Delegate Information for General Assembly
Only certified member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) may send voting delegates to General Assembly (GA).
All certified congregations have one member delegate for every 50 members (or fraction thereof), with a minimum of two delegates.
| Membership of Member Congregation | Member Delegates |
|---|---|
| 1-100 | 2 |
| 101-150 | 3 |
| 151-200 | 4 |
| 201-250 | 5 |
| 251-300 | 6 |
| 301-350 | 7 |
| 351-400 | 8 |
| 401-450 | 9 |
| 451-500 | 10 |
| over 500 | One for each additional 50 members or fraction thereof. |
Additional delegates include ministers in preliminary or final fellowship with the Association and employed by certified congregations (including extension and interim ministers); emeritus/a ministers; and community ministers who maintain active involvement and affiliation with the congregation, as well as directors of religious education having achieved Credentialed Religious Education – Master Level status and employed in the congregation. Ministers and DREs’ eligibility to be delegates to General Assembly is determined by the UUA’s Ministries and Faith Development (MFD) Staff Group. These credentials are for specific individuals and are not transferable. Refer to UUA Bylaw Section 4.8 and Rule 4.9.2.
Congregations may also designate members of the congregation to serve as alternate member delegates to take the place of member delegates at GA, if needed. Alternate member delegate credential cards are sent to congregations together with the other delegate credential cards. A congregation may have as many alternate member delegates as it has member delegates but is not required to designate any alternate member delegates.
All delegates must be voting members of the congregation.
Delegate credentials are mailed to certified congregations in late February. Credentials are mailed in bright pink 9x12" envelopes. If your certified congregation does not receive its credentials by mid-March, contact the General Assembly Office at generalassembly@uua.org or (617) 948-4209.
Every congregation decides how to select member delegates and whether or not it will instruct delegates how to vote. The relationship between a congregation and its delegates (including whether or how delegate expenses, such as GA registration fees, are paid by the congregation) is determined by the congregation, not the UUA.
Absentee voting is provided for in UUA elections. There is no proxy voting on business items (Plenary Agenda) during GA. However, in 2011, delegates amended the bylaws to allow off-site delegates to vote in GA business. In 2010 and 2011, test groups of delegates participated in GA from off-site but were not authorized to vote.
All delegates must register for GA in order to participate and vote on business items. Off-site delegates follow a separate registration process.
The UUA does not need to know the names of the on-site delegates your congregation selects before they arrive at GA. Registration for GA is the same process for on-site delegates as it is for non-delegates. All on-site delegates must register and pick up their GA name badges before reporting to the delegate credentialing station at GA. Delegates must present their GA name badge together with a signed credential card at the delegate credentialing station in order to be issued a delegate ribbon and card to vote on GA business in plenary.
For more information contact generalassembly@uua.org.
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Last updated on Thursday, January 5, 2012.
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