The following is a brief summary of the criteria for election and voting procedures applicable to nominees for Honoured Membership in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This document is an incomplete summary only and, where required, resort to the full text of By-law No. 19.

Candidate Attributes

The following attributes are the basis on which the election of nominees to Honoured Membership is to be considered:

Eligibility for Election

A person who is or has been distinguished as a player, hockey executive, coach, referee or linesman is eligible for election provided he meets the following eligibility criteria:

Maximum Number of Candidates Elected

No more than five (5) candidates duly nominated may be elected to Honoured Membership in any calendar year. The maximum number of candidates that can be elected each year in each category is as follows:

Nomination of Candidates

ONLY members of the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee may submit official nominations of candidates for election into Honoured Membership (such nominations are considered at the Annual Elections Meeting of the Selection Committee).

Each member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee may not make more than:

(a) one nomination for election in the Player Category;

(b) one nomination for election in the Builder Category; and

(c) one nomination for election in the Referee or Linesman Category,

for each annual election proceeding.

Nominations from members of the Selection Committee shall be made annually in writing and must be filed with the Chairman of the Board of Directors no later than midnight (Toronto time) on April 15 in each year. A nomination will be valid and effective only for the annual election proceedings following the filing of the nomination.

Unless otherwise approved by the Board of Directors, the Annual Elections Meeting is held in June and the Annual Induction Ceremony is held in November.

Nominations from members of the Selection Committee shall contain the fullest possible data concerning the record and the merits for each candidate nominated.

The Hockey Hall of Fame has established certain criteria with respect to the circulation of public submissions to the Selection Committee. Click here for the policy regarding public submissions of candidates eligible for election into honoured membership.

Balloting Procedures

The necessary quorum for proceeding with an election is ten (10) members of the Selection Committee.

Each member of the Selection Committee is entitled to vote for the maximum number of candidates established as aforesaid. Elections will be held first in respect of the Player Category, followed by Builder Category, followed by the Referee/Linesman Category.

Any candidate receiving 75% or greater approval of the members of the Selection Committee present is declared elected. Candidates receiving fewer than 50% of the votes are dropped from further consideration for the year in question.

If the maximum number of candidates is not elected on the first ballot, a series of run-off ballots shall be conducted, subject to the next paragraph below. On each such run-off ballot, each member of the Selection Committee present is entitled to vote for the number of candidates which may still be elected given the applicable maximum number.

If on any ballot: (i) no candidate receives votes from at least 75% or fewer than 50% of the Selection Committee present (the "First Event"), or (ii) the number of candidates on the such ballot is less than or equal to the number of persons who can then be elected without exceeding the maximum (the "Second Event"), then no further balloting shall be conducted, regardless of whether the maximum number of persons has been elected or not, save and except that if the First Event occurs on the first or second ballot and the Second Event is not applicable, (iii) the candidate or candidates who received the lowest number of votes shall be dropped for further consideration and one or more further ballots shall be conducted, or (iv) if all candidates receive the same number of votes and the number of persons who can be elected without exceeding the maximum is 2 or more, a further ballot shall be conducted in accordance with the weighted voting procedures set out in By-law No. 19. On any run-off ballot, only candidates receiving at least 75% of the votes of the total number of members of the Selection Committee present shall be declared elected.

Proceedings Confidential

No member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee or any other person present at the Annual Elections Meeting shall disclose to any person how any member of the Selection Committee voted on the election of any particular candidate (including the particulars of the balloting).

After the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee has completed all balloting for election into Honoured Membership, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or an alternate person designated by the Board shall then release the names of those elected for general publication.

When a person is elected as an Honoured Member, the name of such person shall be duly certified by the Chairman of the Board of Directors for official enrolment into Honoured Membership and all necessary action shall be taken for induction of such person at the next Annual Induction Ceremony.