Dear adult member of the election team:

Thank you for volunteering your time to be an election team member. I know that evenings with your family are important to you, and that elections take time away from that. I really want you to know that I appreciate your efforts.

Elections are what keep our Chapter and Lodge alive. It is important to understand your part in this process.

Most important, your purpose is to provide a buffer between the unit's adult leaders and the youth members of the election team. It doesn't happen very often, but there can be disagreements, and you are there to deflect any hostility away from the youth.

You should also understand the requirements for eligibility. I have included in this notebook a copy of the letter I am sending to all Scoutmasters who request elections. Please read it carefully and if you have questions, please call me as soon as you can, If a Scoutmaster has questions about the election or the election process, you should know enough to answer them.

You are the behind-the-scenes coordinator of your election team. You should make sure that all youth members know the time and place of the election, and that they have a ride to and from the event. I have made up maps to every unit location and put them in your notebook. If regular members are unable to attend, you should coordinate arranging for a substitute. Call me if necessary for help. The only requirements for a youth to participate on an election team are that he must be under 21 and be a paid-up member of the OA. He should be in full uniform.

Election procedure: Youth members of the election will perform the "ceremony", explain the election rules to the voting youth, hand out, collect and count ballots, and certify the results. If a youth is elected, you will provide one copy of the Adult Nomination form to the unit's adult leader. This form is in your notebook.

There are two versions of the election script. I have put both in your notebook. Let the youths decide which they want to follow. Please hand it out to the youths when they arrive. I have also put a version of one of the scripts for two youths instead of three in case you are short handed. Of course, it would be best if the youths would memorize their parts, but memorizing is not necessary. I hope you will encourage it or at least get them to do a practice session or two before you start for real.

Youths will need a list of names and ranks of all eligible Scouts before the election. Also, they will need to know the number of Scouts registered under the unit's current charter. Please help them obtain these before the ceremony begins. If the right number of Scouts is not present, the election cannot be held. This is a possible sore point between the team and the unit, and you should be ready for it. Remember that the team does not make or change policy, and that sometimes elections have to be rescheduled. You should allow a unit some time to assemble a voting quorum, but don't keep your team waiting too long (because of homework). Once you have the information, the youth members should fill in the names and ranks on the Unit Election Report form, and you should have the Scoutmaster sign the back to certify that all the candidates meet the requirements.

A sample ballot is included in the notebook. You can Xerox it if you need to, but plain paper can be used just as well.

After the election ballots are collected, the youth members of the team will need a private place to count the ballots and enter the results on the Unit Election Report form. Please ask the Scoutmaster for a location where they can do this. The Scoutmaster can be present while the ballots are counted, but if he is, you must be present too. The youths will finish filling out the Unit Election Report form, sign it, and return it and the ballots to you. They should also return the scripts of the ceremony so you will have them for next time.

Even though the Scoutmaster can announce the results immediately, you should encourage him strongly to keep the results secret and to have his unit participate in a Call-Out ceremony. I can arrange to get a Call-Out ceremony performed for his troop if they won't be attending the Spring Camporee. Please let me know if this is needed, and have a name and phone number for me so I can get in contact.

You should arrange to leave a Xeroxed copy of the signed Unit Election Report form and the ballots with the Scoutmaster. (You can also offer the ballots to him or trash them.) If you can, get a spare copy of the Unit Election Report form for yourself in case of problems in the mail. If you can't get a copy for yourself, add the names of the successful candidates to the Election Log form in your notebook before you mail the results just in case.

Please mail the Unit Election Report to me as soon as possible after the election. A good time to mail it is on the way home! I have provided envelopes for you to use. Let me know if the unit thinks they have an adult to nominate, so I can arrange for the right number of adult clans at Inductions. You can let me know by writing "one Adult' or "no Adult" on the form. I will know what it means.

I have also included three other forms in your notebook that you should leave with the Scoutmaster. First is the Troop Service Award requirements form. Leave one with the Scoutmaster. He can use it to Xerox as many as he needs, fill it out for any OA member in his troop that meets the requirements, and mail them in. The second form is the information on the OA Troop Representative office. This is a new Troop Leadership office starting this year. Please leave one copy of this information with the Scoutmaster. The third is the Lodge and Chapter calendar. Please ask the Scoutmaster to post this on the Troop Bulletin Board.

Camp Promotions participation: You may have representatives of the Vice Chief of Camping Promotions attending elections with you. His job is to encourage units to participate in Summer Camp and in camping in general. Please coordinate your presentations and offer any help you can.

Thank you again for your valuable time, and good luck with your elections!




Vice Chief of Inductions and Ceremonies