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Baha'i
Every year, Baha’is the world over gather in their local communities on the first day of Ridvan to elect the nine members of their Local Spiritual Assembly. Every adult Baha’i at the age of 21 is eligible to be voted for, and they have the responsibility to participate and vote for these nine members of the community who will volunteer their time to run the administrative affairs and assist in the spiritual well-being of their respective local communities for the year ahead.
When one thinks of elections, perhaps for many of us what immediately comes to mind are political parties and candidates, expensive campaigns, televised debates, the digging up of dirt on the opposing party, and copious amounts of campaign flyers and confetti.
This is not the case however with Baha’i elections. There are no political parties or independent candidates. Rather than debates, there is community consultation. Rather than smear campaigns, there is encouragement and accompaniment. Rather than campaign flyers and confetti, there are prayers and personal meditation.
Participation in the elections is a sacred duty, and being elected onto a Local Assembly is considered a position of service rather than a position power. For instance those who are elected onto an Assembly do not posses a higher ‘rank’ or authority over any other members of their community, but are really members who make up an administrative body which does have the authority to both guide the community, and serve its needs.
Besides the fact that the individual’s vote is to be kept strictly confidential, one of the interesting features of the election process is the fact that no reference of any nature should be made to individual names, as this is not allowed.
Shoghi Effendi offers clear guidance on this point:
When one thinks of elections, perhaps for many of us what immediately comes to mind are political parties and candidates, expensive campaigns, televised debates, the digging up of dirt on the opposing party, and copious amounts of campaign flyers and confetti.
This is not the case however with Baha’i elections. There are no political parties or independent candidates. Rather than debates, there is community consultation. Rather than smear campaigns, there is encouragement and accompaniment. Rather than campaign flyers and confetti, there are prayers and personal meditation.
Participation in the elections is a sacred duty, and being elected onto a Local Assembly is considered a position of service rather than a position power. For instance those who are elected onto an Assembly do not posses a higher ‘rank’ or authority over any other members of their community, but are really members who make up an administrative body which does have the authority to both guide the community, and serve its needs.
Besides the fact that the individual’s vote is to be kept strictly confidential, one of the interesting features of the election process is the fact that no reference of any nature should be made to individual names, as this is not allowed.
Shoghi Effendi offers clear guidance on this point: