According to Alma 27:21, "the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi." If we assume that the phrase "all the land" means the general land of Zarahemla, then according to John Sorenson, to have reached the entire population, given them a chance to decide whether or not they approved of having Ammon's group settle among them, and then get the word back to the chief judge who had to fill in all the details could have taken weeks. It is hard to know exactly how much time it really took to get "the voice of the people," but it was probably expedited as much as possible, especially when in the verses following this incident say that the Lamanites soon followed after Ammon's group into the wilderness with a warlike mentality (Alma 28:1). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]