All about the second elections – why and how to vote, what committees do, and more

From its first conception, Cardano has never been just about the currency; it’s mainly about the blockchain. A reliable, decentralized blockchain grounded in fundamental research, implemented using formal methods, owned and run by a community of ada holders.

The founding entities contributed to decentralization by giving up the keys and implementing a Cardano improvement proposal (CIP-1694) to establish community governance. The community has developed and enacted a new constitution and governance structure.

From now on, Cardano’s future depends on the community of ada holders. As an ada holder, here’s how you can participate:

• Become a member of the Intersect members-based organization
• Optionally, volunteer as a candidate for election to one of the standing committees
• Review the applications of candidates
• Vote for your chosen candidates
• Follow the performance of the standing committees using Intersect’s development updates and on social media.

Committee elections are decided by Intersect members, using a one-member, one-vote system, regardless of ada wealth.

Intersect is fulfilling its mission of implementing the community’s will as laid out in the Cardano constitution by facilitating these elections. The Intersect board has established eight committees, with members initially appointed by the board. Elections are held twice yearly, ensuring the community will elect all members soon.

Half of each committee’s members were elected in the first elections in October 2024, and the remaining members will be elected in this second election. The exception is the growth and marketing committee, whose members were recently appointed by the board. Half its members will be elected in the current elections, and the remainder will be elected in October 2025.

Elections in the new budget and governance model

The role of Intersect committees has evolved to align with Cardano’s new budget process. While DReps now hold final authority over funding decisions, committees serve a critical advisory and oversight role, ensuring that development remains structured, transparent, and aligned with the community’s strategic goals.

Key changes include:

• DReps make final funding decisions for roadmap-aligned projects, while committees focus on roadmap development and governance oversight.
• Committees no longer submit block budgets but help shape the growth and governance roadmaps, which are the foundation for vendor proposals.
• New transparency mechanisms, including multi-signature smart contracts, ensure that funding decisions and treasury withdrawals remain verifiable and community-driven.

Committees and seats up for election

Seven standing committees report to a steering committee, each with a specific mission. For more details, see the Intersect knowledge base.

Committee	Seats up for election
Intersect steering committee	2
Cardano civics committee	6
Membership and community committee	5
Growth and marketing committee	5
Technical steering committee	5
Open source committee	5
Cardano budget committee	5
Cardano product committee	3

Intersect steering committee
The Intersect steering committee comprises the chairs of the seven standing committees, the functional administration leads of Intersect, and elected members. Its purpose is collective decision-making and thinking to support Intersect's development on behalf of the Cardano community. Two members are to be elected.

Cardano civics committee
The civics committee provides facilitation and support to the Cardano community regarding governance. This includes developing and facilitating processes to engage the Cardano community in governance, coordinating with subject matter experts where needed, and providing support as requested by the Cardano constitutional committee. Six members are to be elected.

Membership and community committee
The membership and community committee fosters a thriving Cardano community through effective Intersect membership sales, account management, community support, tooling grants, education, and engaging events. Five members are to be elected.

Growth and marketing committee
The growth and marketing committee is a strategic planning body bringing together founding entities of the Cardano blockchain ecosystem and a diverse group of experienced marketing professionals. Dedicated to advancing innovative and impactful marketing and ecosystem growth strategies, it is committed to global marketing initiatives, breaking traditional boundaries to promote the Cardano ecosystem’s decentralization, growth, and widespread adoption. Five members are to be elected.

Technical steering committee
The technical steering committee ensures that the governance of Cardano is based upon sound technical awareness and best practices. It has a subcommittee – the parameters subcommittee – that allows protocol parameters to be set based on sound technical awareness and best practices. Five members are to be elected. This subcommittee includes four advisory groups:

• Economic parameters advisory group
• Network parameters advisory group
• Technical parameters advisory group
• Governance parameters advisory group.

Open source committee
The open-source committee generates an open-source strategy for Cardano to follow. It advises on and promotes open-source activities across the ecosystem.  It’s a rallying point for members to get advice on building in an open-source environment. Five members are to be elected.

Cardano budget committee
The Cardano constitution requires an annual budget process. The budget committee is an advisory committee that brings together relevant stakeholders from the Cardano ecosystem. Its purpose is to use these individuals' knowledge and observations to provide guidance, support, and oversight. Five members are to be elected.

Cardano product committee
The Cardano product committee aims to connect the community by facilitating processes to create a shared vision and roadmap. It ensures alignment with Cardano’s strategic goals and drives innovation across the ecosystem. Three members will be elected.

Election Timeline

📢 Pre-Election Communications → March 11 – March 21
📩 Applications Open → March 24 – April 4
🔍 Voting Preparation & Quality Checks → April 7 – April 8
🗳 Voting Period → April 9 – April 23
📊 Results Collated & Reviewed → April 24
📢 Election Results Announced → April 30

Note: To vote or run as a candidate, you must be an Intersect member before April 4.

How to participate

Become a candidate
If you have the passion and qualifications, please consider applying as a candidate. People with these attributes are encouraged to apply:

• Passionately committed to the vision that created Cardano: empowering the powerless, banking the unbanked, and connecting the unconnected
• Specific knowledge and skills in the domain of the particular committee
• Available to spend up to 20 hours per month attending virtual meetings, participating in online chats, and processing emails.

Apply through the Intersect member’s area. There is also an application pack available for download. If you have questions, raise them in the Intersect Discord channel, email committees@intersectmbo.org, or reach out to other community members. Applications are visible to all members as they are submitted.

The relevant committee will review applications for completeness and may ask applicants for further information or clarification.

When candidates are elected, the secretary of the relevant committee will extend an invitation accompanied by onboarding information. For more information, email committees@intersectmbo.org.

To apply:

1. Log in to the Intersect member area
2. Navigate to the "Voting" section
3. Select the committee you wish to apply for
4. Submit your application before April 4

Vote in the election
Voting is open to all paid members of Intersect. All ada holders are invited to become members to protect their interests. Each member, individual or enterprise, has one vote in these elections.

Voting process: 

1. Login to the Intersect member area (members.intersectmbo.org)
2. Navigate to the ‘Voting’ section
3. Select the committee you want to vote for
4. Review and select your preferred candidates by the closing date
5. A third party will audit the votes 
6. Intersect will announce the results.

Recognizing process improvements

Based on feedback from the previous election cycle, several improvements have been introduced to enhance the voting experience and ensure greater clarity, security, and engagement:

• Refined election communications – To avoid confusion, we have adjusted how election-related communications are sent, ensuring clearer emails and updates.
• Proof of life and identity verification – Improvements have been made to tracking candidate verification and voter participation, ensuring genuine engagement, and reducing inactive sign-ups.
• Voting security and participation enhancements – Additional measures have been introduced to safeguard the integrity of the voting process, ensuring that results remain transparent, auditable, and community-approved.

Lessons learned from the October 2024 elections

The first Intersect committee elections provided valuable insights into how elections can be improved. Some key takeaways include:

• Improved candidate engagement – Ensuring candidates are fully onboarded and informed about committee responsibilities.
• Streamlined voting experience – Enhancing the Intersect member portal for a smoother and more intuitive voting process.
• Stronger election oversight – Establishing a more structured election timeline and governance framework to enhance transparency and participation.

Intersect Governance working group: improving elections for October 2025

To continue refining the Cardano election process, Intersect has established the Intersect Governance working group. This dedicated team will analyze and propose further election enhancements for the October 2025 elections.

The ISC working group is currently exploring:

• Optimizing election models to enhance fairness and accessibility
• Technical improvements to make voting more efficient and secure
• Stronger voter education initiatives to help members make informed decisions.

The recommendations from this working group will shape the next election cycle, ensuring that the community-led governance model continues to evolve and improve.

Join Intersect and shape the future of Cardano governance

Cardano’s governance model depends on community participation. Whether by voting, running for a committee seat, or engaging in governance discussions, your involvement ensures a strong, transparent, and community-led ecosystem.

Join Intersect, participate in the elections, and help drive the future of Cardano!