Election

A delegate casts his vote in the election of the Universal House of Justice.

Bahá’í elections are used to determine those people who will be called to serve on the elected institutions of the Bahá'í Faith, including Spiritual Assemblies and the Universal House of Justice. Bahá’ís consider participating in this electoral process to be a sacred act, essential to the health of the community. Great effort is spent on organizing elections to meet with the exacting standards set by Shoghi Effendi, including: the use of secret ballots; a total lack of nomination, campaigning, or electioneering; and a reverent and prayerful attitude throughout. As a result of such attention to the details, the process, and the spirit of the event, such carefully held elections result in what Shoghi Effendi indicates is a divinely directed election process.

Method

Bahá’í elections use what is described as a three-stage councilor-republican system, which differs in who are the electors and who are the eligible members depending on the scope of the election. At all levels, only residents within the jurisdiction of the body being elected are eligible for membership, and all elections are won by plurality. In general, adult Bahá’ís in good standing resident in the jurisdiction are both the electorate (either directly or through delegation) as well as the pool of potential members of the body being elected.

Members are selected based on Shoghi Effendi's criteria. Bahá’í electors are called upon to look for certain qualities in those whom they elect:

“ Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurance that every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is in truth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly inspired, that one and all should submit to its decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness ... the elector ... is called upon to vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection have inspired him to uphold... Hence it is incumbent upon the chosen delegates to consider without the least trace of passion and prejudice, and irrespective of any material consideration, the names of only those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and mature experience... Nothing short of the all-encompassing, all-pervading power of His Guidance and Love can enable this newly enfolded order to gather strength and flourish amid the storm and stress of a turbulent age, and in the fullness of time vindicate its high claim to be universally recognized as the one Haven of abiding felicity and peace. ” — Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 23 [Emphasis added]

Non-Partisanship

Shoghi Effendi sternly deprecated partisan politics and certain other practices current in western democracies, such as campaigning and nomination. As a result:

• Nominations and campaigning are prohibited. Bahá’ís, according to Shoghi Effendi, should not seek to advance themselves above their neighbour.
• Voters are urged not to consult with each other about the suitability of individuals.
• Voters are strongly encouraged to study and discuss, in abstract, the five qualities named by Shoghi Effendi as being necessary in those elected to serve, without reference to individuals.
• Individuals should be selected only on the basis of the five mentioned qualities, without reference to material means or other characteristics, except insofar as they provide insight into the five qualities.
• Those elected are expected to serve, though in cases of extreme personal difficulty, such a member may request that the body to which they are elected excuse and replace him or her.
• In the event of a tying vote for last place, if one of these individuals is a member of a minority, this individual is automatically awarded the position. (In the US, this refers to racial minority.) If this is unclear, or if there is disagreement as to whether the minority rule applies, a run-off election is held in which votes are cast only for one of those tying.

Shoghi Effendi saw these (and other) aspects as essential to preserving the full rights and prerogatives of the electors, guarding them against manipulation.

Electoral Scope

Local or regional

At the local (city, town, county) level of administration, the Local Spiritual Assembly, adult Bahá’ís in that particular locality get to vote once a year for their nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly.

In the United States, Canada, and India, regional councils are elected by members of these Local Spiritual Assemblies in an election conducted by mail. Again, no nominations occur, each Local Spiritual Assembly member is directed to submit the names of those individuals who are resident in the region they feel are best suited to serve.

Some larger Bahá’í communities, such as in the cities of Toronto, Canada or New Delhi, India, have adopted an indirect delegated system similar to that used in National elections.

National

A believer casts his ballot at a unit convention in Vietnam to elect delegates to the National Convention.

The selection of the National Spiritual Assembly is indirect using an electoral-unit delegation method. The nation is divided into voting districts or units. In each district, the members gather at a unit convention to select one or a few delegates who will represent them at the annual national convention, and who will vote for the members of the National Spiritual Assembly. The members at the local level then elect the individual(s) whom they believe will best represent them at the national convention, and who is the best qualified to vote for National Spiritual Assembly members. No input is provided to the delegate on whom to vote for in the national election. The number of delegates per country is determined by the Universal House of Justice according to the size of the national community; the National Spiritual Assembly determines the geographic area covered by each unit/district.

Global

Every five years from 1963, members of all National Spiritual Assemblies are called to vote at an International Convention at the World Centre in Haifa, Israel for members of the Universal House of Justice. These members act as delegates in a manner similar to National Bahá’í elections. Those who are unable to attend send postal ballots.

Service on multiple institutions

Bahá’ís may, depending on circumstances, serve on multiple institutions. Members of National Spiritual Assemblies have served on Local Spiritual Assemblies, and assistants within the appointed institutions may serve on Local Spiritual Assemblies. However, beyond this there are several practical limitations. National Spiritual Assemblies may ask Local Spiritual Assemblies to excuse those who are members of both bodies from executive positions, to free their time to do the work of that National Spiritual Assemblies. Members of the Auxiliary Boards appointed by the Counsellors who are elected to such an institution are asked to choose to serve either in their elected or appointed capacity, but not both. Members of the Universal House of Justice do not simultaneously serve on other elected bodies, though this may not be a formal policy.

See also

• Administration

References

Bibliography

• Abizadeh, Arash (2005). "Democratic Elections without Campaigns? Normative Foundations of National Baha'i Elections." World Order 37.1: 7-49.

• Bahá’í World News Service (2005/05/18). "Baha'is hold unique democratic elections.".

• Bahá’u’lláh (1992) [1873]. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0853989990.

• Bahá’u’lláh (1994) [1873-92]. Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877431744.

• Britannica (Eds.) (1992). Britannica Book of the Year. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Chicago,.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)

• Effendi, Shoghi (1944). God Passes By. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877430209.

• Effendi, Shoghi (1974). Bahá’í Administration. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877431663.

• Effendi, Shoghi (1976). Principles of Bahá’í Administration (4th ed. ed.). London, UK: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0900125136. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)

• Effendi, Shoghi (1938). The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0877432317.

• MacEoin, Denis (1997). Hinnells, John R. (ed) (ed.). A New Handbook of Living Religions. Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 0-631-18275-6. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help)

• Universal House of Justice (2001). The Institution of the Counsellors. Bahá’í World Centre.

• Universal House of Justice. Research Department (compiler) (1985). Peace. Bahá’í World Centre.

• Universal House of Justice (2001-01-09). Letter to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.