LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1967, Page 121

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CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 121

Handbook be amended by adding the following sen-
tence:
In any case where a teacher is not available in the District
a clergyman shall be elected in place of a teacher, and
where a lawyer is not available the requirement of a
lawyer. may be waived.

Action: Adopted.

To Amend Election Procedures
RESOLUTION 5-16

Overture 5-54 U (URO, p. 49)

Wuereas, Pursuant to a resolution of the Detroit con-
vention (17-01) the President of the Synod has ap-
pointed a committee to study improvements in election
methods and techniques, and this committee has sug-
gested changes in the Handbook in connection with elec-
tion procedures which have been approved by the Board
of Directors of the Synod by authority of the Detroit
resolution and are in force for this convention; and

_ Wuereas, The proposed changes will greatly improve
election procedures and make possible the use of mod-
ern data-processing equipment; therefore be it

Resolved, That the wording of Handbook 2.121 and
2.138 be changed to read as follows:

2121 Committee on Elections

_a. Prior to the convention of the Synod the President
shall appoint a Committee on Elections and designate a
chairman. The Secretary of the Synod shall provide the
chairman with a current manual of suggested election pro-
cedures.

b. The committee shall make the necessary arrangements
for the elections, shall be responsible for the preparation
and distribution of ballots, and shall supervise the elections
and the tabulation of the votes. It shall be empowered to
adopt procedures and methods which will insure efficiency
and accuracy, including the use of mechanical, electronic,
or other methods of casting, recording, or tabulating votes.

c. The committee shall report the official results of each
election to the convention and shall file a written report of
the tabulation of votes of each election, certified by the
chairman and not less than one other member of the com-
mittee, with the convention chairman and the Secretary of
the Synod.

d. All votes in each election shall be preserved by the
chairman of the committee until the close of the convention
and then be destroyed.

2.138 Other Elections

The President shall determine and announce a period of
time during the convention for the election of the members
all oe ad boards and commissions other than boards
of contro.

Action: Adopted.

To Change Orientation Procedure
RESOLUTION 5-17

Overture 5-62 U (URO, p. 52)

Wuereas, The Handbook regulations regarding pre-
convention briefing sessions are too restrictive for the
present shortened conventions of the Synod and also
limit the possibility of making a variety of patterns of
schedules and arrangements; therefore be it

Resolved, That Handbook paragraph 1.24 be changed
to read as follows:

The President shall arrange for suitable orientation and
guidance of delegates. A convention manual or guide shall
be furnished.

Action: Adopted.

To Change Method of Electing Delegates
RESOLUTION 5-18

Overtures 5-07 to 5-09 (CW, pp. 124—126)

Wuereas, There exists in the Synod some confusion
and dissatisfaction about the method of electing dele-
gates to the convention of the Synod and about their ac-
countability; and

Wuereas, The Commission on Constitutional Matters
has made a study of the problem and has recommended
revisions to improve the method; and

Wuereas, These revisions remove the confusion that
resulted from having electoral circuits differing from
visitation circuits and also provide for a more equal base
of representation and for improvement in election
procedures; therefore be it

Resolved, That Handbook sections 1.51, 1.53, 1.55, and
1.57 be revised to read as follows:

1.51 Voting Delegates

Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one lay-
man from each electoral circuit. An electoral circuit shall
consist either of one or of two adjacent visitation circuits,
as shall be determined by each District, on the basis of the
following requirements: each pair of delegates shall repre-
sent from 7 to 20 member congregations, involving an aggre-
gate communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000.
Exceptions to these requirements and limitations can be
made only by the President of the Synod upon request of a
District Board of Directors. Voting delegates shall serve a
2-year term, beginning with the convention; after the con-
vention they shall function as resource persons in their cir-
cuit and assist in the dissemination and implementation of
the synodical resolutions in their area.

1.53 Election of Delegates

Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the Coun-
selor(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. The privilege of voting shall be exercised

by one pastor and one layman from each member congre-
gation of the circuit. Each qualified pastor and Jayman shall
have the privilege of listing two pastors. The pastor receiv-
ing the highest number of votes shall serve as the pastoral
delegate, the pastor with the next highest as the alternate.
The same procedure shall then be followed in determining
which congregations are to supply the lay delegate and al-
ternate, except that those congregations supplying the pas-
toral delegate and alternate shall be eliminated from. con-
sideration. The Counselor(s) shall report the results of the
election to the Secretary of the District in writing immedi-
ately after said election. If neither the delegate nor the
alternate (pastoral or lay) can serve, the vacancy shall be
filled by the District President in consultation with the re-
spective Circuit Counselor(s).

1.55 Advisory Delegates

Each District shall send one advisory delegate for ap-
proximately every 20 advisory clergymen and one advisory
delegate for approximately every 20 teachers on the roster
of the Synod. These selections shall be made by the respec-
tive groups meeting at the call of the District Secretary dur-

ing the District convention. Fractional groupings shall. be