UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly adopted a new voting procedure Friday for the upcoming election of new members of the Security Council aimed at preventing a large gathering and ensuring social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Instead of meeting in the horseshoe-shaped assembly chamber at U.N. headquarters overlooking New York’s East River, Ambassadors from the 193 U.N. member nations will cast secret ballots at a designated venue during spaced-out time slots.


And they will be voting not only for five non-permanent members of the Security Council to serve two-year terms but for 18 new members of the 54-nation Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms.


According to the new procedure, the President of the General Assembly will send a letter to all member states at least 10 working days before the first round of secret balloting for the two elections to inform them of the date, venue where ballots should be cast, and other relevant information.


The Security Council election had been scheduled for June 17, but it’s unclear whether that will remain the date.


The U.N. headquarters complex remains open for essential workers but Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has ordered U.N. staff to work from home until June 30.


The Security Council has five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — and 10 members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Five countries are elected every year.


The council is the U.N.’s most powerful body and winning a seat is a pinnacle of achievement for many countries because it gives them a strong voice on issues of international peace and security ranging from conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Ukraine to the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and Iran, and attacks by extremist groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida.


This year seven countries are vying for five seats, and there are two hotly contested races.


In the group of Western nation, Canada, Ireland and Norway are battling for two seats, and in Africa, Kenya and Djibouti are competing for one seat. India is running unopposed for the Asia-Pacific seat and Mexico is running unopposed for the seat for Latin America and the Caribbean.