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Delegates cast ballots to elect nine-member National Spiritual Assembly
Members of the National Spiritual Assembly (L-R): Alex Arjomand, Mehran Anvari, Gerald Filson, Karen McKye, Hoda Farahmandpour, Judy Filson, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Ciprian Jauca, and Jordan Bighorn

Delegates cast ballots to elect nine-member National Spiritual Assembly

The annual Bahá’í National Convention was held at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre from May 19 – May 22, 2023. This year’s Convention followed the Bahá’í International Convention, April 29 – May 2, which takes place every five years.

The National Convention brings together 171 elected delegates from across the country to consult on community affairs and make recommendations to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada, the national governing council of the Bahá’í community.

One of the primary functions of the Convention is to allow the gathered delegates to vote for the nine members who will serve on the National Assembly for the coming year.

The Bahá’í election process gives each delegate unfettered freedom to vote confidentially for those of his or her own choosing among all the adults of the national community. It is a democratic process that is sacred and dignified, free from nomination or campaigning. 

The following individuals were elected to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Mehran Anvari, Alex Arjomand, Jordan Bighorn, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, and Karen McKye.