An excerpt from the AA Service Manual

An area may be part of a state or province, or all of it, or may include parts of more than one state or province, depending on the size and needs of the A.A. population. In any case, the area holds an important middle position in the Conference structure — through the elected delegate, it participates in A.A. worldwide, while through the D.C.M.s and G.S.R.s, it is close to the local scene. THE AREA ASSEMBLY Any meeting of area G.S.R.s and the area committee (see Chapter Five) is an assembly. The area assembly is the mainspring of the Conference structure — the democratic voice of the movement expressing itself. Assemblies are the responsibility of the area committee, and are conducted by its chairperson. In the beginning, general service assemblies were held only to elect committee officers and the delegate to the Conference meeting, and without such meetings, there might be no area service structure today. Now, assembly meetings consider a variety of issues, from General Service Conference business to area problems and solutions and financial affairs, while sharing sessions, public information programs, workshops, and video programs keep A.A. strong and participation in service growing. An election assembly is held at least once every two years to choose a delegate and committee officers. It is usually scheduled in the fall of the year, prior to November 1. (Generally, the newly elected delegate and officers take office as of January 1.) Nonelection assemblies or meetings may be held at any interval the area wishes. In some areas they may be called “workshops” or “general sharing sessions.” However, most areas call them assemblies and include workshops and other activities; and the election meeting is always called an “assembly.” 


G.S.R.s, D.C.M.s, and area officers make up the assembly. Any A.A. member may attend, and in many areas mem­bers are encouraged to attend assemblies as a way of encouraging them to become active in general service.