The United Nations Security Council conducted a series of unofficial straw polls between 24 July and 2 October. South KoreanForeign MinisterBan Ki-moon led the polls from the start, emerging as the only candidate with the support of all five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council (P5). After the final straw poll, all of the other candidates withdrew.[1] The Security Council conducted a formal vote on 9 October and forwarded its choice to the General Assembly, which elected Ban on 13 October.