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Unit Elections

 

The OA provides an opportunity for your more dedicated youth to join others in the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service.

 OA elections are not a troop function, but an OA function.  Our chapter, an extension of the Lodge, has an elections team trained in the proper methods and requirements. 

 The Election process can be broken down into 3 parts.

  1. Schedule your OA Election with the Chapter’s Election Team (election@takachsin.net).

  2. Ballot

  3. Election

  1. - Schedule with Election Team

  1. Contact the Election team to schedule your OA Election. (election@takachsin.net)

  2. You will be asked to fill out the Election Request form.  This contains Point of contact information for the unit including the youth OA Representative, an adult POC (Point of contact), unit meeting place, time and requested date with alternative date.

  1. - Ballot

Requirements: (National Policy):

  1. Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America

  2. Hold the First Class rank of the Boy Scouts of America, as a minimum.

  3. After registration with a troop or team, have experienced 15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election. The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.

  4. Must have Scoutmaster Approval. The unit leader must certify his Scout spirit (i.e. his adherence to the Scout Oath and Law and active participation in unit activities)
    To clarify this point, the scoutmaster must approve all candidates BEFORE their name is placed on the ballot.
    The scoutmaster should (in private) explain to any scout why he is not being approved for OA prior to the election itself.

*No extra conditions should be placed in developing the “ballot”.

 From the Lodge: - When a unit imposes its own criteria on an election, they are in violation of policy. This can actually end up with a Lodge losing their National Charter in extreme cases.

*There is no minimum or maximum limit requirement for the number of youth on the “ballot”.

  1. - Election

  1. To become a member of the Order of the Arrow a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout is chosen by vote of the youths in his unit. This is a unique feature of the Order since the majority of those who select their candidates for this honor are not members of the lodge. However, lodge members in the unit have a vote as well as nonmembers. In this way membership is controlled by the youths in their own units and not by those who are already Arrowmen. It is  important that the members of the unit have the membership requirements properly explained to them.

  2. In Boy Scout troops and Varsity Scout teams, every registered active member of the unit under age 21 at the time of election is eligible to vote.

  3. Only one election per unit per year.

  4. No Campaigning (In larger troops, candidates can announce their names).

  5. Before the election, the OA team must secure from the unit leader verification that at least 50 percent of the registered active unit membership is present. If at least 50 percent is not present, an election cannot be held.

  6. The unit leader provides a list of all registered active members of the unit who meet all eligibility requirements, including attitude and participation.  “Ballot”.

  7. A voter may indicate on his ballot any combination of names, from none to all eligible candidates who he believes are worthy to become members of the Order of the Arrow.

  1. Vote only for those you believe will continue in unselfish service to your troop/team.

  2. If you feel that no one is worthy, turn in a blank ballot.

  3. If you are new in the unit and do not know the candidates well enough to vote wisely, you may abstain by not turning in a ballot at all.

  4. Youths eligible for election also vote, and they may vote for themselves if they feel they are worthy.

  1. All eligible youths who receive votes from at least 50 percent of those who turn in ballots are elected.
    If no one is elected a second vote may be held immediately, and the result of this vote will be final.

The OA team determines the minimum number of votes one must receive to be elected, as follows: If the number of ballots turned in was even (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.), divide this number by two. If the number of was odd (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.), add one and then divide by two.

Announcement of results: As soon as the election is completed, the unit leader may or may not choose to announce to the entire unit the names of members who have been elected. Names and addresses of the newly elected candidates must be forwarded to the lodge membership committee immediately.

 

How to nominate an adult for membership in the Order of the Arrow

As long as the unit successfully elects one youth member to the Order, the troop then may also nominate (not elect) an adult for membership. Large troops may nominate one adult for every fifty youth members registered in the unit. Where youth membership is given by his peers as a recognition for service, adults are nominated and accepted if their membership will enrich the Order of the Arrow experience for the youth, or provide some service to the Lodge, the Camp, or the Council. Adult membership should not be given solely as a recognition or honor.

The requirements for election for adult members (in the OA, an ‘adult’ is anyone 21 years of age or older; this differs from the BSA ‘adult’ which starts at the age of 18) are as follows:

  1. Must be a registered and active member of the Boy Scouts of America at the time of nomination.

  2. Must be at least 21 years old at the time of nomination. Both males and females are eligible.

  3. In the past two years, have completed fifteen (15) days and nights of camping under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America. The fifteen days and nights of camping must include one long-term camp of six days and five nights, and the balance of the camping must be short-term (1, 2, or 3 night) camps.

A separate Adult Nomination Form exists for adult Scouters. At the end of a successful election for youth, the Election Team will give the Troop Committee Chairman an adult nomination form. The nomination form is completed in full and returned to the election team or the Chapter Adviser. Only nomination forms that have been signed by the Chapter Adviser will be considered by the selection committee. The Lodge Adult Selection Committee  will review the form and make a decision on the adult’s nomination. Please remember that nomination does not ensure approval. If approved, the troop will be notified so that they can decide how they will inform the candidate. Adult candidates need to complete the Ordeal within one year, same as a youth member.