Official Handbook Source Text
Handbook page 188
Source: LCMS Handbook 2023, page 188.
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.
(a) The President-elect shall select from the list of 20 nominees for the Office of First Vice -President five nominees who have consented to serve if elected, at least two of whom shall be taken from the top five nominees.
(b) Balloting will proceed with the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes eliminated from consideration until one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, who shall be declared elected.
Nominations and Elections of Regional Vice-Presidents
3.12.2.7 After the results of the first -vice-presidential election have been
announced, the convention shall elect five regional vice -presidents according to the following nominations and elections process.
(a) Each member congregation of a region (including any nongeographic-district congregations in that region) shall have been given opportunity, through a secure and verifiable method provided by the Secretary of the Synod, to nominate two ministers of religion — ordained from the clergy roster of the Synod with residence in its designated region as candidates for regional vice-president.
(b) The names of the five ministers of religion — ordained residing within the boundaries of each geographic region who receive the most nominating votes shall form the slate from which the Synod convention shall select by majority vote each regional vice-president.
(c) No opportunity shall be provided for additional nominations from the floor of the convention.
(d) Voting delegates to the national convention shall be entitled to vote for one of the candidates from each region. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be retained on the ballot.
(e) Balloting shall continue with the candidate receiving the least number of votes eliminated until one candidate from each region has received a majority of the votes cast.
(f) 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.
Nominations and Elections of Regional Positions— Board of Directors and Mission
Boards
3.12.2.8 The convention shall elect the regional positions for the Synod’s Board of
Directors and Mission Boards according to the following nominations and elections process.
(a) Approximately 24 months before a regular meeting of the Synod in convention, the Secretary of the Synod shall solicit from those agencies with positions to be filled descriptions of criteria for qualified candidates to serve in those positions.
(b) With such criteria in view, the Secretary shall issue the first call for nominations through a publication of the Synod and on the Synod website 18 months before the convention, soliciting names from the agencies and officers of the Synod and the congregat ional and
