ICIIU Draft Guidelines for NCDNH Constituency

[Michael Sondow <msondow@iciiu.org>]

ORGANIZATIONAL GUIDELINES OF THE
 
NON-COMMERCIAL DOMAIN NAME HOLDERS CONSTITUENCY (NCDNHC)


I. DEFINITION

    The Non-Commercial Domain Name Holders Constituency (NCDNHC) is
a constituency within the Domain Name Supporting Organization (DNSO)
of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN),
as defined in the ICANN Bylaws, Art. VI-B Sec.3.

II. PURPOSE    

    The purpose of the NCDNHC is to provide a forum for discussion
of all matters concerning the internet domain name system that
relate to non-commercial domain name holders, to formulate policy
recommendations on these matters, and to communicate such policy
recommendations to the Names Council of the DNSO through the three
seats on the Names Council pertaining to the NCDNHC.

III. TRANSPARENCY, OPENNESS, AND DUE PROCESS

    All activities of the NCDNHC, including its deliberative and
policy recommendation activities, the selection of its officers,
committees, and chairman if such are created, and the nomination and
election of its seats on the Names Council of the DNSO, will be
conducted in an open and transparent manner in accordance with
democratic principles, due process, the rules of order, and the
bylaws of the DNSO and ICANN.

IV. MEMBERSHIP

    A. Individuals: All persons having administrative control of a
domain name that is used for non-commercial purposes may be members
of the NCDNHC.

    B. First-Level Organizations: All corporations of individuals,
duly registered as not-for-profit corporations, a majority of whose
members do not use the Internet for commercial purposes, and whose
principal source of funding is not from commercial enterprises, may
be members of the NCDNHC. Likewise, all associations of such
individuals, whether incorporated or not, may be members of the
NCDNHC.

    C. Second-Level Organizations: All corporations or associations
of organizations, a majority of whose constituent member
organizations satisfy the criteria of "B" above, may be members of
the NCDNHC.

    D. Members of other DNSO constituencies may be members of the
NCDNHC if they meet the above criteria.

V. SELECTION OF NCDNHC SEATS ON THE NAMES COUNCIL

    A. General rules for nomination and voting.

     (a) The nomination of candidates and the election of NC seats
will be conducted by an election officer, who may be the chairman of
the NCDNHC. For the initial nominations and elections, an interim
election officer will be chosen by the members gathered. This
initial election officer may be a person who is not a member of the
constituency.
     (b) There is no limit to the number of candidates who may run
for NC seats, but no more than one member of any first-level
organization may be a candidate.
     (b) No more than one member, supporter, or representative of a
coalition formed as an organizing group of the NCDNHC may be elected
to the Names Council in any election, nor may more than one such
person occupy a Names Council seat concurrently as an elected
representative of the NCDNHC.

    B. Selection of candidates.

     (a) Candidates for NC seats must be nominated by members other
than themselves, and their candidacy must be seconded by at least
one member other than the member making the nomination.
     (b) Members of the NCDNHC who are unable to be present at a
meeting to nominate candidates for NC seats may propose candidates
by email before the date of that meeting. A candidate thus nominated
will be considered seconded by the chair, or in the case of the
initial election by the election officer, pro forma.
     (c) Neither presence at a meeting at which candidates are to be
nominated, nor at a meeting at which the NCDNHC's NC seats are to be
elected if that is done subsequent to the nomination of candidates,
is a requirement for either candidacy or election to those seats.
     
    C. Election of NC seats.

     (a) Voting for the NCDNHC's three NC seats will be by direct
vote, each NCDNHC member having three votes that must be cast for
three separate candidates.
     (b) Voting will be done by secret written ballot of those
present at the election meeting and by proxy.
     (c) Designated proxies are required to present to the election
officer an email requesting such from the absent member and sent
from that member's email address.
     (d) If more than 25% of the constituency are not present at an
election meeting and desire to vote yet express their unwillingness
to do so by proxy, voting will be done at least one day subsequent
to the day candidates are nominated. In this case the election
officer will communicate information about the candidates by email
to the absent members, and will request from them an email ballot
which will be presented by the election officer at the election.
     (e) Nomination and election meetings for NC seats, as well as
other meetings of the NCDNHC in which a vote needs to be taken, may
be done by electronic communications if a majority of the members of
the NCDNHC wish it, so long as the above rules of order and process
are adhered to. If such electronic meetings are held, adequate
notification of members must be made by the chairman or the officers
of the NCDNHC, or by the person(s) planning to call a vote.

VI. OTHER MATTERS

All other matters concerning the organization of the NCDNHC and its
activities will be decided by vote of its membership once formed. 
                  ....................................

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International Congress of Independent Internet Users (ICIIU) 
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