LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (June 6, 2015) -- Holston leaders are preparing members of the Annual Conference for electronic voting as well as the news that Wi-Fi in Stuart Auditorium will be turned off for three days.
Holston Annual Conference begins Sunday, June 7 at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center and continues through June 11, a day longer than in years past. Officials said the extra day and electronic voting were added to the 2015 schedule to allow members sufficient time to vote for delegates to General Conference and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference.
“According to the electronic voting vendor, if the Wi-Fi is used by hundreds of attendees, it will slow down or completely block effective electronic voting,” Holston organizers announced this week. “Therefore, the Wi-Fi in Stuart Auditorium will be turned off on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday until all voting has been completed.”
Owners of smart phones and devices with built-in data services will still be able to use all of the included features which are part of their monthly cellular plan, organizers said.
In addition, “Wi-Fi will still be available in the Harrell Center and the Terrace Hotel.”
Voting members of the Annual Conference will receive their electronic handsets at registration as well as detailed voting instructions. Voting members using online resources are encouraged to download the following prior to the beginning of Annual Conference sessions:
Book of Reports
Lay Delegate Nominees assigned numbers for ballot
Eligible Clergy Delegates assigned numbers for ballot
Worship Book
AC Schedule
The Annual Conference will elect six clergy and six lay members for General Conference, plus six additional clergy and laity for Jurisdictional Conference, and two additional alternates for a total of 14 clergy and 14 lay members.
General Conference, the United Methodist Church’s top legislative body, will meet May 10-20, 2016, in Portland, Ore. Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference will meet July 13-16, 2016, in Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Elected delegates will be announced at AC.Holston.org and also through Facebook and Twitter.
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the 2015 session of the Holston Annual Conference, including 1,971 clergy and laity designated to represent 887 United Methodist churches in east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and north Georgia.