How to run a virtual election for your troop’s youth leaders

Senior Patrol Leaders don’t stop leading just because the pandemic has forced troops to hold meetings online. Ditto the way we elect those Senior Patrol Leaders.

Unit elections can — and should! — continue virtually until it’s safe to resume in-person meetings.

In a unit election, Scouts or Venturers choose who will lead their Scouts BSA troop, Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship for the next six to 12 months. Patrols hold Patrol Leader elections, too.

As it turns out, it’s both easy and appropriate to move the voting process online. The catch is that these votes typically are secret, meaning asking Scouts to raise their hands while on a Zoom call might not be appropriate.

Once you’ve figured out the technology side, the rest is business as usual. You can follow the guidance in the Scouts BSA Senior Patrol Leader Handbook and Patrol Leader Handbook.

Here’s a comprehensive guide.