The following post is the Nomination Announcement for the Ape Foundation Special Council positions for the term beginning in January 2024. This announcement marks the start of the Special Council nomination process. Per AIP-137, this post will cover everything you need to know about:
- General elections housekeeping (e.g. where things live on Discourse)
- Details on the nomination and election process
- Timeline for the nomination and election process
- The application process and how to apply to become a Special Council member
Housekeeping
There is a category on Discourse called Special Council Elections. This is where election resources will live. Within this category, there are four sub-categories:
- Announcements
- This contains high-level nomination and election announcements for the election cycle.
- Special Council Nominees
- During phase 2 (timeline below) this sub-category is where the community will be able to engage with, ask questions of, and seek clarification from nominees on their nomination profile pages. Nominees are applicants that have submitted an application and completed the KYC and background verification process.
- Election Candidates
- Applicants’ profiles move from “Special Council Nominees” to “Election Candidates” if:
- There are 5 or fewer nominees in total or;
- There are greater than 5 nominees and the applicant is one of the top 5 nominees as decided by a community vote on Snapshot
- Applicants’ profiles move from “Special Council Nominees” to “Election Candidates” if:
- Rejected/Withdrawn Nominations
- Any application that is withdrawn by the applicant, rejected by a community vote (at either the nomination or election stage) or withdrawn for any other reason will be moved here.
The Nomination and Elections Process
The nomination process for the ApeCoin DAO was established by AIP-137, which outlines a preliminary process for community members to participate in Special Council elections. The nomination process is as follows:
- Phase 1: Starting Wednesday, November 1st, applicants are invited to put themselves forward for the Special Council. The Nomination Announcement (this post) facilitates the submission of applications via a Google Form. Applicants should submit their KYC information, relevant documents, and nomination profile drafts.
- Phase 2: The community discusses the nomination profile of those who pass the KYC and background verification process. AIP-137 provides for ApeCoin DAO members to have a deliberation period to discuss and interact with the nominees.
- Phase 3: If there are more than 5 nominees, there will be a 6-day vote on Snapshot (consistent with the usual Thursday to Wednesday cadence for AIP votes). The top 5 nominees from the community vote (or all nominees if there are 5 or fewer) advance to the election process.
The election process for the ApeCoin DAO was established by AIP-138. The process helps to ensure that governance runs uninterrupted and allows talented, passionate, and capable members of the community to serve in the DAO’s leadership. The election will run on Snapshot, consistent with the usual Thursday to Wednesday life cycle for AIP votes. This cycle will elect 3 candidates to the Special Council.
Nomination and Elections Timeline - Winter 2023
- Nov 1-19: Applications are open, and KYC begins as needed (Phase 1)
- Nov 15-22: Continuing KYC and verification process for all received applications (Phase 1)
- Nov 23 - Dec 6: Nomination profiles are posted on Discourse and open for community discussion and interaction (Phase 2)
- Dec 7-13: Community vote for nominees via Snapshot to select election candidates. (Phase 3)
- Dec 14-20: Election period via Snapshot to select from the candidates the next 2 Special Council members. (Phase 3)
- Jan 1, 2024: New Special Council members start term.
The Application Process - How to Apply
We are currently in Phase 1 – Applications and applicant verification (applications will be in the Google Form linked below).
If you would like to be a Special Council member for the ApeCoin DAO (term beginning in January 2024) you must submit your application to the Google Form that will be shared on the morning of Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Applications will close on November 19th, 2023 at 9PM Eastern Time.
https://forms.gle/7HSqQkpYUcta4saW8
At the Google Form linked above, you will be asked to submit the following information (All information denoted as private will be treated as confidential):
- Applicant Information: The Ape Foundation is a legal entity that must collect information and documents for KYC purposes. The information provided shall remain confidential, or made public on the nomination profile at the discretion of the Applicant.
| Information Provided | Required? | Share Publicly? |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Yes | Optional |
| Discourse @username (must have Discourse profile on http://forum.apecoin.com/ & at least 1 ApeCoin in a connected wallet) | Yes | Yes |
| Twitter @profile | Yes | Yes |
| Email Address (the same one used in your Discourse account) | Yes | Optional |
| Educational Background (subject to verification) | No | Optional |
| Professional Background (subject to verification) | No | Optional |
- Documents: In order to verify the above information, the Ape Foundation must also collect supporting or verification documents. All documents will remain secure and private with the Ape Foundation.
- Valid passport, Government issued ID, or Driver’s License
- Proof of address: A utility bill or bank statement in the name of the Applicant within the last 3 months.
- Nomination profile: The Applicant completes the nomination profile to build their case to the community on why they are the best suited for the Special Council. This nomination profile will be published on the Discourse and will include the following sections:
- Nomination Statement: Concise statement on why you are running for the Special Council
- Motivation: Details on your motivation for becoming an ApeCoin DAO Special Council member
- Rationale: Share relevant experience and skills that will bring value to the ApeCoin community
- Specifications: Further describe relevant experience, including crypto and governance participation, and/or ideas for DAO improvement
- Concluding statement: Summarize your statement as to why you are the best choice for Special Council
Once an Applicant submits their information and nomination profile, a KYC and background verification process will take place to verify the information submitted. The Ape Foundation may engage an independent, third-party service provider to complete this process. This process may take up to 14 days. Presiding Special Council members whose seats are up for election must also go through the nomination and election process to be considered. Applicants may, at any time, request to withdraw their application by emailing nominations@apecoin.com.
