Intersect Board Election 2026 Opens With 11 Candidates

Intersect opened its 2026 Board election on September 14 after confirming 11 candidates. The successful candidates will receive two-year terms and join the body responsible for the organization’s strategic direction, governance, financial sustainability and risk oversight.

The ballot is an internal Intersect membership election, separate from Cardano’s on-chain governance system.

Eleven Candidates Compete for Two Board Seats

The confirmed candidates are Adam Rusch, Alexa K., also known as Thyme, Anuj Chaudhary, Christian Taylor, Eric Helms, Ian McCullough, Jose Miguel De Gamboa, Kavinda Kariyapperuma, Ken Erik Ølmheim, Nana Safo and Ridwan Itopa Musa.

Intersect’s Board has seven directors, four of whom are elected by the organization’s membership. The current terms of Adam Rusch and Kavinda Kariyapperuma are due to expire, and both are standing for election again.

Elected directors bring membership perspectives into Board discussions but must exercise independent judgment and act in Intersect’s best interests. The Board collectively oversees organizational strategy, internal governance, financial sustainability, risk management and accountability.

Intersect supports Cardano governance coordination, membership activities and administrative services associated with community-approved treasury withdrawals. The election therefore determines who will help oversee the organization performing those functions, rather than who decides individual Cardano governance actions.

Who Can Vote in the Intersect Election

Voting takes place through the Intersect Member Area and is limited to eligible Individual and Enterprise members.

Voters must have held an eligible membership for at least 180 days before the ballot opened, remain in good standing and complete Intersect’s required identity verification process. Members whose memberships recently expired can renew within 180 days without losing their existing membership history for election eligibility.

Holding ADA does not independently provide voting access, and the amount of ADA owned by a member does not determine the weight of the ballot. DReps, stake pool operators and Constitutional Committee members also receive no special role through their Cardano protocol positions.

The Board does not ratify Cardano treasury proposals or replace the governance institutions defined by the Cardano Constitution. Its mandate is to oversee Intersect as a Wyoming not-for-profit membership organization, including the strategy and accountability of its administration and coordination services.

Candidate Sessions Continue Before the Deadline

Intersect is holding candidate sessions during the voting period so members can review each applicant’s experience, priorities and approach to Board responsibilities.

The first candidate X Space took place on September 15. A second session is scheduled for September 22 at 16:00 UTC. Candidate profiles are also available through the Intersect Member Area.

Intersect said the sessions use a neutral format, with equal time limits and questions provided to candidates in advance. Members can submit additional questions for consideration during the remaining election period.

The ballot closes on September 25 at 12:00 UTC. Intersect will publish the results on September 28, identifying the two directors who will join the four community-elected positions on its seven-member Board.