Proposal 2025-9 – Future Changes to the Ballot Process 

Submitted by: The Ballot Preparation Committee of ACA World Services 

Issue: We propose that any future changes to the Ballot process must be approved by the Delegates at the ABC. By adopting this proposal, the ABC will be directing the WSO to make sure the changes are reflected in any procedural documentation, such as the ACAWSO Operating Policy and Procedures Manual (OPPM). 

Background: The ballot process allows ACA member groups (meetings, Intergroups, and Regions) to bring business items of global importance to the ABC for consideration by the entire fellowship. In its report to the 2024 ABC, the Ballot Prep Committee (BPC) stated as one of its goals that it will “explore recommendations for process changes to the current ballot process.” Currently, decisions about the ballot process are made within the BPC, and resulting changes to the OPPM are implemented by the WSO Board of Trustees. NOTE: The OPPM contains the day to day operating guidelines by which the Board and Annual Business Conference functions. Implementation of this proposal will ensure that decisions about the future of the ballot process will be made only with approval of the ABC, which represents the “actual voice, the effective conscience” for the whole ACA fellowship (Concept 2). This change may slow down the decision-making process. However, it ensures that decisions about how the fellowship brings agenda items to the ABC are made by the ABC itself, representing the informed group conscience of the ACA fellowship. This proposal lays the foundation for future changes, which may be presented by the BPC via a ballot proposal or a committee motion, or by other member groups and service bodies of the ACA fellowship in accordance with ACAWSO procedural documentation. 

Resources/Implementation: Under this proposal, decisions about the future of the ballot process will reflect the informed group conscience of the ACA fellowship. The ballot process remains unaffected for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. The fellowship is encouraged to present ideas for changes to the ballot process as future Ballot Proposals. Suggestions for changes may also come from Town Hall meetings and surveys initiated by any registered group (such as meetings, Intergroups, Regions, or WSO service bodies). The BPC and other committees can also use these forums to gather feedback from the fellowship. The BPC relies on dedicated volunteers to carry out the ballot process as currently designed and amended in the future. ACA members interested in serving are 16 encouraged to participate as trusted servants on behalf of the fellowship. Please refer to https://acawso.org/bpc/ for more information about the current ballot process and how to participate in the Ballot Prep Committee. 

WSO Analysis: Factors to Consider: As written, the proposal suggests that any significant changes to the Ballot process “must be approved” annually at the ABC. The Ballot Prep. Committee wants to clarify that the proposal does not require the Delegates to approve routine adjustments to the timing of deadlines, “town hall-style” discussions, or other procedural details. The proposal is for the delegates to approve process changes to the ballot proposal process. If the fellowship votes to add this proposal to the ABC agenda and it is approved, the BPC Committee will need to develop an implementation plan for process changes with delegate participation.

Reference Links:
Find References linked at the end of the proposal at the ‘clickable links to the Ballot’, at the Ballot Prep Committee webpage at acawso.org/bpc