2016 Wesleyan Discipline:General Conference: Delegates

3. Election of Delegates

a. Delegates-at-Large

1508. The election of delegates-at-large shall be arranged for by the recommendation of the Executive Director of Communication and Administration and the approval of the General Board in accordance with the following regulations:

(1) The parity of equal ministerial and lay membership in the General Conference shall be maintained (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:325; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:360:3b).

(2) The established districts shall be considered in alphabetical order, and each eligible district in turn shall be appointed to elect one delegate-at-large. A provisional district shall not be eligible to elect a delegate-at-large.

1510. The General Board shall act upon the recommendation of the Executive Director of Communication and Administration in one of its sessions consistent with the provisions of paragraph 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1512. The delegates-at-large shall be elected by the appointed districts at the same time and in the same manner as the other General Conference delegates (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1512-1526).

b. Delegates

1512. The delegates to the General Conference shall be elected by the district conference, by ballot and by majority vote, at its last annual session preceding the General Conference. When the last annual session is within sixty days of the opening date of the General Conference, the district conference may elect its delegates at the previous annual session. The statistical report for the annual session of the district conference at which the delegates are elected shall be used for determining the number of members, and consequently, the number of General Conference delegates (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1503:1b). A certified list of all delegates to the General Conference shall be promptly forwarded by the district secretary to the Executive Director of Communication and Administration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1332:5).

1514. A person accepting election as a delegate is obligated to attend faithfully the entire General Conference session, unless hindered by unforeseen and justifiable circumstances (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1541).

c. Alternate Delegates

1516. Alternate delegates shall be the remaining nominees not elected to serve as General Conference delegates and shall fill vacancies in the descending order of votes received (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1332:5).

1518. Whenever the district superintendent, who is an ex officio member of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1503:1a), is unable to attend, the place of the district superintendent shall be filled by the assistant district superintendent (if any). If the assistant district superintendent is an elected delegate to the General Conference, the place of the assistant district superintendent shall then be filled like any other vacancy by an alternate ministerial delegate.

4. Qualifications of Delegates

a. Ministerial Delegates

1520. A ministerial delegate must be an ordained minister who is a member of the district represented, both at the time of election and at the time of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:327:2).

1522. Whenever a ministerial delegate-elect shall transfer membership to another district, the right to represent the district shall be vacated and an alternate ministerial delegate shall be certified (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1332:5; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1516)

b. Lay Delegates

1524. A lay delegate must be a lay person who is a member with the leadership qualifications (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:260-268; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:558) of a local church in the district represented, both at the time of election and at the time of the General Conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:327:3).

1526. Whenever a lay delegate-elect shall cease to meet the requirements in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1524, the right to represent the district shall be vacated and an alternate lay delegate shall be certified (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1516). 1541. Delegates. Once a delegate has been seated at the General Conference, an alternate delegate cannot thereafter be seated in place of the seated delegate (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1514).