Baha’is throughout Australia have chosen the members of their Regional Baha’i Councils using the unique electoral system employed by the faith throughout the world.
Members of some 200 local administrative institutions throughout Australia cast secret ballots for the Councils in elections that involved no nominations or campaigning. The results were announced yesterday.
The Baha’i Faith has no clergy but administers its affairs through elected councils at the local, state, national and international levels.
In Australia there is a Regional Baha’i Council for each state. The Councils are elected by members of the local administrative bodies known as Local Spiritual Assemblies. All adult Baha’is are eligible to be elected.
“The Councils have nine members except in the less densely populated Northern Territory, which has five,” said a spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i Community, Natalie Mobini.
“The policies governing the elections are founded in the Baha’i teachings and are aimed at allowing electors to make their minds up without being influenced by outside pressures,” Dr Mobini said.
“Instead, voters are guided by the Faith’s teachings, which advise them to choose individuals who can best combine the qualities of unquestioned loyalty, selfless devotion, a well-trained mind, recognised ability and mature experience,” she said.
“They are also asked to give due consideration to such other factors as age distribution, diversity and gender balance.”