# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S386
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

386

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
lected by the President-elect according to the regulations in Bylaw
3.12.1.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.12.2.7 (e)–(g) be amended as follows:

The district president shall fulfill the role of President in tie-breaking.
Except in the election of the president and the vice-presidents, the following regulations shall apply:
(a) Candidates receiving a majority on the first ballot shall be
declared elected.
(b) When a second or succeeding ballot is required for a
majority, the candidate receiving the fewest votes and all
candidates receiving less than 15 percent of the votes cast
shall be dropped from the ballot, unless fewer than two
candidates receive 15 percent or more of the votes cast, in
which case the three highest candidates shall constitute the
ballot.
(c) In every election balloting shall continue until every position
has been filled by majority vote.

…
(e) Voting delegates to the national convention shall be entitled to vote
for one of the candidates from each region. If no candidate receives a
majority of the votes cast, the three candidates receiving the highest
number of votes shall be retained on the ballot. All voting delegates
to the national convention shall be entitled to vote for each regional
vice-president. The elections shall proceed according to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.
(f) Balloting shall continue with the candidate receiving the least number of votes eliminated until one candidate from each region has
received a majority of the votes cast. Upon the election of the regional vice-presidents, a series of elections shall be held for ranking
the vice-presidents by separate ballots. These elections shall proceed
according to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.
(g) Upon the election of the regional vice-presidents, a final election
will take place ranking the vice-presidents by separate ballots with
a simple majority of voting delegates determining the second, third,
fourth, fifth, and sixth vice-presidents in line of succession.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.12.4.2 (d)−(f) be amended as follows:
…
(d) A majority of all votes cast shall be required for election to all elective offices and elective board positions. Candidates receiving a
majority on the first ballot shall be declared elected. All elections
for offices and elective members of boards and commissions shall
proceed according to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.
(e) Except in the elections of the First Vice-President, regional vicepresidents, and regional board members, when a second or succeeding ballot is required for a majority, the candidate receiving the
fewest votes and all candidates receiving less than 15 percent of the
votes cast shall be dropped from the ballot, unless fewer than two
candidates receive 15 percent or more of the votes cast, in which
case the three highest candidates shall constitute the ballot.
(f) The tally of the votes cast for each candidate shall be announced
after each ballot in all elections.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 4.7.1 be amended as follows:
4.7.1 Each district may adopt regulations for the nomination and
election of its president; the nomination, selection, election, ranking,
and succession in case of vacancies of its vice-presidents; and the nomination or selection of any regional officers or regional board of directors
members, as long as these provisions do not conflict with the Bylaws
of the Synod. Each district may adopt regulations for the nomination of
its president, vice-presidents, and regional officers or regional board of
directors members, as long as these provisions do not conflict with the
Bylaws of the Synod. Each district may adopt regulations concerning
the constituencies of any regional officers or board members. The election and/or ranking of any of the aforementioned positions shall proceed
according to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1. The election of any district
officer or member of the board of directors must be ratified by a majority
vote of the entire voting assembly of the district convention. The district
president shall fulfill the role of President in tie-breaking, unless he is a
candidate, in which case the highest ranking vice-president who is not a
candidate shall fulfill that role.

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 4.7.3 be amended as follows:
4.7.3 A majority of all votes cast by the voting delegates of a district
convention shall be required in every election to all elective offices and
elective board positions. Every election for positions not mentioned in
Bylaw 4.7.1 shall proceed according to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.

2016 Convention Workbook

and be it finally
Resolved, That the Secretary of the LCMS communicate these
Bylaw changes to the secretaries of the districts of the LCMS in order
to promote proper electoral procedure across the LCMS.
Circuit 9, Atlantic District; St. Paul, Cincinnati, OH
11-08

To Standardize and Clarify Procedures
for Elections at Circuit Forums
Whereas, Article VIII C of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) specifies that “all matters of doctrine and conscience shall be decided only by the Word of God. 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 Bylaws of the LCMS contain regulations for circuit elections in Bylaws 3.1.2.1, 5.2.2, and 5.3.3; and
Whereas, These Bylaws are incomplete and not consistent with
the practice of elections at Synod and district conventions; and
Whereas, Standard, uniform, and clear regulations for circuit
elections will promote good electoral practice and give voting representatives the security of knowing that the elections are fair; therefore
be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.1.2.1 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.1.2.1 Elections of voting delegates shall take place in accordance
with the procedures established below established policy and procedure.
The secretary of the district shall provide each circuit visitor with instruction concerning the regulations for elections in these Bylaws and
suggested procedures for their implementation.
(a) Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the circuit visitor(s) to
elect its delegates not later than nine months prior to the opening day
of the convention. When in-person meetings are burdensome (e.g.,
geographically large circuits), a circuit may select another manner
of meeting (e.g., e-meeting technologies) that is suitable and made
available to all participants, taking into consideration the need to
provide for an open and fair exchange of ideas and secure, private,
and confidential voting.
(b) Each electoral circuit may adopt procedures and methods that will
ensureinsure efficiency and accuracy, including the use of mechanical, electronic, or other methods of casting, recording, or tabulating
votes. The electoral circuit shall select an elections committee consisting of a pastor, who shall not be the circuit visitor, and a layman.
This committee shall be responsible for supervising the election and
shall serve as tellers for the elections.
(c) The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one layperson from each member congregation of the electoral circuit, both
of whom shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the