LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 269

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Structure and Ecclesiastical Matters
Whereas, The number of delegates to a Synod convention should
• enable greater engagement of the delegates in the discussion and the
proceedings of mission and business;
• facilitate opportunity for deep and continuing discourse among delegates as they discuss, debate, worship with, and inspire one another;
• ensure equity in the number of delegates each district is apportioned;
• allow for greater stewardship of the gifts of God’s people for the work
of mission and ministry by opening up less expensive venues; and
• enable districts to select delegates and not be restricted to the configuration of visitation circuits, fairly representing the district; therefore
be it

Resolved, That the number of voting delegates to the Synod convention be fixed based on 10 percent (10%) of the number of member
congregations in the Synod six months prior to the first district convention; and be it further
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.1.2ff. be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.1.2 Voting delegates shall consist of one pastor and one layperson
from each electoral circuit.
(a) An electoral circuit shall consist either of one or two adjacent visitation circuits, as shall be determined by each district on the basis of
the following requirements: each pair of delegates shall represent
from 7 to 20 member congregations, involving an aggregate communicant membership ranging from 1,500 to 10,000.
(b) Exceptions to these requirements may be made only by the President
of the Synod upon request of a district board of directors.
The Office of the Secretary shall facilitate the election of voting delegates to the next following national convention. These delegates shall
be elected for three-year terms during the conventions of the districts
of the Synod.
(a) The total number of voting delegates shall be set at 10 percent (10%)
of the number of member congregations of the Synod six months
prior to the start of the first district convention. Such number shall
be rounded to the higher even number to enable delegate pairs (one
layperson and one minister of religion—ordained).
(b) Two factors shall be averaged to determine the number of delegates
from each district:
(1) The percentage of the district’s member congregations
compared to the number of member congregations of the
Synod; and
(2) The percentage of the number of confirmed members
of a district’s congregations compared to the number of
confirmed members of the member congregations of the
Synod.
(c) The most recent roster statistics available six months prior to the
convention shall be used to determine all matters related to delegate
representation.
(d) One-half of the district’s total allotment of delegates shall be laity
from member congregations of the district and one-half shall be
ministers of religion—ordained with membership in the congregations of the district.

(B) To Change Process for Electing Delegates
to Synod Conventions
Whereas, The Synod convention is the “principal legislative
assembly, which amends the Constitution and Bylaws, considers
and takes action on reports and overtures, and handles appropriate
appeals” … “and establishes general positions and policies of the
Synod, provides overall program direction and priorities, and evaluates all such positions, programs, policies, directions, and priorities
in order to provide responsible service for and on behalf of its members” (Bylaw 3.1.1); and

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Whereas, It is important that representatives of member congregations understand in advance of the election of delegates for Synod
conventions that an orderly process will be followed; and
Whereas, Such orderly process for the election of delegates to
the Synod convention should include
• an apportioning of congregations in light of a district’s prescribed number of delegates;
• a selection of delegates in a manner that takes into consideration reasonable and equitable representation;
• a process for creating electoral caucuses; and
• an election by those electoral caucuses at a district convention; therefore be it

Resolved, That voting delegates for Synod conventions be elected
by electoral caucuses; and be it further
Resolved, That each district shall select advisory delegates (ministers of religion—ordained and ministers of religion—commissioned)
retaining the proportionate representation to voting delegates as is currently followed; and be it finally
Resolved, That Bylaws 3.1.2.1–3.1.3.1 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
3.1.2.1 Elections of voting delegates to the national convention
shall take place in accordance with established policy and proceduresas
follows:.
(a) Each electoral circuit shall meet at the call of the counselor(s) to
elect its delegates not later than nine months prior to the opening
day of the convention. The district board of directors shall determine
how its electoral caucuses will meet in light of its prescribed number
of delegates to the next national convention. Such groupings shall
take into consideration geographical factors, visitation circuits, and
such other factors as will provide reasonable and equitable congregational representation in and as a result of the delegate selection
process to occur not later than nine months prior to the opening day
of the Synod convention.
(b) Elections shall be by written ballot. Candidates for election as delegates to the national convention shall be delegates attending the
district convention, except for those unwilling or unable to serve.
(c) The privilege of voting shall be exercised by one pastor and one layperson from each member congregation of the circuit, both of whom
shall have been selected in the manner prescribed by the congregation. Multiple parishes shall be entitled to a lay vote from each member congregation.Time shall be allotted on the district convention
agenda to allow the delegates from each electoral caucus to select its
delegates to the following national convention.
(d) All pastors who are not advisory members under Article V B of
the Constitution shall be eligible for election.A circuit counselor
appointed by the president of the district shall chair the caucus.
Nominations shall be received and delegates elected in the following
order: (1) minister of religion—ordained delegate; (2) lay delegate;
(3) alternate minister of religion—ordained delegate; and (4) alternate lay delegate.
(1) Each voter may write in the names of two pastors on the
initial ballot. The three pastors (or more, in case of a tie
vote) who receive the highest number of votes in this
preliminary ballot shall be placed on the next ballot.
(2) Each voter shall now vote for only one candidate. 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, whereupon he
shall be declared the pastoral delegate.
(3) The congregation or congregations served by the elected
pastoral delegate shall be removed from consideration for
supplying any other voting delegate or alternate for that
particular convention.
(e) A majority ballot vote shall be required for the election of each delegate. Prior to the meeting of the electoral circuit, each congregation
may nominate one layperson, either from its congregation or from

2013 Convention Workbook