Voting on the 2023 ratification ballot concluded at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on 5 May. Members ratified the election of Ōe Kenzaburō, Oh Jung-hee, and Xiao Kaiyu to honorary fellowship in the association. Support for the candidates ranged from 96% to 98% of the members who voted in that section of the ballot. Oh Jung-hee and Xiao Kaiyu will be invited to accept the honor. Ōe Kenzaburō passed away after the Delegate Assembly elected him to honorary fellowship in the association; his estate will be invited to accept the honor.
Members also ratified the 2023 Delegate Assembly’s approval of seven constitutional amendments.
Amendment 1 allows for virtual meetings of the Delegate Assembly and hearings conducted by the Delegate Assembly Organizing Committee only in years when the convention is fully online.
Amendment 2 updates the language in Articles XI.A and XI.B to allow for electronic voting for new members of the Nominating Committee and Elections Committee.
Amendment 3 authorizes the Executive Council to meet online.
Amendment 4 authorizes other association committees to meet online.
Amendment 5 makes changes to the requirements for field representation on the Executive Council.
Amendment 6 makes changes to the requirements for field representation on the Nominating Committee.
Amendment 7 makes changes to the requirements for the representation of membership categories on the Nominating Committee.
Support for the amendments ranged from 90% to 99% of the members who voted in that section of the ballot. The amendments, which take immediate effect, have been incorporated into the text of the constitution at the MLA website.