# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S385
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
election of the President of the Synod in coordination with the secretaries of the districts. This list and any of its parts shall not be disseminated.
(a) This voting list shall include
(1) the pastor of each member congregation or multicongregation parish
(2) the lay delegate from each congregation or multicongregation parish who was two voting delegates
from each congregation in attendance at the previous
district conventions and who remains a members of the
congregations they that delegate represented.
(b) Following each district convention, the secretary of that district
shall provide a list verifying the attendance of lay delegates to the
Secretary of the Synod, including the necessary information for the
Secretary of the Synod to compile the voters list.
(b)(c) If one or both the lay delegates are is unavailable, the congregations shall be provided opportunity to select a substitute voters.
(d) In the case of a congregation with more than one pastor eligible to
vote, the congregation must designate to the Secretary of the Synod
which pastor will cast the vote for the congregation.
3.12.2.4 Four weeks prior to the national convention, the Secretary
of the Synod shall provide, via a secure and verifiable method, opportunity for two voting delegates from each congregation, as determined
according to Bylaw 3.12.2.3, in attendance at the previous district conventions (or substitute voters selected according to Bylaw 3.12.2.3 [b])
to vote for one of the candidates for President. The Secretary shall, with
the approval of the Board of Directors of the Synod, obtain the assistance necessary to accomplish this task. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the two candidates receiving the highest number
of votes shall be retained on the ballot, and another vote shall be taken
in the same manner.

Board of Directors
Southern Illinois District
11-06

To Appoint Committee to Study
District Restructure
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has recently
gone through a process of restructuring that seems to have focused
primarily upon our Synod’s headquarters; and
Whereas, There is reason to believe that a thorough study and
suggestions for possible structural and procedural changes in the organization, workings, and operations of the Council of Presidents and
the districts of the LCMS could also prove beneficial to the implementation of the mission and ministry that the Lord has given to this
church body; therefore be it
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention direct the President of the
Synod to appoint a blue-ribbon committee to investigate the aforementioned issues and have that committee report to the 2019 LCMS
convention its findings and suggestions for discussion and possible
action.
Immanuel
Orange, CA
11-07

To Standardize and Clarify Procedures
for Elections at Synod and District Conventions
Whereas, Article VIII C of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) specifies that “all matters of doctrine and of conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God.

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All other matters shall be decided by a majority vote. In case of a tie
vote the President may cast the deciding vote”; and
Whereas, The LCMS Bylaws contain regulations for elections in
Sections 3.12.2.6 (b), 3.12.2.7, 3.12.4.2, 4.7.1, and 4.7.3; and
Whereas, These Bylaws which regulate the same activity, namely
the election of officers and other elective positions at Synod and district conventions, are similar but not entirely consistent in language
or substance; and
Whereas, It has been commonly practiced at conventions of the
Synod and some districts that voting delegates cast ballots with multiple names when multiple positions of the same status are to be filled,
even though this procedure is not currently prescribed in the Bylaws
and in fact contradicts them; and
Whereas, The Bylaws currently mandate different regulations
regarding the removal of candidates from second and succeeding ballots for efficiency; and
Whereas, The Bylaws currently make no provision for tie votes,
which could lead to confusion, poor electoral procedure, and violation of the electoral principles of the Constitution and Bylaws; and
Whereas, The advent of electronic voting makes it possible for
voters to cast successive ballots expediently; and
Whereas, Bylaws 4.7.1 and 4.7.3 are confusing regarding the
election of district regional officers and district board of directors
members; and
Whereas, Standard, uniform, and clear regulations for Synod and
district elections will promote good electoral practice and give voting delegates the security of knowing that convention elections are
fair; therefore be it
Resolved, That at the 2016 LCMS convention and at all future
meetings of the same, including district conventions, all balloting be
conducted for only one position at a time; and be it further
Resolved, that a new section be inserted at the beginning of Bylaw
section 3.12 as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.1 All elections at conventions and meetings of the Synod shall
follow a common procedure and be regulated as follows:
(a) All ballots shall be for the election of one candidate only.
(b) A majority of all votes cast shall be required for election.
(c) A candidate who receives a majority of all the votes cast on the first
ballot or any succeeding ballot shall be declared elected.
(d) When no candidate receives a majority of all the votes cast on a
ballot, one or more candidates shall be removed from the ballot. If
the sum of all the votes for a candidate along with those receiving
as many or fewer votes is less than each of the candidates receiving
more votes, that candidate is removed along with those receiving
fewer votes. If there are no such candidates, then the voters shall
elect, by majority vote, a candidate to remove from among those
receiving the fewest votes. Finally, if the voters are unable to reach
a majority decision, the President of the Synod shall act to remove
one of the candidates receiving the fewest votes.
(e) After removing one or more candidates, another vote shall be taken.
(f) The tally of the votes cast for each candidate shall be announced
after each ballot.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.6 (b) be amended as follows:
…
(b) Balloting will proceed with the candidate receiving the smallest
number of votes eliminated from consideration until one candidate
receives a majority of the votes cast, who shall be declared elected.
The First Vice-President shall be elected from the five nominees se-

2016 Convention Workbook