id: sociocratic-election
title: Sociocratic Election by Consent
description: >-
  A sociocratic method for selecting people to roles through consent rather
  than majority vote. Developed in the Netherlands by Gerard Endenburg from
  earlier Quaker-influenced sociocratic work.
source: Sociocracy for All
source_url: https://www.sociocracyforall.org/
tags: [sociocracy, election, consent, governance]
forked_from: null
image: null
steps:
  - headline: Define the role
    description: >-
      The group defines the function, term, and tasks of the role to be
      filled, written so all share the same understanding.
  - headline: Nominate by discussion
    description: >-
      Members discuss who might fill the role, nominating others and
      themselves, and explaining their reasoning for each suggestion.
  - headline: Candidate consents
    description: >-
      The person proposed is asked whether they can serve; they may accept,
      decline, or ask for changes to the role's scope or support.
  - headline: Test for consent
    description: >-
      The facilitator asks whether anyone has a reasoned objection to the
      candidate serving in the role. Objections are addressed until none
      remain.
  - headline: Confirm
    description: >-
      The election is confirmed by consent; the role definition and any
      agreed changes are recorded.
outcome: >-
  A person is selected to a role with the consent of the group and the
  candidate, and the role itself has been clarified.
practice: >-
  Nominations are not votes — discussion of why someone is suited is the
  point. Allow the candidate to negotiate the role; elections that ignore
  the candidate's consent produce poor results.