The allocation of the remaining four positions will be determined after a study of the election process, which had some technical problems with voter registration.

At a public forum in mid-July, some organizations raised concerns that the at-large directors would number only four from 2001 to 2002.

To remedy this problem, the nine original directors selected four of their members to continue their terms. According to ICANN minutes, only one current director objected to this idea.

Froomkin said that now that ICANN has tested the global online election, it should hold another election for the remaining four slots.

"ICANN is always changing the rules," Froomkin said. "They promised us nine. They took that away, and now they've entrenched themselves."

Froomkin said he hoped that Wilson, who is well-known and respected within the academic community, would oppose these policy changes.

Froomkin--who has dubbed the four "board squatters"--said that after the newly elected members are seated, Wilson will be the only woman among the at-large directors.