LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 202

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9. STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION
understood that the proper procedure for president and vicepresidents is, should a ballot not produce a majority election,
to produce a successive ballot by removing the candidate who
received the fewest votes, repeating until an election occurs
(cf. Bylaw 3.12.2.6 [b] but ctr. Bylaws 3.12.2.4 and 3.12.2.7 [e–
f]). The variety of approaches available for President and
regional vice-presidents of the Synod—both of which, to be
sure, have unique election mechanisms not likely to be
reproduced exactly on the district level—leads to a question,
especially given Bylaw 4.7.1, which allows for district election
regulations, provided that “these do not conflict with the
Bylaws of the Synod,” of what is the proper procedure for use
by the districts (Const. Art. XII 5).
In its Item 19-024, COH proposed that the common
understanding be implemented clearly and explicitly in the
Bylaws.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 4.7.3 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
4.7 District Nominations, Elections, and Appointments
4.7.1
Each district may adopt regulations for the
nomination and election of its president; the nomination,
selection, election, ranking, and succession in case of
vacancies of its vice-presidents; and the nomination or
selection of any regional officers or regional board of
directors members, as long as these provisions do not
conflict with the Bylaws of the Synod.
4.7.2
A nominating committee of each district shall be
elected by the district convention. Nominating committees
may not be employed in the election of the president and
vice-presidents.
4.7.3
A majority of all votes cast by a district convention
shall be required in every election to all elective offices and
elective board positions. Except in the election of the
president and the vice-presidents, the The following
regulations shall apply:
(a) Candidates receiving a majority on the first ballot
shall be declared elected.
(b) In the election of the president and the vicepresidents, when a second or succeeding ballot is
required for a majority, the candidate receiving the
fewest votes shall be dropped from the ballot.
(bc) WhenIn other elections, 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 fewer than two
candidates receive 15 percent or more of the votes cast,
in which case the three highest candidates shall
constitute the ballot.
(cd) In every election balloting shall continue until
every position has been filled by majority vote.

202 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

I. SUGGESTION OF NOMINEES FOR CIRCUIT VISITOR
Rationale
When the 2010 convention amended the process for election
of a circuit visitor, an amendment made in the course of the
convention adopted, instead of the initially proposed
language (that “nominations for circuit [visitor] may be
submitted by a voting congregation of the circuit and by the
district president, in consultation with the praesidium of the
district”) the practice that “the district president be provided
opportunity to [instead of nominate, as initially proposed]
suggest eligible candidates from within the circuit.” The fact
that the convention made this evident distinction between
nominating and suggesting a nomination has led to triennial
guidance of circuit visitors by the Office of the Secretary as
follows:
“Nominations for candidates for the office of
circuit visitor may be submitted by a voting
congregation of the circuit and suggested by the
district president, in consultation with the
praesidium of the district” (Bylaw 5.2.2 [b]).
Unlike names suggested by district presidents,
which names may be added to the slate of
candidates at the meeting by majority vote of
the assembly, the names submitted by
congregations must appear on the ballot for
circuit visitor. All suggested or submitted names
of pastors, whether serving congregations or
emeriti, should be accompanied by pertinent
information regarding each nominee (Bylaws
5.2.2 [d][1] and 3.12.3.6 [c]). All nominations
must be received by the circuit visitor before the
day of the circuit forum (Bylaw 5.2.2 [b]).
In its item 19-018, the COH, at the suggestion of the Secretary,
proposed the following change that would make this practice,
with regard to suggested nominations, an explicit part of the
Handbook.
Therefore be it
Resolved, That Bylaw 5.2.2 be amended as follows:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
5.2 Circuit Visitors
…
5.2.2
The circuit visitor shall hold his position by virtue
of his selection by the circuit forum and ratification by the
district convention.
(a) Circuit forums shall meet at the call of their circuit
visitors to select their circuit visitors no later than the
time established by the district. When in-person
meetings are burdensome (e.g., geographically large
circuits), a circuit may select another manner of meeting
(e.g., e-meeting technologies) that is suitable and made
available to all participants, taking into consideration
the need to provide for an open and fair exchange of
ideas and secure, private, and confidential voting.
(b) Prior to the day of the circuit forum, nominations for
candidates for the office of circuit visitor may be
Resolutions