Download Election Forms here.

Elections may be held at a unit meeting or Summer Camp. Boy Scouts who are elected are called Ordeal Candidates. To become a member of the Order of the Arrow, an Ordeal candidate must complete an Ordeal within 12 months of the date of his election, or the election is invalid. There are only 2 Ordeals in LHAC each year, one at Spring Fellowship the middle weekend of May, and one at Fall Fellowship, the last weekend in August.

- The troop must have at least 50% of registered active youth members present to hold an election (Unit leader certifies this)
- The unit leader certifies which of the troop's youth members are eligible (Pre-printed ballots are ESSENTIAL, as are lots of pencils).
- Youth members must meet the following requirements to be eligible:
- Be under the age of 21 years
- Be an active registered member of a Boy Scout Troop

- Be at least a First Class Scout
- Have experienced at least 15 days and 15 nights of Boy Scout camping during the 2 years prior to the election. This must include one, but no more than one long term campout which was at least 6 consecutive days and 5 nights 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.
- To be elected to the Order of the Arrow a candidate must receive at least 50% of the votes cast.
- Only registered troop youth members under the age of 21 may vote in the unit election. Any such qualified youth may cast a ballot, including those whose names appear on the ballot.
- Each voter may vote for any number of eligible candidates listed on the ballots (if there are 4 names on the ballot, a voter may vote for none, one, two, three, or all 4 of the candidates).
- A voter may turn in a blank ballot (indicating a no vote for all eligible candidates).
- Each voter may cast only one ballot.
- The vote should not be based on the candidate's popularity but on his potential as a leader, guide, and honor camper.
- The unit election should be by secret ballot (ballots are marked, folded, and dropped into a ballot box).

- One adult from the troop may be nominated by the troop committee if that adult, man or woman, meets all the above requirements except First Class rank AND the troop has elected at least one youth to the OA this same year.

Troop elections may be handled by the Troop's Order of the Arrow Representative. Names of candidates must be submitted to LHAC using the OA Election Forms. Scoutmasters, please be sure the forms contain ALL the requested information. If you have any doubts about its importance, please read the last sentence a few more times. Chippewa District holds an OA Call Out during the Saturday Campfire at the Spring Camporee normally held on the first weekend of May. Candidates will be called-out during that ceremony if the troop's election form is received at LHAC not later than April 20. (The call-out ceremony is a formal way of announcing to the world that one has been elected to the Order. It is not necessary that a candidate be called-out, but it is a very memorable occasion that often leaves a lasting impression on the candidate and fellow Scouts.) Forms are available from LHAC, 662-4464. Forms AND assistance are available from Chippewa Chapter,
689-6345 or jimurph@chartermi.net.