The voting period for Cardano's first elected Constitutional Committee (CC) concluded earlier this week, and the preliminary results are in (pending final audits). Over the past month, the community came together to hear from and select those who will serve as constitutional guardians of the Cardano Constitution.

With all seven seats on the Constitutional Committee being elected positions, Cardano is moving closer to completing the interim period of its governance transition, transferring oversight responsibility to those chosen directly by the ecosystem. 

The next important step is to finalize the preliminary results and confirm the seven, and then raise an update-committee governance action on-chain to enact it. DQuadrant is currently auditing the results and will make them available on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

An early welcome to the newly elected Constitutional Committee members!

Subject to the final audit confirming the results, we are pleased to preliminarily share the seven members who are elected to serve on the Constitutional Committee (in no particular order as we await audit and confirm voting weight):

• Cardano Atlantic Council
• Tingvard
• Eastern Cardano Council
• KTorZ
• Ace Alliance
• Cardano Japan Council
• Phil_uplc

Each of these individuals, teams, or consortia brings a unique perspective and expertise to the role of constitutional guardianship. Together, they represent a diverse, global commitment to Cardano’s foundational principles.

Verifying the results

All votes were recorded on-chain and are now being audited by long-time ecosystem contributor DQuadrant to ensure accuracy and data integrity. We’re also pleased to share the raw data with the wider community for self-verification and audit purposes.

• Raw data release: July 4, 2025
• Audit report publication: July 6, 2025
• Full results publication: July 6, 2025

The audit will review Candidate Verification, Voter Eligibility, Vote Integrity, and Tally Verification across all eligible votes cast via the voting tool. You can review all voting data independently here.

From interim state to fully elected body

Since the Chang Upgrade on September 1 2024, the Interim Constitutional Committee (ICC) has been fulfilling the role of interpreting both the interim Constitution and the more recently ratified final Cardano Constitution - validating governance actions to ensure alignment with constitutional principles. The ICC was intentionally structured as a temporary body, comprising a mix of appointed members, including seats held by Intersect, founding entities, and three elected seats that support Cardano's governance infrastructure during this period.

As the interim period draws to a close, Intersect would like to extend its deep thanks to all who have and will continue to serve. Their work remains a critical and important safeguard for the Cardano blockchain, serving as a testament to Cardano’s decentralization. Their reflections reveal a role both demanding and deeply rewarding, marked by neutrality, transparency, and the emerging challenges of constitutional interpretation.

Appointed seats in the Interim Constitutional Committee are stepping aside

Intersect made the deliberate decision not to stand for election to the new Constitutional Committee. This decision, endorsed by Intersect's Council, Steering Committee, and Governing Board, affirms the organization’s long-term role and renewed focus: to act as a neutral enabler for Cardano governance.

By stepping aside from this constitutional role, Intersect – alongside Input | Output, the Cardano Foundation, and EMURGO, is making space for fresh, elected voices from across the ecosystem to help drive Cardano governance forward. This move reinforces the goal of wider community-led decision-making and reflects a commitment to the neutrality, participation, and trust that Cardano's future requires.

Building the election together

The Constitutional Committee Election Working Group shaped the election itself under the auspices of the Civics Committee. The CC election working group comprises stakeholders, including current ICC members, constitutional delegates, community participants, and Intersect support staff. Formed in early 2025, the group worked through milestones:

1. Evaluation: A full review of the interim process and identification of improvements
2. Candidate registration & voting: Designing tooling and guidance for inclusive nomination and secure voting
3. Engagement & transparency: Open forums, documentation, and feedback loops
4. Rotation strategy: A one-time staggered term solution.
5. Future improvements: Documenting learnings for future governance evolution

Intersect supports this effort by coordinating development, communication, and infrastructure alongside community members. This includes the creation of an accessible candidate portal, FAQs, multi-language support, election guides, voting tooling, and public-facing events.

The voting phase

• Voting period: June 10 - July 2, 2025
• Method: Originally stake-based voting (1 ADA = 1 vote); however, this was later amended to align with the newer protocol of DRep voting
• Voter rights: Each DRep could vote for up to seven candidates, 1 for each of the 7 seats available
• Candidates: 19 individuals, companies, and consortia from across the ecosystem

What comes next

The onboarding process begins immediately, in readiness for candidates to assume new roles from September 1st:

• Final audit to be released on Sunday, Jul 6, 2025, confirming the results and voting weight
• Elected members will generate credentials to assume their new roles
• Intersect will support toolkit expansion to enable all members to operate securely and independently
• A formal update-committee governance action will be submitted on-chain to confirm the new committee and term start dates

This action must be ratified by both SPOs and DReps before the new committee formally takes effect.

Looking ahead

This election means that, from September 1st, constitutional oversight will be carried out by elected members of the community, with governance accountability, legitimacy, and transparency at its core.

Intersect will serve decentralized governance best by remaining lean, neutral, and sharply focused, not by trying to lead the ecosystem, but by stewarding the infrastructure and processes that enable the ecosystem to lead itself. Our role is to maintain the essential frameworks, collaborate openly with toolmakers, community educators, DReps, and constitutional experts, and ensure transparency, autonomy, and resilience in Cardano’s governance. Intersect’s strength comes directly from our members and their active, voluntary participation.

We extend our gratitude to all who participated in this process, including voters, candidates, contributors, and observers. Together, we are defining the future of open, transparent, and resilient blockchain governance.