Unit Elections - Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What is the camping requirement for membership?
A: As Scouting’s national honor society of campers, the Order of the Arrow requires that each youth and adult candidate have fulfilled the following in order to be eligible for election:
After registration with a troop or team, have experienced fifteen days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election. The fifteen days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long- term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.

Q: How many youth must be present to hold an election?
A: At least half of the registered active youth in a unit must be present before a unit election can be held.

Q: Can the unit leader prevent a youth candidates name from being placed on the ballot?
A: Yes. To become eligible for election and have their name placed on the ballot, each youth member must have the approval of the unit leader. The unit leader must certify prior to the election a candidate’s Scout spirit (i.e., his adherence to the Scout Oath and Law and active participation in unit activities). The unit leader must also certify that the nominee meets all specified requirements at the time of the annual election.

Q: Can a unit leader remove a candidates name after the election?
A: No. The unit leader should remove a candidate from consideration for election to the Order of the Arrow prior to the election being held. This is why the unit leader certifies, prior to the election, that the candidates have Scout spirit and that the nominee meets all specified requirements at the time of the annual election. Unit leaders should not take a “wait and see” approach where candidates that do not have their approval (or may be questionable) are placed on the ballot to wait and see whether their peers elect them.

Q: Can OA members from the unit where the election is being held conduct the election?
A: We encourages the use of election team members from other units. This can prevent possible conflicts of interest during the vote count as well as demonstrate that the OA extends beyond the Troop or Team. OA members from the unit the election is being held in may conduct the election if no other arrangements can be made.

Q: Can a unit use pre-printed ballots?
A: Yes. However, care must be taken to ensure that all candidates’ names appear on the ballot. Excluding a candidate’s name and having it “written in” during the election should be discouraged since this may prevent a fair opportunity for this candidate to be elected. If it is discovered that an eligible candidate’s name is missing from a pre-printed ballot, blank ballots should be used instead.

Q: Can “All of the above” or “None of the above” be included as choices on a ballot?
A: Yes. The only requirement that is in national OA policy along these lines is that “a voter may list on his ballot any combination of names, including all eligible candidates who he believes are worthy to become members of the Order of the Arrow”. “None of the above” votes should be treated as blank ballots for the purposes of counting. Ballots should not be presented that ask the voters to select candidates which they do not want to elect.

Q: Can Unit Elections be held in Venture Crews?
A: No. Unit Elections can be held only in Boy Scout Troops and Varsity Teams under current national OA policy. However, members of Venture Crews can be elected to the Order of the Arrow through a Troop or Team in which they are registered. The same youth and adult membership requirements apply.

Q: Are the young ladies in the Venture Crew eligible for election into the OA?
A: Current OA National Policy is that to be eligible as a youth (all members under age 21), a candidate must be registered in the Boy Scouts, hold at least the rank of first class, and fulfill the camping requirements. This means that female youth Crew members (under age 21) are ineligible. They may be elected once they are an adult (21 or older) through the adult nomination process.

Q: How many adults can a Unit recommend to the lodge adult selection committee?
A: The unit committee may recommend one adult to the lodge adult selection committee each year upon holding an election that results in at least one youth candidate being elected. Adult leaders are defined as registered members of the Boy Scouts of America who are 21 years of age or older. Troops or teams having more than 50 registered, active youth members may nominate an additional adult for every 50 registered, active youth, or fraction thereof. For example, a troop having 51 to 100 registered, active youth may nominate two adults each year if at least one youth has been elected.

Q: Can adult leaders be recommended at the district or council level?
A: Yes. The lodge adviser, district chairman, council president, or members of the professional staff may recommend adults to the lodge adult selection committee. All requirements for adult leaders in units must be fulfilled, with the exception of the camping requirements, which may be waived at the discretion of the lodge adviser and Scout executive.