Regional Ombudsman Vote

The proposed amendment would allow Regional Ombudsmen to vote for National Ombudsman. The textual changes are published in the Bulletin.

The Pro Statement says that the "Regional Ombudspersons may be selected from among the Local Group Ombudspersons". The operative word here is may, not that this is required. There is no requirement that Regional Ombudspersons have ever served as the Ombudsperson of their local group. For example, in 2021, RVC 8 Tracey Guice announced the appointment of two people as Regional Ombudspersons, Susan Beecher and Jacquelynn Gunby. The former was a Local Group Ombudsman, the second was not.

Whether a Regional Ombudsperson who has never served as a Local Group Ombudsperson are, in the words of the Pro Statement, "some of the most qualified candidates" is unclear. The current method of appointing Regional Ombudspersons by the RVC means that one person is arbiter of the persons qualifications. While local groups may have different ways of selecting a Local Group Ombudsman, the evaluation of that person's qualifications is not in the hands of one person. A Regional Ombudsman appointed by an RVC, perhaps based on loyalty to the RVC, cannot be an independent mediator.