# LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters Minutes_St. Louis Missouri_April 26 27 2012_S5
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

WHEREAS, In the case of nominations from the floor, there is no provision in the Handbook to
accommodate or address the background check requirement for those certain positions prior to
balloting; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.4.2 be revised as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.4.2 The President shall determine and announce a period of time during the convention for the
election of the members of all elective boards and commissions.
(a) After the election of the President, the First Vice-President, and the other vicepresidents in that order, the election by ballot of the Secretary shall next be conducted.
(b) The election by ballot of the members of the Board of Directors shall next follow. Each
category (ordained, commissioned, and lay) shall be elected separately, the order of the
elections to be rotated to allow each category to be the first elected at every third
convention, as monitored by the Secretary of the Synod.
(c) The election by ballot of the members of all elective boards and commissions shall
follow next.
(d) A majority of all votes shall be required for election to all elective offices and elective
board positions. Candidates receiving a majority on the first ballot shall be declared elected.
(e) Persons elected to positions requiring a background check shall not assume office until
an appropriate background check has been completed. If a person is elected and
subsequently fails to pass a required background check, the position will be deemed vacant
and will be filled according to Bylaw 3.2.5.
(fe) Except in the elections of president and vice-presidents, when a second or succeeding
ballot is required for a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest votes and all candidates
receiving less than 15 percent of the votes cast shall be dropped from the ballot, unless few
than two candidates receive 15 percent or more of the votes cast, in which case the three
highest candidates shall constitute the ballot.
(gf) The tally of the votes cast for each candidate shall be announced after each ballot in all
elections.
Before concluding its discussion of this matter, the commission requested that the chair write
a letter to the Board of Directors of the Synod regarding the issue of background checks.
26. Stewardship Board/Committee Requirement (11-017)
As a result of structural changes adopted by the 2010 convention, the Synod Bylaw 4.6 requirement that
each district must elect or appoint a committee or board for stewardship to relate to the Synod’s
“Department of Stewardship” begs attention. Albert Marcis, requested by the commission to “propose a
solution for consideration at the next commission meeting that will honor the Synod’s interest in
continuing the spirit of the bylaw section but not necessarily requiring a board or committee structure,”
Page 14 – 04.26 to 04.27.12 – COH Minutes