At the end of the <candidating> week the congregation votes on a motion by the search committee to call the minister on the terms proposed; if the call is sufficiently strong, and is accepted, the ministry begins as specified in the agreement.
After meeting the committee’s candidate in a variety of contexts, the congregation votes on whether or not to ratify the committee’s work and extend a call. Generally this decision is made in a meeting called for the purpose, according to the congregation’s by-laws. It is usually the search committee chair who makes the motion to call the minister according to the terms agreed upon, and the president who presides over the discussion. In order to avoid the bruised feelings caused by a premature calling of the question, the president may allow the discussion to proceed in a committee of the whole.
The vote itself should be by secret (i.e. written) ballot, so that all feel free to vote their conscience. The result should be announced for all to hear, so that the amount of support of and opposition to the candidate is known by all. Although 49 out of 50 candidacies succeed, the congregation’s support is not to be taken for granted.
Most ministers hope for a vote of at least95 percent; the Transitions Office normally discourages ministers from accepting a vote of less than 90 percent.
Excerpt from UUA Ministerial Search Handbook, page 31.