Unit Elections

Interested in having a Unit Election for your unit? This page will guide your unit leader through everything they need to know to organize a unit election for their unit.

Step One: Scheduling/Pre Election

• Option 1: The Unit Leader, or designated person, should go to lenape8.org/election-request/ and fill in the
  election request.
• Option 2: Using the automated emails from LodgeMaster, the Unit Leader can go to the link on
  the email and fill out the automated form in LodgeMaster. If you do not receive these emails,
  please contact vca@lenape8.org.
• Soon after, you will receive an email from the Unit Elections Chairman to confirm your election
  dates.
• The Unit Leader (or designee) will receive a link to submit the names and necessary information for all of the youth
  who are eligible to be elected into the Order of the Arrow. Follow all of the directions provided in the link.

Step Two: At The Election

• A group of 1-5 representatives from Lenape Lodge 8 will go to your election to facilitate the
  election. This group of people is called the Election Team.
• At the election, the youth will be facilitating the election and the adults will be advisers, but the adults can
  facilitate the election if no youth are present.
• For the Election to be valid, at least 50% of the active members of the troop MUST be present.
  If at least 50% of the troop is not present, the election must be rescheduled.
• The Election Team will talk to the Unit Leader to confirm eligible youth, sign the election
  report, and determine when the results will be announced.
• They will also ask the youth leader when they would like them to begin the election.
• The procedure the youth will be using to facilitate can be found in Lenape 8- Unit Election
  Procedure.

Step Three: Election Rules and Identifying Eligible Youth

• In order for a youth (under 21) to be eligible for the Order of the Arrow, they must:
• Be a registered member of a Troop, Crew, or Ship.
• Attain either Scouts BSA First Class Rank, Venturing Discovery Rank, or Sea Scout
  Ordinary rank or higher.
• Complete at least 15 nights of camping with the troop, crew, or ship in the two years
  immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one long-term camping
  experience. The remaining 10 nights must be short-term camping.
• Assistant Scoutmasters who are under the age of 21 should be treated as youth for the entirety
  of the election process.
• The election is not a popularity contest and that must be made clear.
• There should be no electioneering, especially by adults.
• Electioneering is the action of trying to persuade someone to vote a certain way.
• All youth present are eligible to vote, including Assistant Scoutmasters under the age of 21.

Step Four: Reporting Results

• The Unit Leader determines how the results of the election should be announced.
• The election results are most commonly announced at either a call-out ceremony or at the
  meeting where the election is taking place.
• It is most common for the election team to announce the results at the election.
• It is completely at the Unit Leader’s discretion.
• The Unit Leader should be the first one to see the results of the election.
• If you would like to have a call-out ceremony, the Lodge would be happy to organize one
  for you, and one can be requested through the Contact Us page on our website.

Step Five: Post-Election/Election Adult Nominations

• After the Election, the Unit Leader will receive a recap email with the information from the
  election.
• The Unit Leader and Unit Representative should encourage the elected youth to attend the
  next Induction Weekend.
• Adults over the age of 21 must fulfill all of the same eligibility requirements as youth, except the
  rank requirement.
• Adults are nominated by the Unit Committee to the Lodge Adult Selection Committee.
• An Adult Candidate Nomination Form should then be submitted electronically through a link
  sent in the recap email. A scan of the form can also be submitted through email to
  adviser@lenape8.org or by giving the paper form to the Election Team.
• The number of adults allowed to be nominated should not exceed two-thirds of the number of
  youth elected.

Thank you for your interest in scheduling a Unit Election! If you’d like to schedule your election now, you can click the link here.

If you have any questions about the election process, you can Contact Us here.

To view a PDF version of this, you can press this link.