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Dear Deputies and Alternates,
Happy New Year! As we turn the page to 2024, the final stages of planning for the 81st General Convention begin. Over the next several weeks there will be many communications with details about trainings, schedules, arrangements, and more. All information will always be available on the General Convention website. This communication will cover the election timeline and process for the offices of president and vice president of the House of Deputies.
The election of both the president and the vice president of the House of Deputies takes place at every General Convention. Each elected official serves for a term of three years, and an incumbent may serve up to three terms. Terms begin at the conclusion of the Convention in which the officer is elected.
The election of the House of Deputies president and vice president is governed by Canon I.1.b. This canon specifies that:
- The president and vice president must be of different orders of ministry. As a result, we first elect a deputy, lay or clergy, to serve as president, and then announce candidates of the other order who are eligible to be elected vice president.
- Both president and vice president must be elected by a simple majority of the total votes cast.
- Both president and vice president must be elected not later than the seventh legislative day of General Convention.
Background checks for potential candidates for either president or vice president are governed by Joint Rule of Order V.5. This joint rule specifies that:
a. The Joint Standing Committee on Nominations, through the Office of the Secretary of General Convention, will secure background checks on its and any other nominees for Secretary of the General Convention, Treasurer of the General Convention, President of the House of Deputies, Vice President of the House of Deputies, Executive Council, and Trustee of The Church Pension Fund. These background checks will cover criminal records checks and sexual offender registry checks in any state where a proposed nominee has resided during the prior seven years, any appropriate professional licensing bodies with jurisdiction over a nominee’s professional status and any violations of state or federal securities or banking laws. The records checks of proposed nominees from outside the United States will cover the same information from comparable authorities in the place of principal residence of the proposed nominee.
b. The required background check will be done prior to accepting a proposed nomination.
c. Background check results will be reviewed by the Office of the Secretary of General Convention. If that Office, after consultation with the Chief Legal Officer, determines that the results should preclude a person from holding the office sought, the Office shall share the determination with the proposed nominee and remit that determination, but not the background check results, to the nominating authority. Background check information shall not be shared beyond the Office of the Secretary of General Convention, the Chief Legal Officer, and proposed nominees who request their own information. The cost of background checks under this rule shall be covered by The Episcopal Church budget.
The proposed timeline for the election is as follows:
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February 26 – Background Check deadline (4 months prior to election)
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June 24 – 2nd Legislative Day – Deadline for intention to stand for election PHOD only
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June 25 – 3rd Legislative Day – Secretary publishes nominees for PHOD only
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June 26 – 4th Legislative Day – PHOD Election
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June 27 – 5th Legislative Day – Deadline for intention to stand for election for VPHOD
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June 28 – 6th Legislative Day – VPHOD Election
Any person interested in standing for election must complete this application prior to the February 26 deadline. This action does not make a deputy an automatic candidate, but allows the background process to begin. Candidates may announce their intentions any time after the notification from the Secretary of General Convention of a clean background check report.
The executive office of the General Convention, also known as the GCO, is here to assist you with this process. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
Faithfully,
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