diff --git a/GOVERNANCE.md b/GOVERNANCE.md
index e5224fb..a853548 100644
--- a/GOVERNANCE.md
+++ b/GOVERNANCE.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ A maintainer SHOULD propose a motion on the dev@opencontainers.org mailing list
 Voting on a proposed motion SHOULD happen on the dev@opencontainers.org mailing list (except [security issues](#security-issues)) with maintainers posting LGTM or REJECT.
 Maintainers MAY also explicitly not vote by posting ABSTAIN (which is useful to revert a previous vote).
 Maintainers MAY post multiple times (e.g. as they revise their position based on feeback), but only their final post counts in the tally.
+Unless the sponsor(s) explicitly REJECT or ABSTAIN the proposal, the submitting the proposal counts as a LGTM.
 A proposed motion is adopted if two-thirds of votes cast, a quorum having voted, are in favor of the release.
 
 Voting SHOULD remain open for a week to collect feedback from the wider community and allow the maintainers to digest the proposed motion.