Dear members, In my previous email, I pointed to three areas of concern that came up ahead of our last General Meeting. Here is the promised follow-up on the third of these, which regards the ability to stand as a candidate in the RIPE NCC Executive Board elections. After discussing the topic, the board has agreed that the best course of action is to assemble a task force of members whose goal will be to evaluate the nomination and election process. The outcome of this evaluation will be a set of recommendations for the board to consider at its September meeting, followed by a proposal to be presented to the RIPE NCC membership at the October General Meeting. In this way, any necessary actions that need to be put to members for voting can happen before the next election takes place. This is not to say that the work of the task force will come to an end in September, as it may be that some of the relevant issues will still require further attention at that point. Specific topics we expect to be addressed include the introduction of measures for the qualification and verification of candidates, issues around representation in biographies and statements of support, and possibilities for allowing members greater opportunity to engage with and question candidates prior to the election. More generally, the task force will be aiming to ensure that those who stand for the board have the right expertise and background. We are, as of now, seeking volunteers willing to join the task force. We would like to see a diverse group of members apply, representing different regions and sectors of the membership. Please note that all meetings of the task force will be held remotely and will be organised by the RIPE NCC. To volunteer, please email agm@ripe.net by 8 July, remembering to let us know your country and organisation. We will then announce further details to you once the task force is formed. Kind regards Christian Kaufmann Executive Board Chairman RIPE NCC