"lighten and uplift
them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses"
-Baha'u'llah
The
local Assembly
At its foundation, the Bahá'í administrative order
rests on the local Spiritual Assembly, a community governing
council elected each year in every community where there are
nine or more adult Bahá'ís. It is worth describing in some
detail the operation of the local Spiritual Assembly, as many
of its features are reflected at the national and
international levels.
Typically, the reach of the local Spiritual Assembly is
defined by the municipal boundaries established by the
government. In other words, all Bahá'ís who live within the
boundaries of a particular village, town, city, parish, or
governing district are considered to be within the
jurisdiction of the local Spiritual Assembly of that locality.
A Bahá'í election
in Thailand.
The
local Spiritual Assembly is elected each year by secret
ballot. In April, all adult Bahá'ís in the given
community gather for an election. Those who cannot
personally attend are encouraged to submit absentee
ballots. After a period of prayer and meditation, each
adult then writes down nine names: the names of those
nine individuals that he or she feels are best qualified
to administer the affairs of the community.
The qualities
such individuals should possess are spelled out quite
clearly in the Bahá'í writings. Those participating in the
election should consider "the names of only those who
can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned
loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of
recognized ability and mature experience."
Perhaps the most surprising aspect to this process is the
absence of a prepared ballot or of any system of
nominations. Instead, every adult Bahá'í in the community
is eligible for election to the local Spiritual Assembly.
Those elected to the Assembly need not receive a majority of
votes; rather, the nine individuals who receive the highest
number of votes are selected. Since everyone in the
community is, in essence, up for election, individual voters
have the opportunity to vote according to their conscience
with an absolute freedom of choice. Accordingly, individuals
with a recognized maturity, experience and humility tend to
be elected--instead of simply those who might be bold or
egotistical enough to run for office.
Although
this system defies political convention, it is
surprisingly effective in practice. The whole emphasis
of the Bahá'í electoral system is to bring forth
leaders who possess qualities of selflessness,
intellectual capacity and wisdom.
Left: A local Spiritual
Assembly meets in the Philippines.
At the present time, local Spiritual Assemblies oversee a wide
variety of activities--activities that comprise the essence of
Bahá'í community life. These activities include the
education of children, devotional services, study classes,
discussions, social events, the observance of holy days,
marriages, divorces, and funeral services. Many local
Spiritual Assemblies around the world also oversee ongoing
small-scale educational, economic or environmental development
projects.
Local Spiritual Assemblies also supervise the Nineteen Day
Feast, which as noted earlier, is the cornerstone of community
activity. [for more info, click here]
And, although the Assembly is ultimately the final source for
authoritative decision-making in the community, the
institution of the Feast provides an important component of
grassroots governance. > MORE
