diff --git a/doc/CONTRIBUTING.md b/doc/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 517def0..d06343a 100644
--- a/doc/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/doc/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -50,4 +50,4 @@
 + [General GitHub documentation](https://help.github.com/)
 + [GitHub pull request documentation](https://help.github.com/send-pull-requests/)
 
-[cla]:https://www.apache.org/licenses/#clas
+[cla]:https://www.apache.org/licenses/#clas
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/MailTemplate.txt b/doc/MailTemplate.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6705d34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/MailTemplate.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+To: dev@logging.apache.org
+Subject: [VOTE] Release Apache Log4net 2.0.17
+
+This is a vote to release the Apache Log4net 2.0.17.
+
+Website: https://logging.staged.apache.org/log4net/release/release-notes.html
+GitHub: https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net
+GitHub release (pre-release): https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/releases/tag/2.0.17-rc1
+Distribution: https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/logging/log4net
+
+Please download, test, and cast your votes on this mailing list.
+
+[ ] +1, release the artifacts
+[ ] -1, don't release, because...
+
+This vote is open for 72 hours and will pass unless getting a
+net negative vote count. All votes are welcome and we encourage
+everyone to test the release, but only the Logging Services PMC
+votes are officially counted.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/RELEASING.md b/doc/RELEASING.md
index 919d81e..5af391d 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASING.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASING.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     - copy in source & binary artifacts to respective locations
     - `svn delete` old items (or defer this until after the vote completes)
     - `svn commit`
-13. raise a vote on the log4net mailing list (dev@logging.apache.org)
+13. raise a vote on the log4net mailing list (dev@logging.apache.org) - see MailTemplate.txt
 14. wait
 15. when the vote has 3 or more +1's, it's time to go live!
 16. copy the apache artifacts (binary and source) to the release svn repo and commit
diff --git a/src/log4net/log4net.csproj b/src/log4net/log4net.csproj
index 61dfe5a..380fba9 100644
--- a/src/log4net/log4net.csproj
+++ b/src/log4net/log4net.csproj
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 ﻿<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <PropertyGroup>
     <PackageId>log4net</PackageId>
-    <Version>2.0.16</Version>
-    <PackageVersion>2.0.16</PackageVersion>
+    <Version>2.0.17</Version>
+    <PackageVersion>$(Version)</PackageVersion>
     <Title>Apache log4net</Title>
     <Product>Apache log4net</Product>
     <Description>
diff --git a/src/site/xdoc/download_log4net.xml b/src/site/xdoc/download_log4net.xml
index 0a34309..3e52ee7 100644
--- a/src/site/xdoc/download_log4net.xml
+++ b/src/site/xdoc/download_log4net.xml
@@ -23,27 +23,22 @@
   <body>
     <section name="Download Apache log4net&#x2122;">
 
-      <p>Apache log4net is distributed under the <a
-      href="http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html">Apache
-      License, version 2.0</a>.</p>
+      <p>Apache log4net is distributed under the <a href="http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html">Apache License, version 2.0</a>.</p>
 
-      <p>Starting with log4net 1.2.11 log4net is available as source only or
-      binary only release.</p>
+      <p>Starting with log4net 1.2.11 log4net is available as source only or binary only release.</p>
 
-      <p>Users who download the ZIP files to Windows may need to unblock the
-      archive (right click on the ZIP and press the "Unblock" button)
-      before extracting it.</p>
+      <p>Users who download the ZIP files to Windows may need to unblock the archive (right click on the ZIP and press the "Unblock" button) before extracting it.</p>
 
     </section>
 
-    <section name="log4net 2.0.16">
+    <section name="log4net 2.0.17">
 
       <subsection name="Source">
         <table>
           <tr>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.16.zip">apache-log4net-source-2.0.16.zip</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.16.zip.sha512">sha512</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.16.zip.asc">pgp</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.17.zip">apache-log4net-source-2.0.17.zip</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.17.zip.sha512">sha512</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/source/apache-log4net-source-2.0.17.zip.asc">pgp</a></td>
           </tr>
         </table>
       </subsection>
@@ -52,14 +47,14 @@
         <p>Binaries are available in a zip file or nupkg, which is also available from <a href="https://www.nuget.org/packages/log4net/">nuget.org</a></p>
         <table>
           <tr>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.16.zip">log4net-binaries-2.0.16.zip</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.16.zip.sha512">sha512</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.16.zip.asc">pgp</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.17.zip">log4net-binaries-2.0.17.zip</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.17.zip.sha512">sha512</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net-binaries-2.0.17.zip.asc">pgp</a></td>
           </tr>
           <tr>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.16.nupkg">log4net-2.0.16.nupkg</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.16.nupkg.sha512">sha512</a></td>
-            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.16.nupkg.asc">pgp</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.17.nupkg">log4net-2.0.17.nupkg</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.17.nupkg.sha512">sha512</a></td>
+            <td><a href="https://downloads.apache.org/logging/log4net/binaries/apache-log4net.2.0.17.nupkg.asc">pgp</a></td>
           </tr>
         </table>
       </subsection>
@@ -67,12 +62,8 @@
     </section>
 
     <section name="Keys">
-        <p>The <a
-        href="http://www.apache.org/dist/logging/log4net/KEYS">KEYS</a> link
-        links to the code signing keys used to sign the product.  The
-        <code>PGP</code> link downloads the OpenPGP compatible
-        signature from our main site.  The <code>MD5</code> link
-        downloads the checksum from the main site.</p>
+        <p>The <a href="http://www.apache.org/dist/logging/log4net/KEYS">KEYS</a> link links to the code signing keys used to sign the product.
+        The <code>PGP</code> link downloads the OpenPGP compatible signature from our main site.</p>
     </section>
 
     <section name="Archives">
@@ -94,16 +85,10 @@
 
   <section name="Verify Releases">
 
-    <p>It is essential that you verify the integrity of the downloaded
-    files using the PGP signature or MD5 checksums.  The checksums are
-    not as strong indicators as the PGP signature.</p>
+    <p>It is essential that you verify the integrity of the downloaded files using the PGP signature.</p>
 
     <p>Please read <a
-    href="http://httpd.apache.org/dev/verification.html">Verifying
-    Apache HTTP Server Releases</a> for more information on why you
-    should verify our releases.  The PGP keys used to sign our
-    distributions are part of the <a
-    href="http://www.apache.org/dist/logging/log4net/KEYS">KEYS
-    file</a>.</p>
+    href="http://httpd.apache.org/dev/verification.html">Verifying Apache HTTP Server Releases</a> for more information on why you should verify our releases.
+    The PGP keys used to sign our distributions are part of the <a href="http://www.apache.org/dist/logging/log4net/KEYS">KEYS file</a>.</p>
   </section>
 </document>
diff --git a/src/site/xdoc/release/release-notes.xml b/src/site/xdoc/release/release-notes.xml
index 928b200..5dc0dd8 100644
--- a/src/site/xdoc/release/release-notes.xml
+++ b/src/site/xdoc/release/release-notes.xml
@@ -27,40 +27,49 @@
   <body>
 
     <section id="main" name="Apache log4net&#x2122; Release Notes">
+      <section id="2.0.17" name="2.0.17">
+        Apache log4net 2.0.16 addresses reported issues:
+        <section id="2.0.17-bug" name="Bug fixes">
+          <ul>
+            <li>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/issues/118">NullRefException from shutdown in 2.0.16</a> fixed in <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/120">Fast fix for NullRefException from FileAppender"</a> by (by @erikmav)"</li>
+          </ul>
+        </section>
+      </section>
       <section id="2.0.16" name="2.0.16">
         Apache log4net 2.0.16 addresses reported issues:
         <section id="2.0.16-bug" name="Bug fixes">
           <ul>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/103">Support converting '.NET TP Worker' to the numeric thread ID on .NET 8+ (by @erikmav)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/103">Support converting '.NET TP Worker' to the numeric thread ID on .NET 8+</a> (by @erikmav)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/94">Fix typo in RemotingServer App.Config (by @craigdfrench)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/94">Fix typo in RemotingServer App.Config</a> (by @craigdfrench)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/105">Fix CodeQL Password in configuration file Rule False Positives (by @justinmichaels)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/105">Fix CodeQL Password in configuration file Rule False Positives</a> (by @justinmichaels)
             </li>
           </ul>
         </section>
         <section id="2.0.16-enhancements" name="Enhancements">
           <ul>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/89">adding extension points for revising logged content (by @freeandnil)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/89">adding extension points for revising logged content</a> (by @freeandnil)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/91">SystemInfo.EntryAssemblyLocation writable to adjust location for config-files in unit test projects (by @freeandnil)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/91">SystemInfo.EntryAssemblyLocation writable to adjust location for config-files in unit test projects</a> (by @freeandnil)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/92">New locking model for single log file in native applications with managed parts (by @freeandnil)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/92">New locking model for single log file in native applications with managed parts</a> (by @freeandnil)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/93">Extension point for handling new lines in RemoteSysLogAppender added (by @freeandnil)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/93">Extension point for handling new lines in RemoteSysLogAppender added</a> (by @freeandnil)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/94">Defer creation of locking model to ActivateOptions() (by @freeandnil)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/95">Defer creation of locking model to ActivateOptions()</a> (by @freeandnil)
             </li>
             <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/101">Add Peek() method to ThreadContextStack and LogicalThreadContextStack (by @andreycha)</a>
+              <a href="https://github.com/apache/logging-log4net/pull/101">Add Peek() method to ThreadContextStack and LogicalThreadContextStack</a> (by @andreycha)
             </li>
           </ul>
         </section>