WIPO Election: Ali, Odek Exit; Three More Face Elimination

By William New
With the second official round of voting still open, two more candidates have exited the race to be the next director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and three others face near elimination. All voting results are being posted to www.ip-watch.org.

The number of candidates has dropped from 15 last Friday down to 10, and consultations are being held on how to address three candidates tied with the least votes, one of which would be expected to depart.

Just before the second round of voting began after lunch, it was announced that Toufiq Ali of Bangladesh had bowed out. Ali ran an active campaign in recent weeks, but managed only two votes in the first round, despite a fair showing in the informal straw poll.

In each round of voting, the two candidates with the least number are automatically eliminated from contention until there are nine candidates, then it switches to one elimination per round. After the second round votes were tallied, it was shown that James Otieno Odek of Kenya had received one vote, and so would be expected to be out. But there was a tie among three candidates for the second least number, with two votes: Enrique Manalo of Philippines, Philippe Petit of France, and José Delmer Urbizo of Honduras.

According to the official voting rules, a tie can be addressed through another vote among the lowest vote-getters. The meeting broke into consultations to decide how to proceed.

The results of the second round (still open) are:

Toufiq Ali (Bangladesh), withdrew before round

(Note: three tied with two votes, second lowest in round)