# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2013_S179 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 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. (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)A majority ballot vote shall be required for the election of each delegate. Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation may nominate one layperson, 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 congregational nominees, except those who have been eliminated through the election of the pastoral delegate, shall be eligible for election. (1)Each voter may write in the name of two of the remaining lay nominees on the initial ballot. The three laypersons (or more, in case of a tie vote) who received the highest number of votes in this preliminary ballot shall be 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 or she shall be declared the lay delegate. (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, except those who were eliminated through the election of the lay delegate, shall be eligible for election as the alternate. (1)Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. (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. (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. R e s olu t i on s 3.1.2.2 (hf)All four personsDelegates elected shall come from four different member congregations. (ig)The circuit counselor(s) selected to chair the caucus shall report the results of the election to the secretary of the district in writing immediately after said election. (jh)If neither the delegate nor the alternate (pastoral minister of religion—ordained or lay) canis able to serve, the vacancy shall be filled by an appointment made by the district president in consultation with the respective circuit counselor(s). Voting delegatesDelegates shall serve from the time of election until the next district a three-year term beginning with the convention, shall functioning as advisory members of the circuit forum, shall serve as resource persons in the circuitto the congregations they represent and to the district and national Synod, and shall assisting in the dissemination and implementation of reports and resolutions of the Synod in the circuitnational convention. (a) Delegates are responsible to the circuitscongregations they represent and shall attempt to discover the sentiment of the members thereof, but the congregations (b) Congregations shall not require their delegates them to vote in accordance with specific instructions, but every delegate shall be permitted to vote according to his or her own conviction. (cb)Delegates are expected to be faithful in attendance at shall attend all sessions of the convention. All duly elected voting delegates shall attend all sessions regularly until the close of the convention. Delegates who arrive late or leave early or who do not attend at all shall and present a written excuseexcuses to their district presidents for all absences, late arrivals, and early departures. (d)Delegates shall report the actions of the Synod to their circuits after each convention, preferably appearing before each of the congregations they represent. Nonvoting Advisory Delegates 3.1.3 Advisory members of the Synod shall attend district conventions, but they shall not be elected by any congregation or by any group of congregations as lay delegates to a national convention of the Synod. 3.1.3.1 Each district shall select one advisory delegate for every 60120 advisory ordained ministers and specific ministry pastors, and one advisory delegate for every 60120 commissioned ministers on the roster of the Synod. Fractional groupings shall be disregarded except that each district shall be entitled to at least one advisory delegate in each category. (a)Selection of district advisory delegates to conventions of the Synod shall be made by the respective groups meeting at the call of the district secretary either during the district convention or at official dis2 0 1 3 C o n v e n t io n P r o c e e d i n g s | 179