North Georgia Conference clergy will elect 11 clergy to the 2016 General Conference and an additional 11 clergy to 2016 to Jurisdictional Conference, plus 5 reserve delegates. Those eligible to be elected and serve as delegates to General and Jurisditional Conference, as well as those eligible to vote for delegates is explained below:
ELIGIBLE FOR ELECTION AS CLERGY DELEGATES:
Deacons and elders:
In full connection, active or retired: those elected to full connection during or before the 2015 Clergy Session are eligible to vote and serve as delegates, even if they have not yet been ordained
Leave categories eligible for election:
Sabbatical Leave (¶352), Voluntary Leave of Absence (Personal, Family, Transitional) (¶354), Maternity or Paternity Leave (¶356), Medical Leave (¶357)
Deacons or elders in full connection (active or retired)
Leave Categories eligible to vote: Voluntary Leaves of Absence (personal, family, transitional) (¶354), Sabbatical Leave (¶352), Maternity or Paternity Leave (¶356), Medical Leave (¶357)
Provisional members who have completed all their educational requirements and have been elected to provisional membership
N.B. With the new wording of ¶35, deacons and elders who have been elected to provisional membership, but not yet commissioned, are eligible to vote. (Note: “As a practical matter, an annual conference may delay its first ballot for selecting clergy delegates until after answering the question “Who have ‘completed all of their educational requirements’ for provisional membership?” - Judicial Council Decision No. 1181.)
Associate members (active or retired)
Local Pastors who have completed Course of Study or a M.Div. degree and have served a minimum of two consecutive years under appointment immediately preceding election. (Note: In annual conferences, it is the bishop’s responsibility to make rulings of law as they apply to the Book of Discipline.? Judicial Council Decision No. 1181 states that “the person has ‘served’ an appointment fixed by the bishop for two consecutive conference years as that term is commonly applied.”)
NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE FOR CLERGY DELEGATES:
Leave categories not eligible to vote: Clergy on Honorable Location (¶359), Clergy on Administrative Location (¶363), Clergy on Involuntary Leave of Absence (¶355.7)
Local Pastors who do not meet the criteria listed above
Source: General Board of Higher Eduction and Ministry "General Conference 2016 Delegates and Electors". Document found on page 215 of the 2015 North Georgia Annual Conference Handbook.