History of the Commission

The Elections Commission of the Velocity Interoperability Network is a young institution, established on 6 September 2026 to conduct the first elections the Network has held. The milestones below record its establishment and the course of the first general election, and will be extended as that election proceeds.

1. Before September 2026

   No elected assembly for the Network

   Before the Commission existed, the Network was governed through its member organisations, and there was no electoral register, no constituencies and no body charged with the conduct of elections. Decisions that would now fall to the Network Assembly were taken by agreement between members.

2. 10 August to 5 September 2026

   The transition period

   In the four weeks before establishment, the provisional electoral register was compiled from citizenship records and from the accreditation returns of member organisations, the twelve constituencies were drawn around the principal sites of the Network, and returning officers were appointed. By the end of the period 37,095 electors had been entered on the provisional register.

3. 6 September 2026

   Commission established

   The Elections Commission of the Velocity Interoperability Network was formally established as the independent authority for elections to the Network Assembly, with a Chief Electoral Commissioner, two Commissioners, a secretariat of 46 staff and a returning officer for each constituency.

4. 6 September 2026

   Official website launched

   The Commission launched elections.gov.vin, carrying press releases, guidance for electors and candidates, the constituency register, the register update schedule and the timetable of the first general election.

5. 6 September 2026

   Register, constituencies and timetable published

   On the day of its establishment the Commission published the provisional electoral register, confirmed the twelve constituencies, fixed the timetable of the first general election and published its first statistical release.

6. 7 September 2026

   Register open for inspection

   The provisional register opens for inspection at the office of the returning officer in each constituency, and electors may register or correct their entry.

7. 16 October 2026

   Notice of election

   The notice of the first general election is published and nomination papers are issued. Nominations close at 16:00 on 30 October.

8. 3 December 2026

   First general election to the Network Assembly

   Polling in the twelve constituencies from 07:00 to 22:00, followed by the count. Full results are to be published on 7 December 2026.

9. Forthcoming

   First sitting of the Assembly and the boundary review

   The Commission will return the names of the twenty members elected and publish its report on the election. The first boundary review, which must begin within twelve months of the election, will consider the three constituencies whose electorates lie outside the permitted range.

Announcements are published in the Newsroom. For the Commission's present responsibilities, see About the Commission; for the dates of the first general election, see the Election Timetable; for the register at establishment, see Statistics.