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Synod presidential election enters runoff

Pictured, from left, are the five candidates whose names stood in the first round of voting for LCMS president: Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, Rev. Dr. Joel D. Biermann, Rev. Dr. Benjamin T. Ball, Rev. Brady L. Finnern and Rev. Peter K. Lange.

The initial round of voting in the election for president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) was not conclusive, and a runoff will be required. The candidates whose names will stand in the runoff election are:

Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison
Rev. Dr. Joel D. Biermann
Rev. Dr. Benjamin T. Ball
Rev. Brady L. Finnern

The election process for the position of Synod president began last fall with an online nominating process, conducted by YesElections, that concluded Feb. 18, or five months prior to the start of the Synod convention, with a report to the secretary of the Synod.

The resulting slate of candidates for the office of president were the five ordained ministers who received the highest number of votes in the nominations process and who consented to serve if elected. The election took place, according to Bylaw 3.12.2.4, starting June 6 (six weeks prior to the convention) via internet balloting provided by YesElections.

The 5,478 pastoral and lay voters validly registered by the congregations and parishes of the Synod (Bylaw 3.12.2.3) before the deadline (electronic registration by March 8) or their substitutes (as validly submitted before May 29) served as the voters for this election. Of those, a total of 4,676 votes were cast, constituting a vote percentage of 85.4% of the electorate.

The results of the ballot tallied and reported to the secretary of the Synod by YesElections are as follows:

Harrison, 2050 votes (43.8%);
Biermann, 1822 votes (39.0%);
Ball, 371 votes (7.9%);
Finnern, 321 votes (6.9%); and
Rev. Peter K. Lange, 112 votes (2.4%).

According to Bylaw 3.12.2.4, “if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a second or succeeding ballots are required for a majority. In that case, the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall be dropped from the ballot and another vote shall be taken in the same manner.”

Therefore, Lange is being removed from the second ballot, and the other four candidates will remain.

The second round of voting for LCMS president will take place June 13–16, with successive rounds, if necessary, occurring in the same pattern. Registered voters will use the same credentials they used to vote in the first round, which will again be provided by email when the next round of voting has opened.

Additional information about the election result will be published in the second issue of Today’s Business, available at the beginning of the convention. For more information about the presidential election or candidates, see lcms.org/convention/elections.

The 69th Regular Convention of the LCMS will take place July 18–23 at the Phoenix Convention Center under theme “Christ Is Risen Indeed.”

Cheryl Magness

Cheryl Magness is managing editor of the print and online versions of Reporter, the official newspaper of the LCMS. She has written for a variety of publications, including The Federalist, Touchstone and The Lutheran Witness, and is a contributor to the book He Restores My Soul from Emmanuel Press. She has degrees in English and music and enjoys playing piano and spending time with her family.