Dear Councillors, The GNSO Council email ballot on two motions (see: https://community.icann.org/x/DQObAw) before the Council will be launched shortly. The vote opens at 00:00 UTC on Saturday, 6 August and closes at 23:59 UTC on Tuesday 9 August 2016. Please make sure that you receive your ballot, from tally@icann.org<mailto:tally@icann.org>, and if you do not please let me know immediately glen@icann.org<mailto:glen@icann.org> Please remember that if you are off email, you can cast your vote by voice, but please provide me with a telephone number before 6 August. There are two motions that require your vote. Please be sure to mark only one response for each motion,: · in favour, · not in favour, · abstain Please also note the following applicable procedures: · The Operating Procedures do not permit absentee voting for either motion. Under Section 4.5 of the GNSO Operating Procedures, an abstention counts as a vote “not in favour”. The ballot includes a text box for you to state your reason(s) if you wish, should you decide to abstain from voting on either motion. · The voting threshold required for both motions to pass successfully is a simple majority of the Council. · In accordance with the rules for a vote outside a Council meeting, this ballot will be an open vote (i.e. not secret) and we will record and publish the outcomes as required by the GNSO Operating Procedures. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you. Kind regards, Glen Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat