Prepare for the First Council Vote
How to prepare for League Classic's first Council voting window on August 26, 2026 (Patch 26.17): voting power, champion ballots, runes, and what to do before the ballot opens.
Why August 26 Matters
Patch 26.17 on August 26, 2026 opens Classic's first Council voting window and ships additional rune options. Riot designed The Council so dedicated players help choose which champions, skins, and select gameplay features return next—while Riot keeps balance authority.
A second vote is already sketched for Patch 26.19 on September 23. Winners from the first ballot are expected to influence the Patch 26.18 champion wave on September 9. Full calendar on 2026 Classic Roadmap.
Build Voting Power Now
Council access unlocks through Classic Level; extra voting weight scales with playtime and Pass progression. Start grinding before August 26 so your ballot actually moves the needle—Classic Levels, Voting Power, and Level Classic Fast.
Queue consistency beats last-day panic. Pair Draft sessions with Co-op when learning new 26.16 kits so you still earn progression without tilting away your week-one habits.
What You Are Likely Voting On
Expect champion addition ballots drawn from the remaining wave-two pool after Patch 26.16—names such as Caitlyn, Fiora, Graves, Irelia, LeBlanc, Mordekaiser, and Urgot have been repeatedly cited across Riot promo art and reporting. Cosmetic and feature ballots can appear alongside champion choices.
Study kits on Wave 2 / Patch 26.16 and Future Additions before locking votes. Mechanics overview on How Voting Works; champion-focused strategy on Champion Votes.
Runes Arrive With the Ballot
Patch 26.17 also adds more rune options after the launch set. Keep spare rune pages and IP so you can experiment the same week voting opens—Rune Pages and Set Up Rune Pages.
Use the Dev Update context on Dev Update Video if you need the design philosophy behind community direction versus Riot-owned balance. Track live change notes on Upcoming Changes after each patch.