First ever two-stage election happens triumphantly
The featured image shows the delegates who elected the Auckland Spiritual Assembly (except one delegate who was overseas at the time but sent a postal ballot). A photo gallery at the end of the article shows the unit gatherings at which these delegates were elected.
The Auckland Bahá’í community launched into its new two-stage election process this year with heart and soul, seeing the friends turn out with joy and radiance to participate.
The process was called for by the Universal House of Justice in a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly on 25 November 2020. Extensive preparations were then launched for this big step forward in the evolution of the Bahá’í Administrative Order in Aotearoa.
A two-stage Local Spiritual Assembly election is conducted in a similar manner to the two-stage election of the National Assembly. The community is apportioned into geographic units, then the friends in each unit elect a specified number of delegates, who in turn elect the Local Assembly. The designated number of delegates for Auckland was 19. - this number was set by the House of Justice. Only a few communities around the world as yet use this system, where strength in numbers and progress in the Divine Plan make it advantageous.
In conveying its decision about Auckland’s two-stage election, the House of Justice wrote: “It is hoped that this step will greatly enrich the electoral process and enhance the participation of the friends in the election of the Local Spiritual Assembly.”
The nine electoral units held gatherings on Sunday 11 April to elect their delegates - eight units elected 2 delegates each and one unit elected 3 delegates. Overall, 39% of the adult Bahá’í population cast their votes, either at the gatherings or by absentee ballot. This is a significant improvement over the 23% participation in the previous Local Assembly election in Auckland. Votes were counted on the spot and the results announced to the gatherings as well as being transmitted to the Local Assembly. The second stage was held the following Sunday, 18 April, in a truly uplifting spiritual atmosphere, and the results were announced at the annual meeting of the community on the first day of Ridván.
Those elected were: Audrey Aumua, Behzad Eghdamian, Nisyola Fifita, Gray Gibson, Aashish Indorewala, Elahe Khaleghian, Wan Rivers, Funa Tuiletufuga, and Kris Zemke. Tributes have been paid to long-serving outgoing members, Steve Drake, John Misela, Audrey Poliko Whitley, and Phillip Shackell.
Prior to the unit gatherings, an education process was conducted by special assistants to the Auxiliary Board, in response to the wish of the House of Justice that the opportunity be taken for the community to “develop a deep appreciation for those spiritual imperatives that characterise Bahá’í elections”. This aim was further pursued in an orientation gathering of the delegates on 15 April, convened by Auxiliary Board members Dr Siniva Sinclair and Mr Jeffrey Sabour.
The National Spiritual Assembly is delighted that an outstanding outcome was achieved through the unified efforts of the Auckland community as a whole, the Institution of the Counsellors, the Local Spiritual Assembly, those who served as tellers and organisers, National Office staff, and of course the elected delegates who conscientiously undertook their sacred responsibility of voting.
