Current rules: all scouts eligible may be elected. To be elected your name must appear on more than half the ballots cast. Each voter may vote for all, some or none of the candidates. He can also decline to turn in a ballot which doesn't count against anyone.

Until about '97, scouts could only vote for up to half the slate: 5 or 6 eligible meant no more than three elected. If you had six voters, two eligible and it was a 3-3 tie, I think they went to another round of ballots before decarling no one was elected.

Adult rules just changed this year: Scoutmaster may be nominated if he has a year in the position and the camping time. Otherwise: one adult for every three scouts elected (or fraction) may be nominated.

Used to be one adult nomination for every 50 scouts in the unit. Troops with 51 or more could send 2 adults, etc.

Bigbovine,

I'm sure others will respond but I'll start. Election procedures for youth OA members have changed over the years. Current rules have been in affect for quite a few years. Once the Scoutmaster creates a list of qualified candidates for the Troop's OA Election (including he Scoutmaster's Approval), he invites an OA Chapter Election Team to execute an election. They will explain the election rules to your Scouts. Yes, you can vote for more than one.

As far as adults being selected (not voted), usually the Troop Committee decides this, after applying the adult qualifications. I believe the Scoutmaster and the assistants can participate as well. You can have one OA election per year, and can only select an adult candidate, if your Troop has a youth election (and actually elect a youth member). You can actually select more than one adult per year, if you have a larger Troop membership (maybe after 50 Scouts or so). I'm sure others will expand on this.

Good Luck,
sst3rd

The adult election rule I read recently...which was reiterated by our OA election rep...was that a troop may appoint 1 adult for every three scouts elected. The SM, if not a member, may also be appointed BUT if he is already a member (or declines the offer) then you cannot send someone in their place.

So for the example above, if you elected 2 youth then you can send one adult; two adults if the SM is not a member.

As for who decides, I think this varies from troop to troop and I have not seen any directive from the OA. As long as the Scouters meet the same criteria as the youth then they are eligible. In our troop the Scouters each cast a secret ballot for the available slots (in our case we could send three). So of the 15 ASMs there were 5 eligible and three could be elected.

BTW, we do our own tap out. The boys really like it and it allows us to do a better job than in a large District or Council event.

@Bigbovine: Here are the links that talk about the OA requirements. I am not a member and have decided to go this year. Our OA ranks were dwindling and I wanted to make sure as SM I was promoting OA. NOTE: My own Council has noted the "new" adult election guidelines and posted a note from the National OA, HOWEVER, if you look at the National OA site you will find references to more than one process for "electing" adult members. Go figure, BSA being vague.

OA Site: http://www.oa-bsa.org/misc/basics/
Another thread on OA: http://www.scouter.com/forum/order-o...-not-happening

Write something here

Something! ha ha, seen this in another.

Bye the way thanks, you guys answered my question. I do not know why my misunderstanding of the election. In fact, I was given this information by what I thought was a reputable source. Once again, thanks!

I'm finally catching on. I was wondering why I saw all of the "Write something here" posts. Now I know.

The notion that only half could be elected under the old system was/is a very common misconception. One simply needs to read the form and do the math to figure it out (this includes the OP).
People will make up rules regarding adult selections, too. Whatever they come up with won't be spelled out on the form, so don't believe it. There are as many ways to do it as there are ideas.
The most important thing to do regarding elections is to get your teams trained, and to get your troop leaders to trust them and let them do their job. It takes both to make it successful.
BDPT00

Very true. I was told by at least several SMs (same district, same council) in other troops adult selection "had to be done" a certain way. Guess what? There were as many "ways" as there were SMs. I finally asked out Council office. Their reply: "As long as the number of adults nominated adheres to the candidacy criteria (15 nights, long term camp, etc) and does not go over the number alloted by the latest formula, we can use whatever method we want (SM appointment, Committee appointment, vote, secret ballot, etc.)."

Always helpful to have the Council office so close and available to answer questions. We did a secret ballot among the SMs to elect our candidates. We (I) will keep them secret, as we will the youth candidates, and tap all of them our together at our troop-based tap out. This works for us and is in line with OA guidelines...so it works all around.

If I could only get the adult leaders in my district who went through ordeal as youth to pay their lodge dues, there would be no need to elect / nominate adults. Of course then they would need to be faithful active arrowmen. The last time I thought I should nominate an adult, I found out he was a member.

This is something needs needs looked at again. OA selection is no longer nuch of an honor, and many of those elected are not "good scout/camper role models" the program was deisgned to promote. Additionaly, manhy elected are not old enough, or mature enough to be of much use to the order. BSA has destroyed this core program, and I can't fathom why.

This is something needs needs looked at again. OA selection is no longer much of an honor, and many of those elected are not the "good scout/camper role models" the program was deisgned to promote. Additionaly, many elected are not old enough, or mature enough to be of much use to the order. BSA has destroyed this core program, and I can't fathom why.

Well, this is the whole problem with BSA now. More Eagles. More Arrowmen. More leaders. More MBs. Less quality. It's almost as bad as a youth sports team where everyone gets a trophy. It has all become so watered down and boys have so many other activities that the real purpose of Scouting is lost in the noise.

I do disagree about only inducting adults who were Arrowmen as youth. There are many fine Scouters who never were Scouts and can be, or are, excellent Arrowmen. But I would be in favor of having them re-do Ordeal if they lapse in dues or participation.

But you are right, OA is a shadow of its former self. Certainly no longer an honor society of elite campers. Just another popularity contest.

Not by popularity here. I'm interested in the idea of redoing the ordeal. I think that participation as an arrow man would be more appropriate. You are right if adults maintained their ties to the order then there would be adequate supervision. Fortunately for those adults who were not youth arrowmen there will be plenty of need for them as far as we can see into the future. Our Chapter Adviser is one ov those who was nominated as an adult. You won't find a finer Arrowman.