Chapter
elections: required
elected positions expected to be filled
According to Section VII of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Constitution
for Chapters, a chapter is required to have five elected positions:
president, vice president, records director, financial director and congregational
service team director. These positions are required so that chapters can operate
effectively and carry out their mission.
Because terms are for one calendar year, it is expected that candidates will
be on the chapter leader ballot for these five required chapter leadership
board positions at election time each fall, and that these five positions
will remain fully staffed throughout the year as required by the Chapter Constitution.
All chapter leadership board terms expire as of Dec. 31 of the current year,
which means the positions become vacant on Thrivent Financial's records. Elected
chapter leaders do not automatically carry over to the next year. Therefore,
it's important that the chapter reports
the chapter leadership election results soon after the election and no
later than Dec. 31 of the current year.
If the five required elected positions are not filled
If the five required elected chapter leaders are not entered into Thrivent
Financial's system by the time of the early-January operating
funds deposit, the chapter will not receive these funds. The chapter may
be eligible for the July operating funds deposit if the five required positions
are filled and the prior year's financial report is received at the
Operations Center. Otherwise, the chapter will not receive operating funds.
The chapter may become eligible for the January deposit the following year
if the five required elected positions are filled.
If a chapter is not eligible at the time operating funds deposits are calculated,
it cannot receive prorated funding after it does become eligible. It must
wait until the next operating funds deposit. Operating funds are deposited
in January and July of each year.
In addition, a chapter
leadership board will not receive notification of the Care Abounds in Communities® funds
available for its chapter or other chapter materials until all five required
elected chapter leaders are reported
on Thrivent Financial's system.
What if a vacancy occurs?
For various reasons, a required chapter leader position (after being filled
via the annual chapter leader election) can become vacant at any point in
the year (person moves, dies, cannot fulfill duty, etc.). Section VII (1)
(g) of the Chapter Constitution
states that the remaining elected leadership board then can appoint someone
to fill out the term. This appointed leader has the same chapter leadership
board voting rights as those elected.
If any of the five required elected chapter leadership positions is not filled
after the election, the chapter should:
- Still enter the remaining elected new leadership information as soon as
possible after the election.
- Begin actively recruiting someone to appoint for the vacant position(s)
to make sure all five of the required elected leadership positions are filled.
If any of the five required positions is not filled within three months
of being vacant, section VII (1) (g) of the Chapter Constitution includes
a business continuity clause allowing the senior fraternal officer of Thrivent
Financial or his/her delegate to appoint someone to the position. The three-month
delay is used as a reasonable time frame for the chapter leadership board
to fill the open position (vacancy), but gives Thrivent Financial the option
to appoint chapter leaders if necessary.
Appointees to fill the five required elected positions have the same chapter
leadership board voting rights as those elected.
Additional topics:
Chapter Constitution
Elections - purpose
of chapter leader elections
No annual
chapter leadership elections held
Nominating
committee & recruiting guidelines
Outgoing
chapter leadership transition
Recruiting tips
Reporting
annual chapter leader election results
Requirements
- annual election
Role of chapter
leadership board in annual elections
Vacancies - filling
an elected chaper leadership vacancy
Vacancies - reporting
an elected chapter leadership vacancy
Voting rights
- appointments to vacant elected chapter leadership positions
This is proprietary information that is solely for
use by employees, volunteers, and agents of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
in connection with fraternal activities of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.