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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 391

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
choice ballot and include the results of this consideration in his
report to the next regular Synod convention.

Ov. 9-38

To Provide for Continuity of Service
in Regional Positions

Atlantic District
Ov. 9-37

To Expedite Ranking of Regional Vice-Presidents
WHEREAS, The ranking of the regional vice-presidents of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a matter of significance to the
entire church body; and
WHEREAS, There are five such regional vice-presidents; and
WHEREAS, These elections could require as many as ten ballots
under Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (g); and
WHEREAS, The ranking of vice-presidents inherently requires
each voter to conceive of a preferred ranking of the vice-presidents;
and
WHEREAS, The ranking of the regional vice-presidents could be
carried out by asking each voter to rank the five vice-presidents and
then simulate the current election process; and
WHEREAS, This would accomplish the important task of ranking
the regional vice-presidents while saving time at the Synod
conventions; therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (g) be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.12.2.7
After the results of the first-vice-presidential election have
been announced, the convention shall elect five regional vicepresidents according to the following nominations and elections
process.
…
(g) Upon the election of the regional vice-presidents, a final
election will take place ranking the vice-presidents by separate
ballots with a simple majority of voting delegates determining the
second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth vice-presidents in line of
succession. Each voting delegate will provide his preferred
ranking of the vice-presidents as a single ballot. The
determination of the second vice-president will proceed by
tabulating only the first choice of each ranked ballot. If no vicepresident is listed as first choice on a majority of ranked ballots,
the vice-president with the fewest first-choice votes will be
eliminated from each ballot and the remaining first choices on
each ballot shall be tabulated. After selecting the second vicepresident, his name shall be eliminated from each ranked ballot
and the third vice-president shall be determined using each
voter’s truncated ballot. The determination of fourth, fifth, and
sixth vice-presidents is made similarly. A voter may leave names
off his ranked ballot. If all his named choices are eliminated, this
voter shall be considered to abstain from that choice. The
secretary shall post the results of this process by stages as if each
voter had cast a ballot for a single vice-president at each stage of
the election.

and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of Synod, in consultation with the
Commission on Handbook, consider the possibility of
implementing other elections in which a large number of ballots
may be required using a single ranked-choice ballot.
St. John
Holbrook, NY

391

WHEREAS, Various boards for The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod require candidates elected by the Synod convention for some
or all positions to be residents of specified regions of the Synod to
be eligible for election and continued service; and
WHEREAS, Currently, if a board member elected to a position
from a given region relocates outside that region, the seat held by
such board member becomes vacant and must be filled by
appointment between conventions, which has resulted in an
increasing number of vacancies for such positions that are then
filled by appointment; and
WHEREAS, The Committee for Convention Nominations for the
2023 Synod convention believes that, ideally, positions elected
from the Synod convention should be filled by the persons elected
by the Synod convention insofar as possible, for purposes of
continuity of service on the related board and the benefit of the
related expertise thereby provided to such board, and thus that it is
appropriate to allow a person elected from a region to continue to
serve until the elected term expires even if such person relocates
residence; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention amend appropriate
bylaws to permit any person who is elected by the Synod convention
to a board position requiring residence in a particular region to
complete the term for which elected even if such person relocates
outside the region from which elected; provided that no person may
be elected or appointed to any position unless such person meets the
residence requirement as of the time of election or appointment, and
further provided that such change shall not apply to regional vicepresidents.
Committee for Convention Nominations
Ov. 9-39

To Have Synod Regional Representation
Determined by Regional Constituency
WHEREAS, Regions are designated by The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod in order to take into consideration information
regarding the numbers and geography of the congregations in the
interest of fair representation (Bylaw 3.12.1 [a]); and
WHEREAS, Individuals are considered in a regional election
solely on residency in said region (Bylaw 3.12.1 [b]); and
WHEREAS, Each member congregation within a geographic
region shall have been given the opportunity to nominate two
ministers of religion—ordained from the clergy roster of the Synod
with residence within its designated geographic region (Bylaw
3.12.2.7 [a]); and
WHEREAS, The names of the five ministers of religion—ordained
residing within the designated geographic region who receive the
most votes shall form the slate for a region’s vice-president (Bylaw
3.12.2.7 [c]); and
WHEREAS, The Synod is bound to the fair representation for a
region’s congregations and therefore its represented constituency to
Synod (Bylaw 3.12.1 [a]); therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (e) be amended as follows:

2023 Convention Workbook