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How to Run for the Elastos DAO Council

Each election cycle, the community elects twelve members to the Elastos DAO Council. Council members review proposals, govern the DAO treasury, and can claim a BPoS validator node. Any ELA holder with a published DID and the required deposit can stand as a candidate.

This guide covers candidate registration end-to-end from the Elastos Essentials wallet. For the on-chain details of what happens after you register (lifecycle states, proposal review, claiming a validator node), see the Council Member Guide in the reference docs.

At a glance
  • Who can do this: Any ELA holder with a published DID
  • What you need: Essentials wallet, the candidate deposit on the main chain (currently 5,000 ELA), small fee buffer, a published DID
  • How long: ~3–5 minutes once funds and DID are ready
  • Refundable: Yes — the deposit returns at the end of your candidacy or term
  • Term length: One duty period, defined in blocks (see reference)

Before You Start​

You need:

  • Elastos Essentials installed (see Set Up Your Wallet)
  • A published DID in Essentials (see Create a DID)
  • 5,000 ELA on the Elastos main chain for the candidate deposit
  • A small additional ELA balance for transaction fees
Verify the current deposit

The candidate deposit is a protocol parameter. 5,000 ELA is the long-standing value, but always confirm the current amount on the candidate registration screen in Essentials before you sign — the wallet shows the live on-chain requirement.

DID is mandatory

Council registration is bound to your Elastos DID. If you have not already published your DID on the EID chain, do that first — open the Identity app in Essentials, edit your information, and tap Publish.

Step 1: Fund Your Mainchain Wallet​

The deposit must come from your Elastos main chain wallet (not ESC). Two common ways to get ELA there:

  • From an exchange — withdraw ELA directly to your Essentials Mainchain address.
  • From the Smart Chain (ESC) — if you hold ELA on ESC, bridge it to the main chain inside Essentials.

Confirm the full deposit amount plus a small fee buffer is sitting in your Elastos Mainchain wallet before continuing.

Essentials home with Mainchain wallet

Step 2: Publish Your DID​

If you have not already done so:

  1. Open the Identity app in Essentials.

  2. Edit your profile information.

  3. Tap Publish to write your DID to the EID chain.

    Publish your DID in the Identity app

Full walkthrough: Create a DID.

Step 3: Register as a Candidate​

  1. From the Essentials home screen, open the Elastos DAO (or CR Council) section.

    Open Elastos DAO from Essentials home

  2. Tap Council Candidates, then Vote.

    Council Candidates page, tap Vote

  3. Tap the + icon in the upper right corner.

    Tap the plus icon to add a candidacy

  4. Confirm the deposit and transaction fee prompts.

    Deposit and fee confirmation prompt

  5. Accept the terms and conditions.

    Accept the terms and conditions

  6. Fill in your candidate registration details:

    • Nickname — your display name. This cannot be changed after registration.
    • URL — link to your campaign page or platform
    • Location — your country

    Fill in candidate registration details

  7. Confirm the registration and sign with your spending password.

    Confirm registration with password

Once the transaction confirms, you are returned to the Council Candidates page with a confirmation message. Your candidacy is now live on-chain and visible to all voters.

Step 4: Update Your Candidate Profile​

You can update everything except your nickname during the election cycle:

  1. Open the Council Candidates page.

  2. Open the operations menu for your candidacy.

  3. Choose Update Candidate Details.

  4. Edit URL, location, or other profile fields and sign the update transaction.

    Update candidate details from the operations menu

Step 5: Withdraw Your Candidacy (Optional)​

If you decide to exit the race before voting closes:

  1. Open the operations menu on the Council Candidates page.
  2. Choose Exit Election.
  3. Confirm — Essentials submits a cancellation transaction.

Your candidacy is removed from the active list. The deposit enters a return period defined by protocol rules before it can be reclaimed.

Step 6: Reclaim Your Deposit​

After the voting period ends, candidates who did not win — and outgoing council members at the end of their term — can withdraw the locked deposit:

  1. Return to the Council Candidates page in Essentials.
  2. Tap Withdraw the Pledge Deposit.
  3. Sign the transaction.

The deposit, minus any protocol penalties, returns to your Mainchain wallet.

What Happens If You Win​

If you finish in the top twelve when voting closes, you are seated as a council member for one duty period. As a council member you:

  • Review proposals — vote Approve / Reject / Abstain on each on-chain proposal within the council review window
  • Track proposal execution — verify milestones submitted by funded teams
  • Elect the Secretary General — the role that handles day-to-day DAO operations
  • Optionally claim a BPoS validator node — contribute to block production alongside community-elected validators

For the on-chain transaction types, voting windows, and the candidate / member state machine, see the Council Member Guide.

Election Timing​

Council registration and voting run on a recurring on-chain cycle defined in blocks, not calendar dates. The current cycle's status — whether registration is open, when voting closes, the live candidate list — is always visible inside the Elastos DAO section of Essentials and on the official governance portal at elastos.com.

For the cycle structure (voting period and duty period lengths), see Community Participation → Election Cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I get my deposit back? Yes, in most cases. Unsuccessful candidates and outgoing council members can withdraw their deposit after the voting period ends, minus any protocol-defined penalties.

Can I change my nickname after registering? No. The nickname is locked at registration. Every other field — URL, location, profile information — can be updated at any time via Update Candidate Details.

Can I run if my ELA is on the Smart Chain (ESC)? Not directly. Bridge it to the main chain first (see Bridge Assets), then register from your Mainchain wallet.

Do I need a DID before registering? Yes. Council registration is bound to your Elastos DID. Publish your DID on the EID chain first (see Create a DID).

Can I withdraw my candidacy after registering? Yes — choose Exit Election from the operations menu on the Council Candidates page. Your deposit enters a return period before it can be reclaimed.

What does a council member actually do? Review proposals, track milestones, elect the Secretary General, and optionally claim a BPoS validator node. See Council Member Guide for the full on-chain responsibilities.