Here are the Results of the Ballot
The results of the Ballot are now in. You were asked if your group would like to make specific changes to the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, based on official permission from Alcoholics Anonymous in 2023. The questions on the Ballot asked if you were for or against the following:
Question 1:
With permission from A.A., the Conference proposes to revise the D.A. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions by replacing the words ‘he’ and ‘him’ with the word ‘God’.
and to rephrase Tradition Two as follows: ‘For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as God may be expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.’
Question 2:
The WSC Literature Committee moves that the Conference update Tradition 11 to strike out the word ‘and’ between ‘radio and films’ and to add at the end ‘television and all other public media’.
The Tradition would therefore read:
‘Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion: we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television and all other public media.’
The total number of registered groups eligible to vote was 548.
In order for either motion to pass, the required number of groups voting “yes” was 411, being 75% of all the registered groups. (Conference Charter – Number 3 on page 83 of the 2023 DAMS).
The results are as follows:
Question 1
For: 400 (72.99% of groups)
Against: 47 ( 8.58% of groups)
Non-voting 101 (18.43% of groups)
The motion therefore fails.
Question 2
For: 424 (77.37% of groups)
Against: 22 (4.01% of groups)
Non voting 102 (18.62% of groups)
The motion therefore passes.
Our custom at the World Service Conference of D.A. is not to celebrate a vote unless it is passed unanimously, since some members may be unhappy with the result. This is a custom you may want to consider using in your group. Differences of opinion in D.A. should never be a cause of harm.
Thank you for your service.