THE DIOCESE
A. Diocesan Officials
Canon A-1: THE ELECTION OF A BISHOP
vacancy of the See:
1. Upon the announcement of the resignation, retirement or death of the
Bishop, or the vacancy of the See, the Secretaries of the Synod shall, within one week
from the occurrence of such event:
(a) notify the Metropolitan of the same, and
(b) ask the Metropolitan to convene a meeting of Synod for the election
of:
(i) in the event of the announcement of resignation or
retirement of the Bishop, a Coadjutor Bishop who will assume the office of Diocesan Bishop
on the resignation or retirement of the Diocesan Bishop;
(ii) in the other events, a Bishop.
electoral synod:
2. (a) The electoral synod shall be held at the earliest convenience of
the Metropolitan but no later than six months after the date at which the Metropolitan was
notified under s. 1 of this Canon.
(b) The Metropolitan, or the Metropolitan's duly appointed
representative, shall preside over the electoral synod.
nominees from Provincial House of Bishops:
3. The Provincial House of Bishops may nominate up to three candidates
in addition to those nominated by members of Synod. There shall be no indication of the
origin of these nominations.
Episcopal Election Process Committee
4. (a) The Executive Committee shall appoint an Episcopal Election
Process Committee.
(b) The Episcopal Election Process Committee shall consist of three
members of the clergy and three members of the laity. The chair of the committee shall be
chosen by the committee from amongst its members.
(c) The Episcopal Election Process Committee shall formulate the
process for the election, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, and shall
oversee implementation of the same. A suggested process is Annex 1 to this canon.
(d) The process shall not prohibit nominations being made from the
floor after Synod has convened.
voting & quorum:
5. (a) One-half of those from each Order entitled to a seat and vote in
the Synod constitute a quorum at the electoral synod.
(b) At the electoral synod the clergy and the laity shall vote
separately by Order using a written ballot.
(c) The name of the candidate with the lowest number of votes in the
combined Orders shall be eliminated in each round of voting except when:
(i) there are fewer than four candidates remaining; or
(ii) the candidate with the lowest total number of votes in the
combined Orders receives ten or more votes in each house.
(d) Two-thirds of the votes cast in each Order shall determine the
result.
declaration of election:
6. The chair of the electoral Synod shall declare to the Synod the name
of the person elected as Bishop, and without delay shall transmit to the Metropolitan a
duly attested certificate declaring the result of the election.
resignation of appointment by Bishop-elect:
7. Any person elected as Bishop and holding at the time of such
election any appointment, shall resign such appointment before installation as Bishop.
Annex 1: Suggested Process -- Episcopal Election
1. Secretaries of Synod notify the Metropolitan of the announcement of
retirement, resignation, or death of the Bishop, or the vacancy of the See within one week
of the occurrence of such event and a date for the election is set in consultation with
the Metropolitan.
2. The Executive Committee appoints an Episcopal Election Process
Committee.
3. The Episcopal Election Process Committee:
(i) prepares a profile of the Diocese, in consultation with Deanery
Councils, within two months of the notification of the Metropolitan, setting out the
perceived strengths and weaknesses of the Diocese;
(ii) establishes a budget to cover the process, and submits the same to
the Executive Committee;
(iii) circulates the diocesan profile and an invitation to nominate to
each member of synod;
(iv) receives nominations from synod members until three weeks before
synod;
(v) solicits a consent to stand for nomination and a biography from
each nominee;
(vi) circulates a list of nominees and their biographies to the members
of synod;
(vii) develops a process for handling nominations from the floor of
synod and compiling and circulating written biographies of such nominees from the floor;
(viii) develops of a process whereby those nominated in advance may
meet with synod members prior to voting.
(Rescinded and replaced 1997)
©2001 Diocese of Algoma |
