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  • What is a council?
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  1. Tally Features
  2. Governance
  3. Advanced Features

Security Council Elections

Decentralize multi-sig control of your DAO.

PreviousPartial DelegationNextChain Integration

Last updated 3 months ago

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Council elections are a pivotal aspect of decentralized governance, ensuring that the guardianship of a DAO remains in the hands of its community. Elections serve as a testament to the democratic ethos of DAOs, allowing stakeholders to have a say in selecting the individuals who will be at the forefront of safeguarding their interests.

Through a transparent and structured process, they aim to identify and empower those with the expertise, vision, and commitment to navigate the challenges that may arise, all while upholding the principles and objectives of the DAO. It's not just about choosing leaders; it's about reinforcing trust, fostering accountability, and ensuring that the DAO's security apparatus remains robust and responsive.

With Tally's custom-built council elections, elevate your DAO's council elections to the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Interested in learning more? Email to set up a chat with our team!

What is a council?

Why should I care?


What is a council?

In the rapidly evolving world of DAOs, a council serves as a mechanism for stability and security. It consists of designated members with the authority to make necessary changes to the protocol during emergencies. The council's role is not only to govern but also to address potential threats, ensuring the DAO's security and adaptability.

Roles and Responsibilities

A council is comprised of a certain number of members who are entrusted with the responsibility of making urgent modifications to the protocol during emergencies. Their roles are usually outlined as follows:

  • Emergency Actions: Addressing critical situations that demand immediate attention, such as potential risks to users' funds. To execute emergency actions, a consensus of a certain number of members is required.

  • Routine Operations: Apart from emergencies, the council also supervises routine software updates, maintenance, and parameter adjustments, which are considered as "Non-Emergency Actions".

Election Process

To ensure accountability and infusion of fresh perspectives, the members of the Security Council are elected democratically on a semi-annual basis. Tally can customize all aspects of the election process. Typically, it is structured as follows:

  • Nomination: Initially, contenders register to become nominees, requiring a certain percentage of votes.

  • Compliance Period: A period for the foundation to vet the nominees.

  • Election Period: A period where delegates vote for the nominees, with the voting weight decreasing linearly over the last two weeks.

  • Results and Implementation: Following the election, the top nominees become the new members of the Security Council, with the results undergoing various time locks before the new members are integrated into the council.

Security Measures

A Security Council operates within a framework that emphasizes security by design, incorporating the following elements:

  • Constrained Access: Access to the Upgrade Executor, a core component of the governance system, is strictly limited to prevent unauthorized or malicious activities.

  • Reuse of Existing Architecture: Leveraging existing secure infrastructure to avoid the introduction of new contracts that would require additional security measures.

  • Adherence to Specifications: The implementation strictly adheres to the guidelines outlined in the DAO's official documentation, ensuring the intended security properties are met.

Why should I care?

As a stakeholder in a DAO, the establishment of a Security Council—and an efficiently run election—should matter to you for several reasons:

  • Security and Integrity: A council acts as a safeguard, protecting the system and its users from potential threats and vulnerabilities.

  • Adaptability: It ensures that the DAO remains versatile and capable of adapting to changing circumstances without compromising its foundational principles.

  • Democratic Governance: Elections at regular intervals foster a democratic environment, allowing for the inclusion of new skills and perspectives, and preventing the entrenchment of power.

  • Resilience: In the face of emergencies, a council's swift actions help maintain the stability and functionality of the DAO, thereby preserving users' trust and investments.

hello@tally.xyz
Cohort 1 of Arbitrum DAO's Security Council is made up of 12 members; subsequent cohorts will have 6 members.
In this example, the vote threshold to qualify for Round 2 is 4.7M. Matt Fiebach has met the vote threshold and will move on to Round 2, while Matt StableLab will not pass Round 1.
The homepage of Arbitrum DAO's Security Council Elections
The voting slate for Arbitrum DAO's first Security Council Election