2024 Mail Vote FAQ

• What chapters are eligible to vote?

  • Alumni Chapters must be franchised 30 days prior to the start of the vote to be eligible.
  • Collegiate Chapters must be chartered/re-activated by the start of the vote to be eligible.
  • Determination of a chapter's good standing will be as of the close of the vote. For the purposes of good standing, "Past Due" will be defined as 30-day debt. 

• Why do we have a mail vote?

  At the 2023 Grand Chapter, the delegates passed a resolution for the Board of Directors/Grand President to bring legislation for delegates to vote on prior to fall 2024 that supports a Board of Directors (responsible for strategic advancement) separate from a management team (responsible for day-to-day activities).

• How does a chapter vote and who submits the vote?

  Every chapter should consider the proposed bylaws amendments during a regular or special meeting of the chapter at which quorum is present prior to the November 15 vote deadline. A majority vote of those present at such meeting shall be required to approve or reject each proposal. Authority to consider the vote on proposed changes shall not be delegated to any officer or group of officers of the chapter. The chapter president will then submit the chapter’s votes via the available Hub form. 

• Who can see how each chapter voted?

  Submitted forms will not be visible to any volunteers or chapter officer. A Hub Report will show the voted/not-voted status of all chapters, but not how a chapter voted. 

• Can I change my chapter’s vote once it has been submitted?

  Hitting submit will be considered equivalent to dropping a letter in the mailbox. No changes to votes, “un-submitting”, etc. will be allowed unless triggered by the Central Office staff in an unlikely case of verifiable technical error. 

• What is the final deadline to submit a vote?

  The Mail Vote must be submitted before 5:00 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, November 16. 

• Is the result of the mail vote binding?

  Yes, the results of the mail vote are binding, just like a vote at a Grand Chapter Congress would be.  Fraternity Bylaws outline different processes to amend the bylaws.  The most commonly used process is a vote at Grand Chapter Congress, but there are two other methods outlined.  One option is for the Board of Directors to temporarily amend the Bylaws through use of Emergency Powers.  The other is for the Grand Chapter to make permanent amendments through use of a mail vote.  See Bylaws ARTICLE XIX for more information.

• Has there ever been a mail vote before?

  Yes. While this will be the Fraternity’s first ever electronic mail vote of the Grand Chapter, mail votes have been used to amend bylaws numerous other times, most recently in 1999.

• Are mail votes a violation of Fraternity bylaws and policies?

  National Bylaws Article XIX. (Amendments to the Bylaws) Section 6. (Mail Voting) allow proposed changes to the Fraternity Bylaws. The Fraternity Board of Directors also carefully reviewed and discussed additional considerations before approving the proposals to be sent out via a mail vote. 

• Is there a minimum vote count in order for the vote to be valid?

  Bylaws state (Article XIX Section 1) that they can be amended “by a two thirds (2/3) vote by mail of all chapters in good standing and voting”, so as long as the other bylaws related to a mail vote are met, there is no minimum response rate.  However, each proposed amendment requires at least 2/3 of those who vote to vote affirmatively in order for the proposal to pass.

• What is the exact text of the resolution from 2023 Grand Chapter Congress?

  The Board of Directors/Grand President shall bring legislation for delegates to vote on prior to fall 2024 that supports a Board of Directors (responsible for strategic advancement) separate from a management team (responsible for day-to-day activities).