LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 388

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388

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
(3) 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, who shall
be declared the nominee. Once the slate of candidates
is complete, the election shall proceed according to the
regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1.* If the electoral circuit is not
conducting an in-person meeting, it may choose to simulate
the procedure in Bylaw 3.12.1* using ranked balloting.
The circuit visitor shall fulfill the role of President in tiebreaking.
(fe) …

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 5.3.3 be amended as follows:
5.3.3 The circuit forum will meet at least once triennially to elect
circuit delegates to the national convention. It shall elect the pastoral
and lay delegates and their alternates to the national convention of the
Synod according to the regulations of the Synodin Bylaw 3.1.2.1. The
lay delegate shall, upon election, serve through the triennium following
the next convention as an advisory member of the circuit forum.

and be it finally
Resolved, That the Secretary of the LCMS communicate these
Bylaw changes to the secretaries of the districts of the LCMS and circuit visitors of the circuits of the LCMS in order to promote proper
electoral procedure across the LCMS.
Circuit 9, Atlantic District; Circuit 3, Atlantic District
* Note: References to Bylaw 3.12.1 are presently incorrect, so
should be changed depending on whatever the number of Overture
X11-05-01 ultimately turns out to be.
11-09

To Increase Number of Candidates for Synod
President and Streamline Election Process
Whereas, The President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod serves the entire Synod; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.12.2.1 currently limits the slate of candidates
for President to three individuals; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.12.2.6 and Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (c) establish the
number of candidates for First Vice-President and Regional VicePresident to be five; and
Whereas, The benefit of having voting delegates from each congregation cast ballots for Synod President is diminished by reducing
the slate of nominees; and
Whereas, Having multiple ballots by electronic means could be
costly to the Synod and confusing to voting delegates; and
Whereas, In an electronic format it is not difficult for voting delegates to indicate an order of preference among several candidates; and
Whereas, The possibility for superior election procedure exists
by using fully-ranked voting; and
Whereas, The procedure outlined below is even more consistent
with the principles of election by majority vote and allowing voters
to vote according to conscience without reference to political tactics
than the current procedure; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.1 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.2.1 The candidates for the office of President shall be the
threefive ordained ministers who received the highest number of votes
in the nominating process and who consent to serve if elected… .;

and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.4 be amended as follows:
2016 Convention Workbook

3.12.2.4 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 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 the President
of the Synod. The Secretary shall, with the approval of the Board of
Directors of 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. The election
shall be conducted according to the regulations below.
(a) Each voter shall provide an ordered list of the candidates according to his preference. It shall be assumed that if a voter provides a
partial list that he prefers all the candidates on his list to the unlisted
candidates but has no preference among the unlisted candidates.
(b) When the balloting is concluded, each pair of candidates shall be
compared and the smallest set of candidates who would win a headto-head election with all the other candidates shall be identified and
all the other candidates removed from succeeding ballots.
(c) If there is exactly one candidate remaining, he shall be declared
elected, having received a majority vis-à-vis every other candidate.
(d) If there are at least two candidates, the regulations in Bylaw 3.12.1*
shall be followed by simulated ballots. If the Synod President is
among the candidates, the highest-ranking vice-president who is not
a candidate shall serve his role for the purposes of tie-breaking.
(e) The Committee on Elections shall ensure the accuracy of the system
and audit the results in detail.

Circuit 9, Atlantic District; Circuit 3, Atlantic District; St.
Paul, Cincinnati, OH
* Note: References to Bylaw 3.12.1 are presently incorrect, so
should be changed depending on whatever the number of Overture
X11-05-01 ultimately turns out to be.
11-10

To Strengthen Committee on Elections and Form
District Committees on Elections
Whereas, Elections are an integral part of Synod and district
conventions and allow the Synod to function through fairly elected
representatives; and
Whereas, The Committee on Elections is responsible for the
supervision of elections at Synod conventions; and
Whereas, Each district is responsible for many elections at district conventions; and
Whereas, The theory of elections can be complicated and counterintuitive; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.4 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.4 Prior to the convention of the Synod, the President shall appoint a Committee on Elections, which 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.
(a) The President shall designate a chairman for the committee.
(b) The committee shall include at least one mathematician, political
scientist, or other member who is familiar with the details of election
theory.
(bc) The Secretary of the Synod shall provide the chairman with a current manual of suggested election procedures.
(cd) The committee shall be empowered to adopt procedures and methods that will insureensure efficiency and accuracy, including the use