Voting Delegate Resource Area

Alpha Phi Omega holds a biennial National Convention every two years from December 27-30. The location of the Convention typically rotates between the east, south-central, west, and north-central areas of the United States. The Convention consists of a Legislative Session, educational workshops, seminars and fellowship events. All members of the Fraternity may attend the Convention; however, only two delegates from each chapter (along with members of the Board of Directors, Past National Presidents, Former Life Members of the Board, National Program Chairs, Regional Chairs and a regional alumni voting delegate) may register to vote in the legislative proceedings. Note that when the term “delegate” is used alone in this handbook, it refers only to these voting delegates.

The 2025 National Convention will be…

A historic gathering to help write the next chapter of Alpha Phi Omega’s legacy; a multi-day experience complete with engaging learning sessions led by the Fraternity’s best and brightest facilitators; networking and fellowship opportunities with brothers beyond your chapter; and opportunities to honor and celebrate the hard work and dedication of our chapters and members; all in addition to conducting the important business of the Legislative Session. Any member of the Fraternity can attend the National Convention. The highlight of this Convention is celebrating ONE HUNDRED YEARS of Leadership, Friendship and Service through APO.

Filled with Fellowship & Awards Programs

With countless brothers all in one place, the National Convention is probably the most intense example of brotherhood you will ever experience. While groups of members engage with each other in fellowship throughout the entire event, there are social aspects built-in to help foster and grow new relationships among members. The kickoff celebration and celebration banquet are both great examples of when members come together in fellowship. This year, the kickoff celebration will take place on December 27th. Just a few days later, on December 30th, outstanding chapters and individuals will be recognized during the celebration banquet. In between both happenings is when the business of the Fraternity is handled through the Legislative Session.

And Education & Service Projects

The National Convention educational programs are unlike any other conference education you’ve attended. The training and learning labs offered are interactive and engaging, led by the Fraternity’s best facilitators and coaches. Learning labs will be segmented into categories for personal development, chapter best practices and member education. This schedule will allow attendees to participate in all areas without having to pick and choose

Additionally, there are many opportunities for service to the Fraternity at the Convention as both an individual and as a chapter. Chapters can provide service by participating in large-scale service events or by signing up to serve in a specific role, as needed at the Convention.  Non-voting delegates can provide service to the legislative process by volunteering to work shifts in floor services and as sergeants-at-arms. Members interested in serving the Convention, either themselves or with members of their chapter, can inquire about volunteer opportunities by contacting [email protected].

Be sure to read all registration literature carefully for details of this and other policies which govern the National Convention.

The National Convention is the Fraternity’s largest celebration of Leadership, Friendship and Service, and we want to see every brother of Alpha Phi Omega represent the community that holds this Fraternity together and work to improve their personal leadership skills and expand their chapter operations knowledge.

There are two types of delegates at the National Convention: voting delegates and non-voting delegates. Voting delegates represent their chapters during the Legislative Session, and non-voting delegates support the voting delegates. No matter the type of delegate, there are educational and networking events throughout the Convention to help you grow as a brother and improve your chapter.

“What amazed me was that even with hundreds of thousands of members and over 365 chapters, the future of the organization lies in the hands of the active members. Over the course of the Convention, students from across the country are able to come together and vote on legislation to shape the direction of our Fraternity.” – Rebecca, 2016 Student Voting Delegate

Each chapter gets two votes during the Legislative Session of the National Convention and should send two delegates to the Convention to represent their chapter. If a chapter can send only one person to the Convention, that person will cast both votes. The voting delegates attend all Legislative Sessions and vote on behalf of their chapters. Voting delegates can also serve on a reference committee.

Voting delegates carry a great responsibility. According to the National Bylaws, the “supreme authority of the Fraternity” rests within the National Convention. Although being a delegate is a challenging and demanding service to the Fraternity, there are also great rewards. Voting delegates work with other delegates, both students and alumni, toward a common goal. They participate in national-level debates and decisions and provide service to the thousands who benefit from Alpha Phi Omega.

The schedule will allow students to both participate in the business of the Fraternity and develop their personal and chapter leadership skills without needing to choose one or the other. This will be done by starting the Legislative Session on December 28th.  After legislation ends, there will be opportunities to attend keynote presentations from prominent speakers, attend seminars for personal and chapter development and ample time to network with members from other chapters.

In addition to the two voting delegates, other members of the chapter can and should attend the National Convention as non-voting delegates. Non-voting delegates participate in the leadership development courses, officer training, service projects, and other events of the Convention.

Non-voting delegates should attend seminars and workshops to learn new skills to take back to their chapter. There are sessions on a variety of subjects, such as membership, service, and pledging. APO LEADS courses and other leadership training will be offered. Non-voting delegates can share ideas with and learn from brothers from other chapters.

The main purpose of the Convention is to accomplish the business of the Fraternity. The reference committees and the Legislative Session are the places where this happens. The National Convention has the power to amend the National Bylaws, adopt new rituals and publications, bestow awards and recognitions, elect the Board of Directors, and adopt resolutions affecting national policies and directing the future of the Fraternity. Although many people contribute, it is the voting delegates who are the workhorses of the legislative process.

Reference committees convene virtually prior to the Legislative Session to consider all the legislative proposals which have been submitted to the Convention. The committees consist of nine active members — one of whom is the chair, and no two of whom shall be from the same region with representation from all four convention districts on each committee and with ever region represented one at least one reference committee. The purpose of these committees is to review all the proposed amendments and resolutions, make recommendations regarding their adoption, and review the programs of the Fraternity such as:

• Membership & Extension
• Leadership Development
• Awards & Appreciation
• Time & Place

In performing this task, the committees hear testimony and engage in extensive discussion to make an informed recommendation to the Legislative Session regarding the best course of action for the Fraternity. Since the bulk of the work is done in committees, this allows the Legislative Session to operate efficiently. The committees may write new proposals though they are limited in what they can propose based on the scope of what has been proposed prior to the convention. They may also improve proposals submitted by the members. The committees may even decide to not place an item on the agenda. Each committee produces a report containing the exact wording of the motions they will present to the Legislative Session along with a concise justification for each.

After the committees finish their work, the entire delegation convenes to hear the report of each committee in turn. Each committee presents the motions that the committee has determined will be placed on the agenda. All voting delegates are permitted to debate each motion, and then vote on each motion. During the debate, speaking cards are used in the following ways:

A GREEN CARD… to speak in favor of the legislative item
A RED CARD… to speak against the legislative item
A WHITE CARD… to make a point of order

All this activity is governed by the National Bylaws, the Standing Rules of the National Convention, and Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. Section 4 (“Rules of the Convention”) of this handbook reviews some of these rules to help you navigate this complex process. These, along with efficient use of the time by the voting delegates on the floor of the legislative session and the hard work of those serving on a reference committee, can help the National Convention complete its business in a reasonable amount of time.

Preparation is key to a successful National Convention experience. Convention provides a unique opportunity for chapters to influence the future of Alpha Phi Omega. However, carrying out the business of the Fraternity and determining your learning path will require thoughtful planning. The entire chapter should discuss the upcoming National Convention, what role each person will play and how to make the most of this memorable experience  – even if only a select number of members are registered.

PARTICIPATE IN VOTING DELEGATE TRAINING. Training tools and resources have been carefully created to help voting delegates best prepare to participate in the National Convention. Please plan to attend voting delegate training on November 9, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS. Chapters will receive a copy of the proposed amendments as well as any resolutions that have been considered by reference committees. The chapter should carefully review the proposed amendments to assist voting delegates in understanding the issues well enough to testify on the legislative floor.

GOVERNING DOCUMENTS. To best understand the legislative experience and educate yourself on the existing policies of Alpha Phi Omega, it may serve you well to review the National Bylaws, The Standing Rules of National Convention and Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.

Chapters in good standing have the privilege of voting during the Legislative Session at the National Convention every two years, which is a vital role in determining the future of the Fraternity and policies that apply directly to the chapter.

The core of chapter operations is comprised of completing campus and fraternity requirements and financial obligations to ensure the chapter’s charter remains active and recognized by Alpha Phi Omega and the respective campus. Additionally, the chapter must operate in accordance with the governing documents and policies of both the school and the Fraternity, as well as the chapter’s bylaws. It is imperative that chapters and officers understand good standing processes and procedures in order to best direct the chapter towards success.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 8. CHAPTERS IN GOOD STANDING

A chapter in good standing [with Alpha Phi Omega] meets its yearly financial, administrative and Charter Reaffirmation obligations to the National Fraternity; is not more than 90 days delinquent in its financial accounts with the National Office; has maintained its 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status with the federal government and any appropriate state and local not-for-profit status; has confirmation of submission of a Spring Youth Service Day Report and a National Service Week Report; has at least one Active Member; and has not been declared inactive, suspended, or had its charter revoked, or has not otherwise been deemed in violation of the policies of National Bylaws of Alpha Phi Omega or of the rules, regulations or policies of its school.

A chapter successfully achieves good standing when the following items are all complete:

Refer to the following good standing and best practices list as seen in the Chapter Same Page Guide for more information about important dates and deadlines:

All national requirements of the Fraternity are reported through the Chapter Officer Portal (OP), an online chapter reporting platform, designed to allow chapter officers the ability to provide real-time, ongoing maintenance of the chapter membership, officer rosters and other national reporting requirements. The OP is available to all officers on record with Alpha Phi Omega.

While the president has access to perform all chapter functions on Officer Portal, it’s important to delegate responsibilities among all officers that have access – the chapter president, membership vice president, service vice president, pledge or new member educator, treasurer and secretary. Together, these officers can achieve good standing and administrative success.

Below is a list of items to be submitted through the Chapter Officer Portal, as well as the officer position that is typically responsible for submitting that item. More information on how and what to submit through the Chapter Officer Portal can be found in the Chapter Officer Portal User Manual, which is available in the OP Library and the Chapter Officer Resource Area of the APO website.

(*Indicates an optional, though encouraged form)

There are many resources – both people and material items – within reach to help voting delegates better understand their role before, during and after National Convention. Below are a few of these resources.