wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Hears First Ballot Results for Presiding Bishop

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 9, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY HEARS FIRST BALLOT RESULTS FOR PRESIDING BISHOP
01-CWA06-MR

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The Rev. James A. Nestingen, professor of
church history, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., received 108 votes on
the first ballot for presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA).  Nestingen received 11.31 percent out of 948 valid
votes cast.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.  There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     The presiding bishop is elected by ecclesiastical ballot.  The
election could require as many as five ballots, the maximum prescribed
by the ELCA Constitution.  Nominations are made on the first ballot;
each ballot requires a nominee to receive a certain percentage of all
ballots cast to be elected.  A specified number of candidates receiving
the most votes on a ballot have their names placed on the next ballot.
The fifth ballot, which matches the two nominees with the most votes,
plus ties, is decided by majority vote.
     Close behind Nestingen is the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, bishop of the
ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod and chair of the ELCA Conference of
Bishops, who received 101 votes.  The Rev. Peter Rogness, bishop of the
ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod, Milwaukee, received 61 votes; the Rev.
Mark S. Hanson, bishop of the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod, St. Paul,
Minn., received 53 votes; the Rev. April C. Ulring Larson, bishop of the
ELCA La Crosse Area Synod, La Crosse, Wis., received 47 votes; and the
Rev. Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod,
Sioux Falls, S.D., received 41 votes.
     The Rev. Timothy F. Lull, president of Pacific Lutheran
Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif., received 34 votes; the Rev.
Michael W. Foss, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, Minn.,
received 32 votes; the Rev. Lowell Almen, ELCA secretary, Chicago,
received 29 votes; the Rev. Richard J. Foss, bishop of the ELCA Eastern
North Dakota Synod, Fargo, received 29 votes; the Rev. M. Wyvetta
Bullock, executive director, ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries, Chicago, received 26 votes; the Rev. Steven L. Ullestad,
bishop for the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, Waverly, Iowa, received 21
votes; and the Rev. E.  Roy Riley, bishop of the ELCA New Jersey Synod,
Trenton, received 20 votes.
     On this ballot, 75 percent of the votes cast were necessary for
election.  There were 168 names receiving votes.
- - -
     Information about the assembly actions will be at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site.  Recorded
updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html