Who Votes?: 2024 Electing Convention

Information on voting members – clergy and lay delegations

Clergy: Clergy have seat and vote by residency in the Diocese at the time of the convention (or, in this case, “special convention”). The reciprocal is also true; if a clergy member moves their canonical residency after the fall 2023 convention but before the electing convention, they no longer have voting rights at the electing convention. Members of the clergy who are canonically resident within this Diocese, and who are either ecclesiastically employed within this Diocese or domiciled within this Diocese when the special convention meets are entitled to a seat and to a vote. Priests and pastors, licensed by the bishop, who have charge of an Episcopal congregation in the Diocese when the special convention convenes, shall also be entitled to a seat and vote. The quorum and voting clergy qualify as of the date of the electing convention. The deadline to complete a change in canonical residency is May 8, 2024.

Lay delegates & alternates: Lay members are elected for a specific term. Per our canons, delegates and alternates elected to the most recent annual convention are the delegates and alternates to a special convention, without new delegates needing to be elected for that special convention. If since the most recent convention (fall 2023) there are changes to a delegation – due to resignation, death or change in congregation membership, or other unavailability – a congregation may then, at a special congregation meeting called for the purpose (or annual meeting if it has not yet occurred), elect new members to fill vacancies in the delegation. The canons are clear that the preference is for a meeting of the parish or mission, with election by the vestry or bishop’s committee in emergency situations. No names may be removed or added to a delegation within one month of the electing convention. Process:

1. The delegate or alternate certifies that they are resigning with a form (provided by the convention office) submitted to the convention office.
2. Minutes of an annual or special meeting of the congregation, or the vestry or bishop’s committee meeting in an emergency, are submitted to the convention office before the one-month deadline of April 18, 2024.
3. The convention office confirms the new delegation to the congregation leadership.

Mission Station representatives who registered and attended the fall 2023 convention, and were given vote through the Privilege report, will have a vote at the electing convention. Regional Youth representatives who registered and attended the fall 2023 convention will also have a vote at the electing convention.

Certification of alternates: As with an annual convention, a listed alternate may be certified to replace a delegate for the electing convention. Further, an alternate that was certified to attend the fall 2023 annual convention, remains in the delegate role unless the congregation certifies the original delegate to replace the certified alternate. The deadline to make switches within the delegation is May 8, 2024.