Hello NANOGers! We are once again approaching the annual NANOG election <http://nanog.org/elections/2017/general> and appointment time. Board candidate nominations open August 7th and the complete Election timeline can be found here <http://nanog.org/elections/2017/general>. We encourage those in the community who are not currently NANOG members to consider becoming members of NANOG and to consider standing for a position in our leadership. Through membership and voting, you will be an active participant in directing all NANOG activities. Only NANOG members are eligible to nominate, be a candidate, vote, and serve in the NANOG Board of Directors and Committees. Click here <https://www.nanog.org/membership> to become a member today! **If you are not a member and wish to vote in this election, your membership must be received by 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.** Why? NANOG is at its strongest and best when there is an engaged group of members. If you care about NANOG and would like to take a turn at volunteering your time, please consider becoming part of the team by taking part in the nomination and election process. If you know someone else that you believe would be interested in serving on the Board of Directors, nominate them by completing the Online Process <https://www.bigpulse.com/138028/signin> beginning August 7, 2017. Any questions should be submitted to elections@nanog.org. As I spoke about during my opening at NANOG 70, diversity is key to the viability of the NANOG community. Personally, it concerns me that our only non-white, non-male elected member of the Board is leaving the board this year, having served the maximum allowable number of terms. While everyone is welcome, it is important that we represent our community well at all levels and so if you or someone you know could help improve that representation, please consider the nomination process. As NANOG continues to evolve, our Board of Directors and Committees will continue to play an increasingly important role in our success. By joining now, you can be an integral part of the process. For more information about the role of a Board of Director or any Committee Member, or to find out more about what's involved in serving, please consult the current NANOG Bylaws <https://nanog.org/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/NANOG-Bylaws-October2016.pdf> or follow the links to the Board and Committee pages from the General 2017 NANOG Elections Page <https://www.nanog.org/elections/2017/general>. Best regards, Dave Temkin On behalf of the NANOG Board of Directors