[council] Visual procedures Map and Abstention Notofication form for GNSO Council meeting

[Glen de Saint Géry <Glen@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Councillors,





Reminder, with the votes that are before Council please acquaint yourselves 
with the two documents below:



·         Visual Procedures 
Map<http://gnso.icann.org/council/visual-procedures-map-en.htm> covering 
abstentions, absences, and vacancies



            http://gnso.icann.org/council/visual-procedures-map-en.htm


·         Abstention Notification 
Form<http://gnso.icann.org/council/abstention-notification-form-en.htm> to be 
completed by an officer of the abstaining Councilor's appointing organization 
(Stakeholder Group or Constituency, as appropriate)


            http://gnso.icann.org/council/abstention-notification-form-en.htm



May I draw your attention to the following rules from the GNSO Council 
Operating Procedures

http://gnso.icann.org/council/gnso-op-procedures-05aug10-en.pdf



3.8 Absences and Vacancies

3.8.1 Incidental Absence

As covered in Section 4.5.1, GNSO Council members are expected to attend all 
regularly scheduled Council meetings and be present at the time such sessions 
are called to order.

a. Planned Absence: It is understood that, from time to time, it may be 
necessary for a GNSO Council member to miss a scheduled meeting due to a 
conflicting personal or professional obligation or other planned event that 
cannot be reasonably altered.

i. When a Councilor anticipates being absent or late for a Council meeting, the 
Councilor is expected to notify (e.g. telephone, e-mail) the GNSO Secretariat 
as soon as practicable before the meeting begins.

ii. A Councilor is expected to vote on such motions as may come before the GNSO 
Council using the alternative means provided in Section 4.4-Absentee Voting, if 
applicable. If circumstances will not permit voting using the alternative means 
available, the Councilor may declare an intention to abstain on those motions 
that are scheduled to be voted upon during the GNSO Council meeting at which 
the Councilor expects to be absent. In such an instance, the procedures in 
Section 4.5-Abstentions will apply.

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b. Unplanned Absence: Occasionally, it will be necessary for a GNSO Council 
member to miss a regularly scheduled meeting due to sudden illness, accident, 
injury, or other unforeseen event that cannot reasonably be anticipated.

i. Even though this category of absence occurs without advanced notice, a 
Councilor is expected to communicate the circumstances of the absence (e.g. 
telephone, e-mail) to the GNSO Secretariat as soon as practicable after the 
incident occurs.

ii. A Councilor is expected to vote on such motions as may come before the GNSO 
Council using the alternative means provided in Section 4.4-Absentee Voting, if 
applicable. If circumstances will not permit voting using the alternative means 
available, the record shall be noted "Absent" and a vote will not be cast.



3.8.2 Leave of Absence

a. Planned: If a GNSO Council member anticipates being unable to attend two or 
more regularly-scheduled GNSO Council meetings consecutively, the Councilor 
shall notify the appointing organization or, for a House NCA, the Nominating 
Committee and the GNSO Secretariat that a "Leave of Absence" is being requested 
at which time the remedy described in 3.8.4 is available.

b. Unplanned: When a GNSO Council member fails to attend two 
regularly-scheduled GNSO Council meetings consecutively without prior 
notification to the GNSO Secretariat, the GNSO Secretariat will advise the 
appointing organization or, for a House NCA, the Nominating Committee that the 
Councilor has satisfied the conditions for an effective "Leave of Absence" at 
which time the remedy described in 3.8.4 is available.



3.8.3 Vacancies

a. In the event of a GNSO Council member resignation or other permanent 
vacancy, the Bylaws call for replacement according Article X, Section 3(3).

b. During any transition period following the occurrence of the permanent 
vacancy, but before a new election or appointment and subsequent seating of the 
replacement Councilor, the remedy in 3.8.4 is available.



3.8.4 Remedy: Temporary Alternate

a. For a Councilor who is not appointed by the Nominating Committee, the 
appointing organization may, at its discretion, name a Temporary Alternate to 
serve in the absent or vacant Councilor's seat.

b. For a voting NCA, the Council non-voting NCA is immediately activated to 
serve as a Temporary Alternate subject to provisions in Paragraph 4.5.3-c. The 
communication required pursuant to Paragraph 4.5.4-b, if it cannot be submitted 
by the voting NCA, will be completed and forwarded by the non-Voting NCA.

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c. A named Temporary Alternate pursuant to this section is subject to the 
applicable provisions in Paragraphs 4.5.3-c and 4.5.4-b except that the 
communication to the GNSO Secretariat should be amended as follows:

i. the reason or condition leading to the remedy is either "Leave of Absence" 
or "Vacancy," as applicable; and

ii. the measures/motions/votes upon which the Temporary Alternate may engage 
are not constrained, as in other remedies (see Section 4.5), and may be noted 
as "All Subjects Permitted."

d. A named Temporary Alternate pursuant to this section will be expected to 
participate in all matters that would otherwise have occupied the attention of 
the absent Councilor.



3.8.5 Any occurrence of absence or vacancy that is not declared in advance, as 
provided in this section, will be recorded as "Absent" and such action will not 
reduce the denominator in any vote tabulation for the affected House. Version



Thank you.

Kind regards,





Glen



Glen de Saint Géry

GNSO Secretariat

gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

http://gnso.icann.org