International Relations Protocol
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Protocol for Local Officials
While Miss Manners may dictate the rules for personal social behavior and protocol schools may teach international rules for diplomatic interaction, there are no worldwide accepted norms of precedence for local officials. In these cases, customs are applied which rely more on common sense and consideration than international treaties or established procedures.
The following may help municipal officials when planning events in which protocol may be a significant factor:
Order of Precedence
At a state function:
The president of the United States, if present, outranks all others.
Second ranked, if present, is the vice president of the United States. There are no exceptions for events held in the United States.
Within his/her home state, the governor is first ranked if the president and/or vice president of the United States are not present. This does not apply in Washington, D.C., where he is ranked below a number of other officials.
In local jurisdictions such as a city, the ranking official is the mayor, again unless the president or vice president of the United States or the governor of the state are present. Then the ranking order would be president, vice president, governor and mayor. In the absence of the others, the mayor outranks all other officials within his/her city jurisdiction. In Washington, D.C., mayors of major cities rank between United States representatives and consuls-general of other nations.
County officials, such as county chairmen, are not currently ranked in United States government. For that reason, the position is not found in the national order of precedence. Because mayors, in effect, share jurisdictions with county officials, proper protocol has been predominately determined by each community. By and large, relationships between county chairmen and mayors have been favorable and common sense answers to protocol situations have been the rule. Here are some guidelines:
At a function held or hosted within his/her city, the mayor is the highest ranked in the absence of the president and/or vice president of the United States and the governor of the state. The county chairman, visiting local mayors and elected officials should receive priority seating and should be acknowledged near the beginning of the program, as well any other dignitaries present.
At county sponsored events held outside a city, village or town, the county chairman is the ranking official in the absence of the president and/or vice president of the United States and the governor of the state. If the event is held in a municipality that has a mayor, then the mayor is the ranking official as stated above. However, the county chairman presides at the function and should reserve priority seating for all other mayors representing cities in the county and acknowledge their presence during introductions. The chairman should also acknowledge any other local dignitaries near the beginning of the program.
At functions in which a city or cities and the county share sponsorship, or where the county chairman and mayor(s) will be attending as guests, the rank is equal among them. They may be seated at either one head table with the guest of honor, or at separate tables with other dignitaries or guests of honor equally divided among them. The host or master of ceremonies should acknowledge the chairman and mayor(s) and any other dignitaries near the beginning of the program in this case as well. If two or more of the dignitaries are speaking, the speaking order is determined by their subject matter.
A good general rule to follow: honor the mayor and the county chairman equally, with the order of precedence being generally determined by the nature, purpose and sponsorship of the event. Timely and thorough communication between all parties will significantly contribute to success. |
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| To download the protocol booklet, "Meeting, Greeting and Miscellaneous Manners: An Informal Primer on Protocol," click here. |
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To read more on international protocol click here for the PDF document "International Protocol in Government."
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Recommended Reading:
- Borden, G.A., Conaway, W.A., & Morrison, T. KISS, BOW OR SHAKE HANDS: How to Do Business in Sixty Countries. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
- Innis, P. & McCaffree, M. J. PROTOCOL: The Complete Handbook of Diplomatic, Official and Social Usage. Devon Publishing.
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