# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1977_S162 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 162 RESOLUTIONS To Clarify Method of Electing Delegates RESOLUTION 5-08 Overture 5-45 (CW, pp. 185—186) WHEREAS, There has been considerable confusion regarding some of the wording of Bylaw 1.53 (Election of Delegates); therefore be it Resolved, That the wording of Bylaw 1.53 be clarified in the following way: PRESENT WORDING PROPOSED WORDING 1.53 Election of Delegates a. Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the Counselor(s) to elect its delegates not later than 9 months prior to the opening day of the convention. The election shall be by written ballot. All pastors who are not advisory members under Article V B shall be eligible for election. The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one layman from each member congregation of the circuit. Multiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from each member congregation. Each delegate shall vote for two pastors, and balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from each succeeding ballot until one pastor shall have received support from a majority of the voters, whereupon he shall be declared the pastoral delegate. The congrega- tion 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. b. Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation shall nominate one layman, either from its congregation or from the circuit, the name to be submitted to the Circuit Counselor. All congregational nominees shall be eligible for elec- tion. The election shall follow the same procedure as in paragraph “a” above, until a lay delegate has been chosen by majority vote, whereupon he shall be declared the lay delegate. The congregation from which the lay delegate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for supplying any remaining voting delegate or alternate to that particular convention. c. Balloting shall continue in the same manner on the remaining pastoral candidates until another has gained majority support, whereupon he shall be declared the alternate pastoral delegate. The con- gregation or congregations served by the elected alternate pastoral delegate shall be removed from consideration for supplying any other voting delegate or alternate for that particular convention. 1.53 Election of Delegates a. Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the Counselor(s) to elect its delegates not later than 9 months prior to the opening day of the convention. The election shall be by written ballot. All pastors who are not advisory members under Article V B shall be eligible for election. The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one lay person from each member congregation of the circuit, both of whom shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the congregation. Multiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from each member congregation. Each delegate may write in the name of two pastors on the initial ballot. 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 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. 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. b. Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation may nominate one lay person, either from its congregation or from the circuit. These names must be submitted to the Circuit Counselor prior to the day of the circuit meeting and shall constitute the slate of candidates. All con- gregational nominees, except those who have been eliminated through the election of the pastoral delegate, shall be eligible for election. Each delegate may write in the name of two of the remaining lay nominees on the initial ballot. The three lay persons (or more, in case ofa tie vote) who received the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall be placed on the next ballot. Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. Balloting shall continue with the lowest candidate being removed from each succeeding ballot until one lay person shall have received a simple majority of all votes cast, whereupon he or she shall be declared the lay delegate. The congregation from which the lay delegate has been elected shall then be removed from consideration for supplying any remaining alter- nates to that particular convention. c. All other pastors who received votes in the initial write-in ballot, except those who were eliminated through the election of the lay delegate, shall be eligible for election as the alternate. 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 alternate pastoral delegate. The congregation or congregations served by him shall be removed from consideration for supplying the remaining lay alter- nate.