The Delegate’s primary responsibility is to serve as liaison between the District and MAWS throughout the year that begins with each Conference. This begins with Delegates attending the MAWS Conference and voting on all matters that are to be decided according to the conscience of the District’s groups. The Delegate votes on policies affecting MA as a whole and participates in the selection of Trustees and Service Committee chairs.

Delegates participate on one or more committees at the Conference and are expected to continue such participation throughout the following year. Delegates are responsible for reporting on MAWS’s activities to the Districts throughout the year and for insuring that MAWS receives updated contact information for the DSC Chair, Treasurer, Communications and other officers so MAWS can communicate with them regarding world-level activities and issues that are within their purview.

The Delegate serves as a voting member in the MAWS nonprofit corporation and as such must meet all legal requirements as stated in the Bylaws of MAWS, including the sobriety requirements stated in Article V (see Chapter 24—Bylaws of Marijuana Anonymous World Services a California Public Benefit Corporation). The Delegate thus participates in decisions that are necessary for carrying out the business and legal affairs of MAWS.

The Delegate has an important responsibility to report the conscience of the groups for which they speak. An essential part of the service of the Delegate is to attend the MAWS Conference. The Delegate should be prepared to work in a cooperative and helpful manner over long hours and sometimes trying circumstances.

The Delegate should forever strive to place principles before personalities. They ought to listen carefully and respectfully to differing opinions and tolerate fairness of debate. The Delegate should seek to streamline and further the fair decision-making process and seek to avoid unnecessary disruption of the process of debate and decision.

The debate and decision process involving scores of Delegates meeting in a short period of time can be confusing and difficult. MA has adopted an abbreviated and modified set of rules based on Robert’s Rules of Order (see Chapter 15—Rules of Order as Adapted for Marijuana Anonymous). The Delegate should read and understand these rules and be prepared to follow them.

Delegates should strive to avoid issues of personality and prestige. Our Third Legacy Procedure (see Chapter 17—The Third Legacy Procedure) is designed to remove issues of politics and prestige from the process of selecting persons to serve in service positions such as Trustee or Delegate. The Delegate should seek to avoid engaging in a campaign or political process and should seek to avoid ego and disappointment concerning the Delegate’s own role in the MA service structure.

After the Conference, the Delegate returns home to report on the Conference. This is an important step in preserving the unity of MA as a whole. At least one Delegate should attend each DSC Meeting to assure that all members have an opportunity to know what is being done at the MAWS level to further the purposes of MA. The Delegate should provide a copy of the final Conference report to the district and the district should make this report available to all members. Regular communication with the groups’ GSRs helps assure that the Delegate is speaking for the groups. When the Delegate casts a vote at the Conference, they should have in mind that this decision must soon be explained back home. This is an essential part of the democratic process. During the year, the Delegate’s responsibilities include ensuring that their District provides an updated meeting schedule to the Office Manager of MAWS on a quarterly basis and serving as the Convention liaison between their district and the host district(s). Also, Delegates may need to be polled between MAWS Conferences in accordance with Article 9 of the Conference Charter (see Chapter 22—The Conference Charter of Marijuana Anonymous).

The Delegate should provide Trustee call minutes and MAWS financial reports to the District Service Committee on a regular basis.

The Delegate’s term of office is one year. A Delegate may serve no more than two consecutive terms. The suggested clean and sober time to serve as a Delegate is one year. “Clean and sober” is defined as abstinence from marijuana and all mind altering substances including alcohol.

Conference Delegate Responsibilities

1. Attend the MAWS Conference.
   1. Submit before the Conference and present a written status report on the district and its meetings.
   2. Vote on motions according to the conscience of the district’s meetings.
   3. Serve on a Conference Committee at the Conference and throughout the year.
2. Register on the MAWS Forum providing input and feedback throughout the year.
3. Report at District Service Committee meetings.
   1. Conference information.
   2. Minutes from quarterly Trustee meetings.
   3. The ongoing activities of MAWS committees.
   4. MAWS quarterly financial report.
4. Act as District liaison between MAWS Treasurer and District Treasurer
   1. If the District uses the MAWS Taxpayer Identification Number, insure that financial statements are sent to the MAWS Treasurer in a timely fashion.
5. Keep MAWS informed and up to date.
   1. Submit meeting schedule changes to the Office Manager.
   2. Submit contact information for District officers and chairs to the Office Manager.
6. Report the group’s and District’s conscience to MAWS in setting the Conference agenda by a date that is four months prior to the Conference and at the Conference.
7. Act as District liaison to annual Convention.
8. Act as service sponsor to successor delegates, informing them of their duties and what to expect at the Conference.