An informal poll on Friday placed Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett narrowly ahead in the contest to become the next UN Secretary-General, diplomats and other sources close to the process said.

The voting among the 15 members of the UN Security Council was the second such “straw poll” after a first round last month showed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the front runner.

The new poll showed Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, again in third place.

In the straw polls, of which multiple rounds are expected, Security Council members are asked in secret ballots if they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on candidates.

In Friday’s vote, Birkett got eight encourage votes – one fewer than last time – three discourage and four no opinions.

Grynspan got seven encourage votes, against ten last time, four discourage and four no opinion.

Grossi stayed at seven encourage, but received six discourage votes, compared with two last time, and two no opinions.

Eight candidates are vying to succeed Antonio Guterres, who steps down at the end of the year after two five-year terms.

His successor faces the task of revitalizing an organization in crisis, of declining stature, and under pressure to further reform what critics say is a bloated and costly bureaucracy.

Ecuadorean diplomat Ivonne Baki, who only joined the race this week and has in the past claimed US support and publicly acknowledged her friendship with President Donald Trump, got zero encourage votes, eight discourage and seven no opinion.

In the early rounds of straw polls, identical ballots are cast, allowing diplomats to see overall levels of support and opposition without revealing whether negative votes came from one of the Council’s five veto-wielding permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – whose support is vital.

At a later stage, the five permanent members use ballots of a different colour that reveal whether a candidate has received a “discourage” vote from one of them.