Workshop on Election Procedures

Assembly 2012

Who Votes & For What?

Group Reps Vote for:

All Officers and Officer/Coordinator positions

On all Recommendations/Motions On the site for Assembly 2014

Officers, Coordinators and

District Reps Vote For:

All Coordinators On the site of AWSCM 2012

Who Can Offer?

Any past DR who has completed a full 3 year term or any present DR who will have completed a full 3 year term by December 31, 2012 may submit their name for any Officers position. (Motion 1976)

Any interested Al-Anon may submit their name for the Coordinator positions. The interested Al-Anon member does not have to be present at Assembly to offer for these positions, but they must have sent their completed resume with their DR. ( Motion 1987)

A Delegate may not succeed him/herself but may be re-elected after an interim 3 years. A Delegate or Alternate Delegate cannot also be a member of AA. (P. 142)

All other Officers and Coordinators may serve two consecutive terms. (Motion 2002)

How many Votes to Win?

To become Delegate or Alternate Delegate a member must receive two thirds or 67% of the GRs’ votes. (P. 143, item 8)

All other Officers and Coordinators only need 50%+ 1 of the vote.

What if 2/3’s is not reached?

If, after several ballots a two third’s majority is not reached the Chairperson will declare closing of the balloting and then will give GR’s the choice of electing the Delegate or Alternate Delegate by a final ballot or by lot. If GR’s choose ballots, one last ballot will be taken and the member with the highest number of votes wins. If GR’s choose by lot, the last two names will be put in a hat and the name drawn will be the new Delegate. ( P.143, item 9)

Other Election Procedures

For each Officer position every DR, past DR, and Officer is given a ballot. They will write their name on the ballot and check yes or no as to whether they want their name to stand or not. (Motions 1988)

When the ballots are collected and the names of candidates are announced Assembly asks that you not cheer OR boo as this is form of campaigning. Clapping is acceptable after someone is elected.

All persons offering their name for election will be asked to read a resume. (Motion 1985 & 1998) Members are asked just to read their resumes. When reading their resumes members are asked to refrain from campaigning, joking, etc. as this is distracting for voting members. Assembly asks that all voting members listen carefully to the resumes.

After a ballot is taken and the results announced and there is not a clear winner, Assembly asks that the candidate with the least number of votes withdraw their name.

If an Officer is the Alternate does this mean they automatically become an Officer?

Answer: NO.  Sometimes they do. However, less than 33% of Alternate Officers go on to become Officers. (from Archives)

If only one person offers does this mean they are elected by acclamation?

  Answer: NO. Al-Anon is truly democratic.  If only one person offers, Assembly still votes. Voting members have the right (and responsibility) to vote NO to a sole candidate if they feel this member will not serve the Area well. If this happens Assembly will go back to the membership and ask for other candidates.

Any Questions?