# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S393
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.2.3 The Secretary of the Synod, using lists of delegates in attendance at the prior year’s district conventions as submitted by the secretaries of the districts, shall compile and maintain the voters list for the
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.
(bc) 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 congregations 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 in attendance at
the previous district conventions (or substitute voters selected according
to Bylaw 3.12.2.3 [b]), as determined according to Bylaw 3.12.2.3, 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
11-22

To Change Election of Regional Vice-Presidents
Preamble
In 2010, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) voted
to restructure itself. In the ensuing years, that restructuring has been
implemented, including the regionalization of LCMS vice-presidents,
except for the First Vice-President. Currently, the LCMS regional
vice-presidents are elected by a majority vote of the entire convention.
It is understood that the LCMS regional vice-president is an “elected
advisor to the President” (Bylaw 3.3.2) and “shall be responsible to
the President for the performance of [his] duties” (Bylaw 3.3.2.3). The
LCMS regional vice-presidents are elected to represent the LCMS
throughout their regions.
Whereas, An LCMS regional vice-president is to represent the
LCMS throughout his region; and
Whereas, The LCMS regional vice-president, in order to properly execute his duties, must be familiar with and responsive to the
peculiar issues of the region he serves; therefore be it
Resolved, That the election of LCMS regional vice-presidents be
limited solely to those duly qualified delegates representing the geographic region the regional vice-president would represent; and be
it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (e) be changed to read:

393

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

3.12.2.7 After the results of the first-vice-presidential election have
been announced, the convention shall elect five regional vice-presidents
according to the following nominations and elections process. (This
shall also be the process used for all other regional elections.)

…
(e) Voting delegates to the national convention shall be entitled to vote
for one of the candidates from each the region they represent. 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.

Atlantic District
11-23

To Change Nomination Process
for Elected District Offices
Whereas, Districts may adopt bylaws, regulations, and resolutions, including the conducting of district conventions, provided they
are not contrary to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod (Bylaw
4.1.1.2); and
Whereas, The Committee for Convention Nominations is
required to select at least two candidates and at least one alternate
for elective offices prior to each convention (Bylaw 3.12.3.6 [a]); and
Whereas, District conventions currently are to be governed by
the bylaws adopted by the Synod for its conventions (Bylaw 4.2.1
[a]); and
Whereas, This nomination requirement for at least two candidates and at least one alternate places an undue burden on district
nomination committees if they do not receive nominations from the
congregations; and
Whereas, The Synod allows a process for amending the slate of
nominations from the floor of the convention (Bylaw 3.12.3.7 [a−f]);
therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention modify Bylaw 4.2.1
(a) to read:
PROPOSED WORDING
4.2.1 Conventions of the districts shall afford opportunities for worship …
(a) The conventions of the districts shall be governed by the bylaws
adopted by the Synod for its conventions, insofar as these may be
applicable, with the exception that district nomination committees
are required to nominate at least one candidate to serve each office
to be elected in district convention.

and be it further
Resolved, That like the Synod, each district should develop and
publish a procedure for amending the slate of nominations from the
floor of their convention.
Oklahoma District
11-24

To Change Formation of Electoral Circuits
Whereas, The Synod divides itself into districts and allows each
district to create circuits, and the criteria to create districts and circuits are determined by the Synod in convention (Bylaw 1.3.2); and
Whereas, Electoral circuits are established for the sole purpose
of sending representative voting delegates to Synod conventions; and
Whereas, District boards of directors are authorized to determine
electoral circuits (Bylaw 3.1.2 [a]); and
2016 Convention Workbook