# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S387
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
congregation. Multiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from
each member congregation.
(d) All pastors who are not advisory members under Article V B of the
Constitution and not specific ministry pastors shall be eligible for
election.
(1) A preliminary ballot may be held for the purpose of setting
a slate of candidates. If such a ballot is held, eachEach
voter may write in the names of two pastors on the
preliminaryinitial ballot. The fivethree pastors (or more, in
case of a tie vote) who receive the highest number of votes
in thethis preliminary ballot shall constitute the slate of
candidates for the pastoral delegatebe placed on the next
ballot.
(2) Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. Balloting
shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from
each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received
a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he shall be
declared the pastoral delegate. Once the slate of candidates
is complete, the election shall proceed according to the
regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.* If the electoral circuit is not
conducting an in-person meeting, it may choose to simulate
the procedure in Bylaw 3.12.1* using ranked balloting. The
circuit visitor(s) shall fulfill the role of President in tiebreaking.
(3) The congregation or congregations served by the elected
pastoral delegate shall be removed from consideration for
supplying any other voting delegate or alternate for that
particular convention.
(e) Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation may
nominate one layperson, either from its congregation or from the
circuit from any congregation in the circuit. These names must be
submitted to the circuit visitor(s) prior to the day of the circuit meeting and shall constitute the slate of candidates. All congregational
nominees, except those who have been eliminated through the election of the pastoral delegate, shall be eligible for election.
(1) A preliminary ballot may be held for the purpose of setting
a slate of candidates. If such ballot is held, eachEach voter
may write in the name of two of the remaining lay nominees
on the preliminaryinitial ballot. The fivethree laypersons (or
more, in case of a tie vote) who receivereceived the highest
number of votes in thethis preliminary ballot shall constitute
the slate of candidates for the lay delegatebe placed on the
next ballot.
(2) Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. Balloting
shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed
from each succeeding ballot until one layperson shall have
received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he/
she shall be declared the lay delegate. Once the slate of
candidates is complete, the election shall proceed according
to the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.* If the electoral circuit
is not conducting an in-person meeting, it may choose
to simulate the procedure in Bylaw 3.12.1* using ranked
balloting. The circuit visitor(s) shall fulfill the role of
President in tie-breaking.
(3) The congregation from which the lay delegate has been
elected shall then be removed from consideration for
supplying any alternates to that particular convention.
(f) All other pastors who received votes in the initial write-in ballot
were in the original slate of candidates determined in Bylaw 3.1.2.1
(d) (1), except those who were eliminated through the election of the
lay delegate, shall be eligible for election as the alternate. If fewer
than three candidates remain, then at least three candidates shall be
chosen from among all eligible pastors by a preliminary ballot, as in
Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) (1).

387

(1) Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. The
election of the alternate pastoral delegate shall proceed as in
Bylaw 3.1.2.1 (d) (2).
(2) Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate being
removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall
have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon
he shall be declared the alternate pastoral delegate.
(3) The congregation or congregations served by him shall be
removed from consideration for supplying the remaining lay
alternate alternate lay delegate.
(g) All lay nominees except those who have been disqualified through
the procedures listed above shall be eligible for election as the alternate lay delegate. The election of the alternate shall follow the same
procedure as in paragraph (f) above.
(h) All four persons elected shall come from four different parishes.
(i) The circuit visitor(s) shall report the results of the election to the
secretary of the district in writing immediately after said election.
(j) If neither the delegate nor the alternate (pastoral or lay) can serve,
the vacancy shall be filled by the district president in consultation
with the respective circuit visitor(s).

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 5.2.2 (c)−(d) be amended as follows:
5.2.2 The circuit visitor shall hold his position by virtue of his selection by the circuit forum and ratification by the district convention.

…
(c) Each circuit may adopt procedures and methods that will insure efficiency and accuracy, including the use of mechanical, electronic, or
other methods of casting, recording, or tabulating votes. The privilege of voting shall be exercised by the representatives from each
member congregation of the circuit, who shall have been selected in
the manner prescribed by the congregation (Bylaw 5.3.2). 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.
(d) The 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 serve as tellers
for the elections.
(ed) All nominated pastors serving congregations and emeriti pastors
shall be eligible for election in accordance with section 4.3 of these
Bylaws.
(1) Following presentations of pertinent information regarding
each pastor as listed in Bylaw 3.12.3.6 (c) and circuit visitor
responsibilities as provided hereafter in this bylaw, each
voter shall submit the names of two pastors on the initial
ballot the voting representatives shall nominate a circuit
visitor for ratification by the succeeding district convention.
(2) The three pastors (or more in case of a tie vote) who receive
the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall
be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall vote for only
one candidate.If the number of nominees for circuit visitor
exceeds five, a preliminary ballot may be held on which
each voting representative submits the names of at most
two nominated pastors. If such a ballot is held, the slate of
candidates for circuit visitor shall consist of the five pastors
(or more in case of a tie vote) who receive the highest
number of votes on the preliminary ballot.

2016 Convention Workbook