An innovative, thoughtful way to hold a congregational vote

I was talking today with a pastor whose church is facing a time-sensitive congregational vote around a big issue. She had thought through the most obvious options - voting virtually or by mail - but neither seemed like a fit for either her people or the subject of the vote. Working with her judicatory leader and church council, then, she developed a way for her members to vote in person. Here is what she came up with:

• Dividing the church directory into much smaller segments (10-12 voting members)

• Assigning each segment a day and a two-hour window to come to the (heavily-sanitized before and after) church to cast their ballots

• Asking people to wear masks and having extras available for those who don’t have access or who forget

• Marking socially-distanced spots on the floor in case multiple people arrive at the same time to vote (and offering reminders as needed to avoid physical contact)

• Having voters pick up their own ballots and deposit completed ones directly into a box

• Making mail-in ballots available on request, with a postmark deadline

Note that it is essential in situations like these to consult your by-laws about voting parameters, to run your plans by your judicatory leader to test for validity and proper safety precautions, and to consider all the risks involved and mitigations required. But an in-person vote might be an option - in smaller congregations, at least - for calling a pastor, deciding whether to sell property, or other big congregational issues.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash.