To Amend Bylaw 3.12.2.4 to Change How Subsequent Ballots Are Determined in Election of Synod President

WHEREAS, There are five candidates for President of Synod (Bylaw 3.12.2.1); and

WHEREAS, The number of candidates was changed from three to five at the previous Synod convention in 2019 Resolution 9-07, “To Amend Synod Bylaws 3.12.2.1 and

3.12.2.2” (Proceedings, 194); and

WHEREAS, Current bylaws provide that “if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast … the candidate receiving the fewest votes and all candidates receiving less than 15 percent of the votes cast shall be dropped from the ballot” (Bylaw 3.12.2.4); and

WHEREAS, This practice has the potential to unnecessarily restrict the choice of credentialed voters from selecting a consensus candidate in the event of multiple rounds of balloting; therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.4 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING Elections of President and First Vice-President

3.12.2.4 Six weeks prior to the national convention, the Secretary of the Synod shall provide, via a secure and verifiable method, opportunity for two voting delegates from each congregation, as determined according to Bylaw

3.12.2.3, to vote for one of the candidates for President. The Secretary shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors of the Synod, obtain the assistance necessary to accomplish this task. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a second or succeeding ballots are 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 only one candidate receives 15 percent or more of the votes cast, in which case the three highest candidates shall constitute the ballot, and another vote shall be taken in the same manner