I am pleased to share the timetable for the 2026 Dons Trust Board elections. The Trust is a democratic membership organisation, and this is your chance to help shape its direction, whether by standing for election, proposing a candidate or voting for the nominees.
Vacancies
There are 5 vacancies: 4 full-term (three year) and 1 shorter term (one year). Under the rules, full-term seats go to the highest four candidates with the most votes, and the shorter term to the candidate finishing 5th.
Key dates (all times stated are GMT)
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Nominations open:23rd October 2026
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Nominations close: 20th November 2026 23:59 PM
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Election voting opens: 24th November 2026
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Election voting closes: 11th December 2026 12:00PM (midday)
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AGM held: 14th December 2026
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AGM Outcome and Election Results Announced**: 15th December 2026
** subject to IFR/ODSE processes and any pending disciplinary processes arising from the election process
Who can stand
Candidates and proposers must be 18 or over and paid-up members on 7th October 2026. Each candidate needs two eligible proposers, and a proposer may support only one candidate. Candidates cannot propose themselves or any other candidate. A serving board member may not propose a candidate. Society officers and members of the Disciplinary Pool cannot propose a candidate. Club employees (including casual and freelance staff) and board members are not eligible to stand or propose a candidate.
Candidates must also confirm they believe they will meet the EFL Owners’ and Directors’ Test requirements and agree to the Owners, Directors and Senior Employees test required by the Independent Football Regulator. In order to make the approval process as quick as possible, we will undertake DBS checks for all successfully nominated candidates, as this is a prerequisite of the IFR process and so each candidate will be contacted to provide the necessary information for this.
How to nominate
The nomination form is available at: https://thedonstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/Election-Nomination-form-2026-.pdf .
Nominations are now open and close on 20th November. Submissions must be sent to elections@thedonstrust.org
A candidate must be proposed by two eligible members. A proposer may propose only one candidate. A candidate may not propose themselves or another candidate, and a serving board member may not propose a candidate. Officers of the Society may not propose candidates, neither may members of the Dons Trust’s Disciplinary Pool.
Full details of the submission process and what each candidate must provide are detailed in the 2026 election rules: https://thedonstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/DT-Election-Rules-2026.pdf
Every submission will receive an acknowledgement. If you haven’t received one within one working day, please contact elections@thedonstrust.org immediately.
Candidates are recommended to send nominations in early.
Independence and fairness
The election is run by the Election Steering Group, with an Independent Scrutineer, who is not a Trust member and oversees the integrity of the process and any appeals. The ESG administers the election but does not decide disciplinary matters. The Independent Scrutineer is Andrew Madaras who can be contacted by emailing Andrew.Madaras@hotmail.co.uk
Q&A
Contact the elections@thedonstrust.org. We aim to acknowledge within one working days. If you are directly affected by an ESG decision, you may appeal to the Independent Scrutineer within two working days of being notified.
Thank you for taking part.
Gary Davis,
Chair
Election Steering Group
