Preface

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Preface

This report provides the results of the two nomination processes conducted in preparation for the 2026 convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod:

(a) the numerical, congregational ballot process for selection of President and First and Regional Vice-President candidates; and (b) the work of the Committee for Convention Nominations to provide candidates for Secretary and all convention-elected board and commission positions in the Synod, based on nominations submitted before the bylaw deadline, nine months prior to the convention, by agencies and officers, congregational and individual members of the Synod, as well as by lay members of the Synod’s congregations. These processes have culminated in the presented slates of candidates presented in this addendum to the 2026 Workbook.

The report contains nominations for various regional positions in the Synod. On Feb. 8, 2023, as required, the Board of Directors and Council of Presidents, having received a report from the Office of the Secretary on the circuit, congregation, and congregational membership makeup of the regions, designated the five geographic regions of the Synod (Bylaw 3.12.1) as remaining unchanged from the previous triennia, last adjusted in preparation for the 2013 convention. Regional membership of congregations (including those in non-geographic districts) and individuals is determined by geographical location (residence, in the case of individuals) relative to the determined boundaries.

Canadian congregations and their members are considered a part of the East-Southeast Region. A map of the regions of the Synod, indicating constituent geographical districts, may be obtained at lcms.org/convention/districts-map. Regional vice-presidents and board members must reside within the designated region (Bylaw 3.12.1 [b]).

Only those nominations processed by the Committee for Convention Nominations, as listed in Section XVI of this book, are considered “within the pool” for purposes of floor nomination (see Bylaw 3.12.3.7 [c]).

A. Report of Nominations by Ballot

1. PRESIDENT OF THE SYNOD

Bylaws 3.12.2–3.12.2.1 provide the procedure for receiving nominations and determining the slate of five candidates for the office of President. The slate was increased from three to five by 2019 Res. 9-07. For the second time, this nomination balloting was accomplished electronically, by YesElections (formerly Election-America), the election firm used by the Synod in each of its pre-convention presidential elections, instead of with the customary mailing and counting of paper ballots. The contractor exclusively handled voting credentials and sent reminder emails to congregational leadership as needed. The nomination period was Oct. 18, 2025, to Feb. 18, 2026. Instructions and credentials were physically mailed to each voting congregation to arrive just before the opening of the period. The web interface allowed each congregation to select, from the eligible ordained roster of the Synod, up to two distinct names for President, two for First Vice-President, and two for the regional vice-president position corresponding to the congregation’s region.

Results were tabulated by YesElections and delivered to the Office of the Secretary on Feb. 20, 2026, along with a list of congregations that had voted. A report of the results of the balloting process and biographical and other information for each of the five candidates on the slate for the office of President is printed beginning on page 9 of this publication.

The election of the President will take place six weeks prior to the 2026 Synod convention. The candidates for this election will be the five nominees who received the most nominating votes and consented to serve if elected.

The voters for this election will be those registered by the congregations and parishes of the Synod, one pastoral and one lay voter per each, as directed by Bylaw 3.12.2.3. Also for the second time, voter registration is being performed electronically. Voters must have been registered by March 8, 2026, with changes to registered voters possible until May 29, 2026. Election results will be made public by the Office of the Secretary at least two weeks before the Synod convention.

2. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE SYNOD

Bylaws 3.12.2–3.12.2.1 describe the procedure for receiving nominations and determining the required list of 20 nominees for the office of First Vice-President. Balloting was handled in the same process as used for the President, as described above.

Because the presidential election will have taken place prior to the 2026 Synod convention, the election of the First Vice-President will be the first election to take place at the convention. The slate of candidates will be the five nominees selected by the President-elect from the list of 20 (nominally; ties can result in inclusion of more names) nominees who received the most nominating votes and consented to serve if elected, with this list of five candidates to be made public prior to the opening of the convention. There will be no opportunity for nominations from the floor. A report of the results of the balloting process and biographical information for the nominally 20 possible candidates for the office of First Vice-President is printed beginning on page 13 of this publication.

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1. INDEX OF ALL NAMES FOUND IN THIS PUBLICATION

A list of all names of nominees that appear in this publication is provided beginning on page 85, followed by one or more page numbers to facilitate locating them.

2. NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR OF THE CONVENTION

In the case of positions other than President, First VicePresident, and regional board positions, slates of candidates developed by the Committee for Convention Nominations may be altered by nominations from the floor of the convention. Such nominations must be brought before the convention for approval before being added to a slate of candidates.

Such nominations also must not preclude (because of bylaw limitations for the position to be filled) the election of a nominee already on a slate of candidates without disclosure of such potential effect to the convention (Bylaw 3.12.3.7).

Ordinarily, floor nominations may be made only from the list of names previously submitted via the regular (not ballot) nominations process to the Committee for Convention Nominations prior to the Oct. 18, 2025, deadline (Bylaw 3.12.3.7 [b]). A complete list of these names is provided beginning on page 77 of this publication. If nominees have not already provided required biographical information and indicated their consent to serve if elected, these documents must accompany nominations from the floor of the convention. If a floor nomination is for a Concordia University System board or a Concordia University board of regents position, such nominees must also have provided the information requested on page two of the Floor Nomination Form so that their qualifications for such board service can be reviewed as required by Bylaw 3.12.3.7 (e):

• Qualifications of nominees for college and university boards of regents must be verified, as provided in Bylaw 3.10.6.2.1, by Concordia University System.

• Qualification of nominees for the board of directors of Concordia University System must be verified, as provided in Bylaw 3.6.6.2.1, by the President of the Synod (or designee) and Secretary of the Synod (or designee).

Nominees who have already satisfied this review requirement are identified in the list of names by a dagger (†) following their names if approved for a board of regents and by a double dagger (‡) if approved for the Concordia University System Board of Directors. The qualifications differ, so individuals may be approved for neither, for one, or for both. Those without daggers either have not provided information for review or have been reviewed and found not qualified. Other nominees from the floor for these offices will be submitted to this review requirement and will need to be found qualified before their names will be placed on ballots for election.

By a simple majority vote, the convention may broaden eligibility for nominations from the floor beyond the pool of names previously submitted to the Committee for Convention Nominations. Required biographical (Bylaw

3. REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENTS

Bylaw 3.12.2.7 (a–d) provides the procedure for receiving nominations and determining the slate of five candidates for each regional vice-presidency. Balloting was handled in the same process as used for the President, as described above.

As in the case of the slates of candidates for the offices of President and First Vice-President, the slates of candidates for regional vice-president positions (the five ordained ministers from each region who received the most nominating votes and who consented to serve if elected; more than five can be included as the result of ties) cannot be altered by nominations from the floor at the convention. A report containing the results of the balloting process and biographical and other information for the nominally five candidates for each regional vice-president position is printed beginning on page 25 of this publication.

B. Report of the Committee for Convention Nominations The Committee for Convention Nominations herewith submits its report to the 2026 convention, expressing its appreciation to all who placed names in nomination and to all nominees who have allowed their names to be considered for selection as candidates. Nominations were solicited, per Bylaw 3.12.3.4, “from agencies and officers of the Synod and the congregational and individual members of the Synod, along with lay persons of the congregations of the Synod.” These were received from Jan. 18, 2025, to Oct. 18, 2025.

All eligible incumbents were, per Bylaw 3.12.3.4 (d), included as nominees.

The committee has processed all nominations submitted for all positions other than President, First Vice-President, and regional vice-presidents. The Office of the Secretary handled the preliminary work for the committee by soliciting names and collecting biographical and evaluative information for use by the committee as it carried out its responsibility to provide slates of candidates. A total of 459 individuals (nearly the same number as for the 2023 convention) were nominated for at least one position, including 49 incumbents. This provided the pool from which the committee made its selections. Of the 459 nominated, 376 agreed to their nomination for at least one position. The committee placed 142 individuals on the ballots for the 62 positions up for election, in each instance providing at least the two required candidates for each position to be filled.

The committee met Jan. 15−16 in St. Louis, with the meeting called by the Secretary of the Synod. Members of the Standing Committee on Nominations (“Bylaw 3.2.5 Committee”), elected by and from the membership of the committee, subsequently conducted remaining business via internet communications, as necessitated by candidates’ declinations, to elevate alternates to candidacy, as allowed for in Bylaw 3.12.3.6 (f). A detailed report of the slate of candidates identified for each elective position and accompanying biographical and other information regarding each candidate is printed beginning on page 40 of this publication.

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3.12.3.6 [c]) and consent-to-serve documentation for such nominees will need to be provided at the time that approval of the nomination is granted by the convention. As in the above paragraph, if a floor nomination is for a Concordia University System board position, such nominees must also have provided the information requested on page two of the Floor Nomination Form so that their qualifications for such board service may be reviewed as required by Bylaws 3.6.6.2.1 or 3.10.6.2.1, as applicable.

C. Abbreviations (Past and Present Service to the Church)

The following are abbreviations used in the paragraphs next to candidates’ pictures throughout this publication describing their past and present service in their congregations=C, the Synod=S, districts=D, and others=O (community, etc.). The number following “LCMS” in the paragraph indicates number of years the candidate has been a member (baptized or confirmed) of an LCMS congregation; other numbers following listed positions refer to years of service in those positions. Where appropriate, a plus sign (+) immediately following a last name designates that the candidate is an incumbent to the position.

Example:

Jane Smith is a candidate for a position on the Board for National Mission.

Jane Smith+, Milwaukee, WI; Our Savior, Elton WI (SWD);

LCMS 30; Attorney; S: BNM 6; Conv. Deleg. 2; D: SWD Bd. for Miss. 3; C: Treasurer 7; O: WZ3X Partners BOD 12.

Jane Smith lives in Milwaukee, Wis., and is a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Elton, Wis., which is in the South Wisconsin District. She has been a member of an LCMS congregation for 30 years. She currently works as an attorney. She is an incumbent to a position on the Board for National Mission, serving as such for 6 years, and has served twice as a Synod convention delegate. She has served for 3 years on the South Wisconsin District board for mission and in her congregation as treasurer for 7 years.

She has also served in her community on the board of directors of WZ3X Partners for 12 years.

Also candidate for: Board of Regents, St. Paul