LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — July 13–19, 2007, Page 15

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(a) The names and addresses of all voting and nonvoting advisory delegates and representatives
and their alternates shall be forwarded by the district secretary before the announced registration
deadline to the Secretary of the Synod on registration forms provided by the latter.
(b) This procedure shall constitute certification.
This is the sole provision for and completes the certification of convention delegates.
Question 2:

Would it be a violation of the Constitution or Bylaws of the Synod for a convention of the
Synod to declare ineligible or in any other way to challenge or remove the certification of
any delegate elected in accordance with the bylaws referenced in question #1 above and
certified by the process defined in Bylaw 3.1.3.2 or in any other bylaw of the Synod?

Opinion: Once a delegate is certified pursuant to Bylaw 3.1.3.2, there is no express provision in the
Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws to challenge said certification at a convention. In the absence of such a
provision, accepted parliamentary procedure applies. Bylaw 3.1.9 (i) (3) requires the President to
“conduct the sessions according to accepted parliamentary rules.”
Question 3:

May a convention of the Synod violate the Constitution or Bylaws of The Lutheran
Church— Missouri Synod?

Opinion: No, a convention may not violate the Constitution or Bylaws of the Synod.
216. Floor Committee Request for CCM Chairman to be Present on Convention Podium
In a June 7, 2007 letter, the chairman of Floor Committee 8 of the 2007 convention asked the chairman of
the Commission to join him and several others on the podium when the floor committee presents
proposed Res. 8-01 addressing the Res. 7-02A Report. In a June 13 reply letter, the Commission chairman
noted the extraordinary request but agreed to accept the invitation due to the issue to be addressed. The
Commission agreed with his decision.
[Note: This concluded the business of the regular meeting of the Commission on July 13, 2007. The
meeting was closed with prayer. The Commission was requested on several occasions during the course
of the 63rd Regular Convention to provide additional formal opinions regarding issues before the
convention, as follows, in addition to numerous informal requests for responses during the course of the
convention proceedings.]
217. Elections Restrictions (07-2503)
During the course of the 2007 convention, a member of the Commission on Constitutional Matters
reported that the chairman of Committee 9: Registration, Credentials, and Elections had requested
opinions regarding the following election issues:
Question 1:

Based on the election of a candidate to become a member of the Synod’s Board of
Directors, may another candidate from the same district remain on the ballot or be
elected?

Opinion: No. Bylaw 3.3.5.1 (1) precludes the election of more than one elected member of the Board of
Directors from any one district. The election of one member from a district renders ineligible any other
candidate from the same district. Other candidates from that district must be removed from the ballot as
ineligible.

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