval from the Number Resource Organization Executive Council for the additional cost.

These interviews will be conducted by the IC. Funding for travel for the candidates and the interview committee will be provided by the NRO. If the in-person interview happens to coincide with an in-person meeting of the Address Council, then the entire council may conduct the interview. If the in-person interview happens to coincide with an in-person meeting of the Address Council, then the entire council may conduct the interview. Prior to the interview, each candidate will be provided with a list of questions to assist in their preparation for the interview. The committee may ask for answers to those questions or pose questions not previously provided to the interviewees. The interview committee will present a report of each interview conducted to the Address Council.

9.4.7. Selection Phase

The period of the selection phase will be at least 14 calendar days. It will start at the close of the interview phase. At the start point, the AC will meet to evaluate all of the candidates. It will review all documentation accumulated for each candidate. At the conclusion of the meeting, the AC will have at least 1 calendar days to continue its deliberations regarding the candidates. At the end of this deliberation period the members of the Address Council will have at least 7 calendar days to vote. The votes will be tabulated by the Secretariat. The results will be provided to the Address Council Chair. Announcement of the selected candidate will only be made once due diligence is complete.

9.4.7.1 Ballots

Ballots will be a ranked ballot all of the candidates. The candidate with the highest number is most preferred. Candidates with no preference given or a value of “0” (zero) are preferred less than all other candidates. Multiple candidates can have the same preference. Relative values of the preference are not meaningful, only that candidate A is preferred over candidate B. A vote of “0” (zero) for every candidate is considered an abstention, but counts as a vote cast.

9.4.7.2 Election Rules

If less than half of the eligible voters vote then the election will be automatically extended one time by seven days.An election is considered invalid if more than half of the votes cast are abstentions. Any candidate that has all zero and/or all blank votes can not be selected to fill a position. Once the stack ranked order is complete, as many names as are needed will be selected from the stack ranking from most preferred to least preferred to fill one or more seats.

9.4.7.3 Elections Counting

The Schultze counting method will be used to select a candidate for the highest available rank in the stack ranking. If any internal calculation performed during the Schulze counting process results in a tie for any rank in the stack ranking, then the tie will be broken by:

  1. Randomly selecting a voter, and and using that voter’s preference to select one of the tied candidates.
  2. If the randomly selected voter still results in a tie for selecting the most preferred candidate, then those tied candidates will be passed on to the next randomly selected voter, and the process repeated.
  3. If the tie is still unbroken after all of the voter’s preferences have been considered, then the selection will be randomly selected from the remaining candidates.

Further information about and examples of Schulze counting can be found at the following link (note this is not part of the operating procedures):

9.4.8. Notification of ICANN

At the request of the Address Council Chair, the Secretariat will notify the Secretary of ICANN providing the name and contact information of the candidate.

9.4.9. Review of Candidate

The candidate will be subject to an independent due diligence review conducted by an ICANN provided contractor referred to as due diligence provider. This review will require written consent of the candidate, obtained by the due diligence provider before the due diligence review begins. All candidates will provide this consent during the nomination phase. Depending on the region in which the candidate is located, this due diligence review process generally takes 3-4 weeks from when the due diligence provider is notified of the candidate. The process is meant to ensure that there is nothing in the candidate’s past or the information provided to the ASO AC during the nomination process which would raise any concerns about the candidate serving as a member of the ICANN Board.

9.4.10. Announcement of Election Results

Election results including the vote counts from each election will only be provided to the eligible voters. This information is strictly confidential. Following a successful due diligence review and report thereof to the Address Council Chair will announce the results of the election. In the unlikely event that the elected candidate does not have a successful due diligence review, the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes will be put forward for due diligence.

9.5. Extraordinary Selection Procedure (ESP)

In the event a vacancy is created for one of the ASO designated seats on the ICANN Board of Directors because the person in that seat is unable to complete the term, the Address Council will fill the vacancy using one of the procedures described below depending on the circumstance agreed to by majority vote of the Address Council. The term of the person selected will be for the completion of the term of the vacated seat.

9.5.1. Selection from a previous candidate list

Consideration will be given to any candidate in the most recently conducted General Selection Procedure who received at least one-third of all votes cast. All candidates who meet this criterion will be contacted by the Address Council Chair and asked if they are willing to serve out the remaining term. If there are no persons who meet this criterion or there are no respondents to the call of the Address Council Chair, the procedure described in paragraph 9.5.2 or 9.5.3 will be followed. If there are one or more candidates who respond to this call from the chair, the Address Council will conduct the selection following the procedure described in paragraph 9.4.7. If no person receives a favorable majority of the votes cast the Address Council will decide whether to follow the procedure described in paragraph 9.5.2 or 9.5.3.

9.5.2. Selection from publicly nominated persons

At the request of the Address Council Chair, the Secretariat will issue a call for candidates. This announcement will contain instruction directing interested parties to the ASO website where they may obtain information regarding the selection process, candidate eligibility requirements, and the responsibilities upon selection. Anyone may nominate any person whom they wish. Self nominations will be accepted. Nominations will be sent to the Secretariat who will contact the nominee, notify them of their impending nomination, and provide them with a copy of the Letter of Certification and a general questionnaire. The nominee will complete the letter and questionnaire and return them to the Secretariat within 15 calendar days. The Address Council will conduct the selection following the procedure described in paragraph 9.4.7.

9.5.3. Selection from Address Council nominated persons

Members of the Address Council will nominate at least 2 candidates for the open seat. At the request of the Address Council Chair, the Secretariat will notify the potential candidates and direct them to the ASO website where they may obtain information regarding the selection process, candidate eligibility requirements, and the responsibilities upon selection. Upon acceptance of the nomination the Secretariat will provide each nominee with a copy of the Letter of Certification and a general questionnaire. The nominee will complete the letter and questionnaire and return them to the Secretariat within 15 calendar days. The Address Council will conduct the selection following the procedure described in paragraph 9.4.7.

9.5.4. Notification of ICANN

At the request of the Address Council Chair, the Secretariat will notify the Secretary of ICANN providing the name and contact information of the successful candidate.

10. Rules of Order

10.1.Parliamentary Authority

The parliamentary authority of the Address Council shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR).

10.2. Special Rules of Order

The Address Council shall adopt special rules of order that it deems necessary to conduct business. Such rules supersede the provision in RONR which conflicts with the special rule. All Special Rules of Order shall be approved by the Executive Council of the Number Resource Organization. These Special Rules shall be enumerated in Appendix A of this document.

11. Amendment of Operating Procedures

These Operating Procedures may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the council or through an electronic vote.  The proposed amendment must receive four-fifths majority support of all members of the Address Council whether at a council meeting or via an electronic vote. Electronic votes will be a minimum of 7 days, but can be concluded as soon as all members of the Address Council register a vote. All amendments to these Operating Procedures shall be approved by the Executive Council of the Number Resource Organization. Proposed amended text must be available for discussion on email for seven days prior to the start of a vote unless all Address Council members are available for a discussion of the amendment.

1  The “ac-discuss” mailing list. This mailing list is used for ASO AC Operations. It has public posting restrictions and it is publicly archived

 

Overview of Updates 

 

Date Details
10 February 2020 References to defunct mailing list (ac-coord) were removed from sections 7.3 and 8.2.
19 November 2019 Section 4.4. was updated.
1 July 2020 Section 9.4.3., 9.4.6, 9.4.6.1, 9.4.6.2, 9.4.6.3, 9.4.6.4, 9.4.9, and 9.4.10 were updated. Changes focus in the use of video conference instead of telephonic interviews and more flexibility in the due diligence review.

 

Last modified on 03/02/2021