# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S196
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

To Change Bylaws re District Convention
Attendance as Prerequisite for Voting
for Synod President
RESOLUTION 11-03A
Overtures 11-05, 11-17, 11-21, 11-40 (CW, pp. 384–385,
391–392, 401)
Whereas, The Synod’s Constitution establishes the principle
that each congregation or multi-congregation parish has two votes
at district conventions; and
Whereas, The purpose of the current process of electing the
Synod President is to give all congregations a voice in the election
of the President; therefore be it
Resolved, That the following changes to the following bylaws
be adopted:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.2.3

3.12.2.4

196

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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 voters list shall include two voting delegates from each congregation in attendance at the
previous district conventions who remain members of the congregations they represented
(1) the pastor of each member congregation or
multi-congregation parish
(2) a lay person from the congregation or parish.
(b) The congregation shall present to the Secretary
of the Synod 90 days prior to the election a proper
credentials form provided by the Secretary, signed
by two of the congregation’s officers. If a congregation or parish has more than one pastor eligible
to vote, the congregation shall designate on the
credentials form which pastor will cast a vote on
behalf of the congregation.
(b)(c) If one or both delegates are unavailable,
congregations shall be provided opportunity to
select substitute voters up to a deadline designated
by the Secretary.
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, as determined
according to Bylaw 3.12.2.3, in attendance at the
previous district conventions (or substitute voters
selected according to Bylaw 3.12.2.3 [b]) to vote for
one of the candidates for President. The Secretary
shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors of

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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.
Action: Adopted (3)
(Discussion of the resolution continued until the Orders of the
Day prompted the chair to ask whether the assembly wished to end
debate. Debate was ended by show of hands and Res. 11-03A was
adopted as presented [Yes: 724; No: 334].)

To Change Bylaws re Certification and
Verification of District Convention Delegates
RESOLUTION 11-04B
Overtures 11-04 (CW, p. 384)
Whereas, The process of registering and accrediting delegates
for a district convention is cumbersome and confusing; and
Whereas, A major source of the confusion is that the current
process requires a double registration and accreditation for every
delegate. A registration several weeks prior to the convention, all
properly certified and submitted to the district office, is required
so that the district president can select delegates to assign to floor
committees, print their names in the convention workbook, prepare registration material, and various other matters. Then, current
Bylaw 4.2.2 (a) requires another set of identical credentials to be
submitted to the district secretary at the opening of the convention; and
Whereas, Technically, according to the way the bylaw now
reads, an individual who does not present the proper form at the
time of registration at the convention cannot be accredited, even
though forms were previously submitted to the district office; therefore be it
Resolved, That the following amendment to Bylaw 4.2.2 (a) be
adopted:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
4.2.2

The delegates of a voting congregation to a district
convention shall be accredited.

(a) They shall be entitled to vote upon presenting
to the secretary at the opening of the convention the
proper credentials provided by the district secretary
and signed by two of the congregation’s officers. To be
entitled to vote, delegates shall return the proper credentials provided by the district secretary and signed
by two of the congregation’s officers, either by mailing them to the district office at a date determined by
the district or by presenting them to the district secretary at the opening of the convention.
Action: Adopted (8)

“11. Structure and Administration”