Report 07 Appendix 8
GUIDELINES FOR THE CONDUCT OF A PRIMATIAL ELECTION
Approved by the Council of General Synod, November 2006
See Canon III, Section 9
The Nomination Process
1. The Order of Bishops
- In accordance with Section 13 of Canon III, the Order of Bishops will meet not earlier than 120 days and not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the election of the Primate and shall nominate three or more bishops for the office of Primate.
- Approximately six months prior to the start of General Synod where a Primatial election will be held, the Primate (or acting Primate) will seek nominations from the Order of Bishops. Members of the House of Bishops may nominate a minimum of one and a maximum of three Bishops, certifying that they have the consent of those they have nominated
- On the day prior to the balloting the Primate (or Acting Primate) will share with the Order of Bishops the names of those who have been nominated. Additional nominations will be received until 10:00 pm. that day
- On the day of the balloting with the Primate (or Acting Primate) presiding, a celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be held.
- The Order of Bishops shall meet in camera without staff members.
- The Secretary of the House of Bishops shall keep a record of the proceedings.
- All voting shall be by secret ballot.
- The Primate (or Acting Primate) shall appoint scrutineers from among those not nominated
- No bishop may abstain from voting or submit a blank ballot
- The names of all nominated bishops shall be listed in alphabetical order by surname
- On each ballot each bishop shall cast a vote for one nominated bishop.
- When a bishop receives the votes of a majority of the Order of Bishops present, the name of that bishop shall be placed on the Nomination Report and removed from subsequent ballots.
- Balloting will continue until a minimum of three bishops have been named in theNomination Report, and either:
- on motion, it is resolved that the balloting cease, or
- up to five bishops have been named in the Nomination Report.
- Upon receipt of a request from the Order of Clergy or the Order of Laity for further nominations during the Primatial Election, the Order of Bishops shall immediately repeat the nominating procedure and balloting will continue until one or morebishops have been named in the Nomination Report, and either:
- on motion, it is resolved that the balloting cease, or
- the names of three bishops have been placed on the Nomination Report.
- The names of bishops included in a previous nomination report shall be excluded
- from the nomination procedure undertaken pursuant to guideline 1n).
2. In Preparation for the Election by the Orders of Clergy and Laity
- All candidates named on the Nomination Report must submit a police records check and any other screening material requested by the General Secretary to his/her office prior to the start of General Synod
- Immediately following the nomination meeting the General Secretary shall send to all members of the Orders of Clergy and Laity the names of the nominees together with the following biographical information about each nominee:
- Current office and location
- Current photograph
- List of ecclesiastical offices held
- Dates of ordination as deacon, priest and bishop
- Other accomplishments which the nominee may wish to share
(limited to 1 page) - Any personal information that the nominee may wish to share
(limited to 1 page) - A statement by the nominee of his or her vision of the role of the Primate
(limited to 1 page)
- The General Secretary shall work with the Secretary of the House of Bishops to ensure that the format in which the information is communicated to the members
of the Synod is standardized and that the quality of the production of the communication
regarding each nominee is uniform.
3. On the Day of the Election
- All members of the Orders of Clergy and Laity shall register and receive a balloting card.
- The members of the Orders of Clergy and Laity shall be seated on the left and members of the Order of Laity on the right. The members of the Order of Bishops shall take seats together.
- At the discretion of the Prolocutor and subject to the approval of the Synod, persons who are not members of the Synod may be admitted to the place where the election is taking place, including representatives of other Churches, the press and other persons.
- The Synod shall convene for a celebration of the Holy Communion.
- The Clerical and Lay Secretaries and the Assistant Secretaries shall take their places in the assembly.
- The Order of Bishops shall withdraw and sit apart from the other members of the Synod.
- No formal program will be undertaken in the Order of Bishops while awaiting the election results.
4. In the Orders of Clergy and Laity
The Prolocutor shall convene the sitting and preside.
- The Prolocutor shall appoint two assessors, three lay scrutineers and three clerical scrutineers
- The names of the bishops nominated by the Order of Bishops shall be displayed for all to see.
- The Prolocutor shall remind members that they cannot make nominations and that no debate is permitted on the taking of any ballot or its results.
- Voting shall proceed in accordance with Canon III.
- Before closing a ballot, the Prolocutor shall ask three times if all have voted and shall then declare the balloting closed.
- When voting on a ballot is closed, the scrutineers shall count the votes and shall report, in writing, to the Prolocutor the number of votes cast for each bishop nominated and the number of blank and spoiled ballots, if any.
- The results of each ballot shall be announced and displayed for all to see.
- A complete report of each ballot shall be printed in the Proceedings of the Synod.
- After an election has been declared, the Prolocutor and the secretaries shall proceed to the place where the Order of Bishops is meeting and inform them of the result of the election.
5. In Full Session
- Upon receipt of notification of an election, the Order of Bishops shall return and join the Orders of Clergy and Laity and the Primate or Acting Primate shall formally proclaim the Bishop elected be the Primate of The Anglican Church of Canada.
- The time and place of the installation of the Primate shall be announced by the senior Metropolitan before the closing of the meeting or as soon thereafter as practicable.
- The meeting shall be closed with a benediction by the Primate.