Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 186
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 186.
This page reproduces text from the 2023 LCMS Handbook for study and navigation. Readers should verify procedural, legal, parliamentary, or governance questions against the official LCMS Handbook and appropriate LCMS authorities.
3.12 Nominations and Elections
Regional Elections
3.12.1 For all elections requiring regional representation, the Board of Directors
of the Synod and the Council of Presidents acting jointly shall designate five geographic regions.
(a) Regions shall be designated 24 months prior to conventions of the Synod and shall take into consideration geogra phical and number of congregations information in the interest of fair representation.
(b) For purposes of regional elections, individuals will be considered a part of the geographical region in which they reside . Canadian congregations will be placed as a whole into the region which the Board of Directors and the Council of Presidents deem appropriate.
(c) This information shall be shared immediately with all districts of the Synod.
Nominations of President and First Vice-President
3.12.2 Nominations for the offices of President and First Vice -President shall be
made by the member congregations of the Synod.
(a) Each member congregation shall be entitled to nominate from the clergy roster of the Synod two ordained ministers as candidates for president, and two ordained ministers as candidates for First Vice - President.
(b) The Secretary of the Synod shall provide a secure and verifiable method that will offer opportunity to every congregation of the Synod to submit nominations. He shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Synod, obtain the assistance necessar y to accomplish this task.
(c) The nominating process shall be completed not later than five months prior to the opening date of the convention. There shall be no opportunity provided for additional nominations.
(d) The Secretary of the Synod may engage, with the approval of the Board of Directors, an external auditing firm to tabulate the nominations and shall report in the Convention Workbook the names and tallies of all ordained ministers who have received n ominating votes.
Elections of President and First Vice-President
3.12.2.1 The candidates for the office of President shall be the five ordained
ministers who received the highest number of votes in the nominating process and who consent to serve if elected. The candidates for the office of First Vice -President shall be the 20 ordained ministers receiving the highest number of votes in the nominating process. No opportunity shall be provided for additional nominations.
(a) The Secretary of the Synod shall notify each candidate and shall secure his approval in writing within ten days after receiving the results of the ballots for the inclusion of his name on the ballot.
(b) In the event of the death, declination, or unavailability of any candidate, the nominee having the next highest number of votes shall
