To Conform Election of Synod President to Longstanding Practice

WHEREAS, The President of Synod has extensive responsibility for supervision of doctrine and the administration of the Synod (Constitution Article XI B); and

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 (2019 Resolution 9-07); 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 is contrary to historical practice for the election of the President of Synod (2007 Handbook, Bylaw

3.12.1.4) and current practice for the election of First Vice- President (Bylaw 3.12.2.6 [b]); and

WHEREAS, This practice may promote electioneering; and

WHEREAS, Voter participation in the election of the President of Synod is of concern (2019 Res. 9-16); therefore be it

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.12.2.4 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

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 lessthan15percentofthevotescastshallbedroppedfromtheballot, 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.

and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of Synod, in consultation with the Commission on Handbook, consider the possibility of implementing the online presidential election using one ranked- choice ballot and include the results of this consideration in his report to the next regular Synod convention.