Conduct of a Primatial Election
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official7764
- Date
- 2001 March 15-18
- Type
- Resolution 31-03-01
- Mover
- Mr. James Sweeny
- Seconder
- Mr. Peter Irish
- Text of motion
- That the Council of the General Synod, pursuant to section 25 of Canon III, establish the following procedural guidelines for the election of a Primate and direct that they be included as an Appendix in the General Synod Handbook:
- Appendix A
- GUIDELINE FOR THE CONDUCT OF A PRIMATIAL ELECTION
- See Canon III, Section 25
- THE ORDER OF BISHOPS
- In accordance with section 30 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.
- With the Acting Primate presiding and following a celebration of the Holy Eucharist,
- 1. The Order of Bishops shall use the following procedures for the nominating process.
- 2. The Order of Bishops shall meet in camera without staff members.
- 3. The Secretary of the House of Bishops shall keep a record of the proceedings recording the process but not the number of ballots required to identify nominees.
- 4. All nominating and voting shall be by secret ballot.
- 5. The acting Primate shall appoint five of the bishops to be scrutineers.
- 6. No bishop may decline nomination except with permission of the Order of Bishops, following explanation.
- 7. No bishop may abstain from voting or submit a blank ballot except with permission of the Order of Bishops.
- NOMINATING BALLOT
- 8. The first ballot shall be a nominating ballot.
- 9. Each bishop may nominate up to three names on the nominating ballot.
- 10. The names of all nominated bishops shall be listed in alphabetical order by Christian name.
- SUBSEQUENT BALLOTS
- 11. On the second and subsequent ballots each bishop shall cast a vote for one nominated bishop.
- 12. Where, on the second or a subsequent ballot, a bishop receives a majority of the votes of the Order of Bishops, the name of that bishop shall be placed on the Nomination Report and removed form subsequent ballots.
- 13. Balloting shall continue until the names of a minimum of 3 bishops have been placed on the Nomination Report and
- a) on motion, it is resolved that the balloting cease, or
- b) the names of 5 bishops have been placed on the Nomination Report.
- 14. Upon receipt of a request from the Order of Clergy or the Order of Laity for further nominations, the Order of Bishops shall repeat the nominating procedure and balloting shall continue until the names of one or more bishops have been placed on the Nomination Report, and
- a) on motion, it is resolved that the balloting cease, or
- b) the names of 3 bishops have been placed on the Nomination Report.
- 15. The names of bishops included in a previous Nomination Report shall be excluded from the nomination procedure undertaken pursuant to guideline 14.
- IN PREPARATION FOR THE ELECTION BY THE ORDERS OF CLERGY AND LAITY
- 16. 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)
- 17. 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.
- THE ELECTION
- 18. All members of the Orders of Clergy and Laity shall register and receive a balloting card.
- 19. The members of the Orders of Clergy shall be seated by dioceses alphabetically, members of the Order of Clergy on the left and members of the Order of Laity on the right. Members of the Order of Bishops shall take seats together.
- 20. At the discretion of the Prolocutor and subject to the approval of the General Synod, persons who are not members of the General Synod may be admitted to the place where the synod is meeting, including representatives of other churches, the press and other persons.
- 21. The Synod shall convene for a celebration of the Holy Communion.
- 22. The Synod shall receive the report of the Credentials Committee.
- 23. The Orders of Clergy and Laity shall each elect a secretary from among their members.
- 24. The Order of Bishops shall withdraw and sit apart from the other members of the Synod.
- 25. No formal program will be undertaken in the Order of Bishops while awaiting the election results.
- IN THE ORDERS OF CLERGY AND LAITY
- 26. The Prolocutor shall convene the sitting and preside.
- 27. The Prolocutor shall appoint two assessors, three lay scrutineers and three clerical scrutineers.
- 28. The names of the nominees shall be announced and displayed for all to see.
- 29. 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.
- 30. Voting shall proceed in accordance with Canon III.
- 31. Before closing a ballot the Prolocutor shall ask three times if all have voted and shall then declare the balloting closed.
- 32. 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.
- 33. The results of each ballot shall be announced and displayed for all to see.
- 34. A complete report of each ballot shall be printed in the Proceedings of the General Synod.
- 35. 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.
- IN FULL SESSION
- 36. Upon receipt of notification of an election, the Order of Bishops shall return and join the orders of Clergy and Laity and the Acting Primate shall proclaim the bishop elected to be the Primate of The Anglican Church of Canada.
- 37. 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.
- 38. The meeting shall be closed with a benediction by the Primate. CARRIED #31-03-01
- Subjects
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod. Constitution. Canon III
- Anglican Church of Canada. Primate
- Anglican Church of Canada. Primate - Election