Election Candidates and Results

LCMS National Convention   •   July 29-Aug. 3, 2023   •   Milwaukee

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 June 21

Presidential election: Harrison re-elected LCMS president

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, having received 52.32% of the votes cast, is the president-elect of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) for a fifth term of office, which runs from 2023 to 2026.

• View LCMS presidential election results

 June 29

Vice-presidential elections

President-elect Matthew C. Harrison has selected for the office of First Vice-President the following five candidates from the list of 20 highest-ranking and consenting nominees generated through the nominating ballot process.

Elections for LCMS first vice-president and regional vice-presidents will take place during the Synod’s 68th Regular Convention, which will be held July 29–Aug. 3, 2023, in Milwaukee.

• View First Vice-President candidates

• View regional VP candidates

 

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LCMS President (three-year term)

 June 21

LCMS Presidential Election Results

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison was re-elected president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on the first ballot after receiving 52.32% of votes cast and surpassing the required majority needed to win, the LCMS Office of the Secretary announced on June 21.

Voting delegates — one pastor and one officer from each congregation regularly cared for by one pastor or pastor[s] (Bylaw 2.5.5) — cast their votes in the first round from June 17–20. There could have been up to four rounds of voting until a candidate received more than 50% of the votes.

Internet balloting was facilitated by election contractor YesElections (formerly, Election-America) on behalf of the LCMS Office of the Secretary.

Candidate	Results
	First round: June 17–20
* Matthew C. Harrison	2,616  (52.32%)
Patrick T. Ferry	1,593  (31.86%)
Benjamin T. Ball	341 (6.82%)
Richard L. Snow	318 (6.36%)
Peter K. Lange	132  (2.64%)

• Total ballots cast — 5,000
• Total electorate — 6,053
• Percentage voted — 82.60%

*Re-elected on the first ballot after receiving the required majority of votes cast.

• Reporter story — Harrison elected to fifth term as LCMS president (June 21, 2023)

Nominations

The 2023 nominations process for the office of President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod closed on Feb. 28, 2023, with 1,826 congregations participating in Internet balloting facilitated by election contractor YesElections (formerly, Election-America) on behalf of the LCMS Office of the Secretary.

The following five candidates received the highest number of nominating votes for the office of President and consented to serve if elected:

• Matthew C. Harrison — 1,193

• Patrick T. Ferry — 511

• Richard L. Snow — 228

• Peter K. Lange — 119

• Benjamin T. Ball — 113

Bios and Q&As

• Read biographical synopses and statements of nominees  

• Read questions and answers from presidential nominees  

 

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First Vice-President (three-year term)

 June 29, 2023

President Harrison selects five candidate finalists

In accordance with Bylaw 3.12.2.6 (a), President-elect Matthew C. Harrison has selected for the office of First Vice-President the following five candidates from the list of 20 highest-ranking and consenting nominees generated through the nominating ballot process. These five names will constitute the ballot for First Vice-President, to be elected at the convention on Sunday, July 30, 2023:

• Allan R. Buss

• Christopher S. Esget

• Jamison J. Hardy

• Peter K. Lange

• Richard L. Snow

 

 March 13, 2023

Nominees for First Vice-President

• Read more

• The 2023 nominations process for the office of First Vice-President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod closed on Feb. 28, 2023, with 1,826 congregations participating in Internet balloting facilitated by election contractor YesElections (formerly, Election-America) on behalf of the LCMS Office of the Secretary.

  Of those receiving the highest number of nominating votes for the office of First Vice-President, the following 20 candidates have consented to serve if elected (ties being fully included where they occurred):

  • Peter K. Lange — 958
  • Richard L. Snow — 137
  • Scott C. Sailer — 98
  • Jon M. Braunersreuther — 95
  • Patrick T. Ferry — 72
  • Scott R. Murray — 50
  • Christopher S. Esget — 42
  • Waldemar R. Vinovskis — 35
  • John C. Wohlrabe, Jr. — 31
  • Nabil S. Nour — 24
  • Allan R. Buss — 22
  • Timothy P. Ahlman — 14
  • John A. Nunes — 8
  • Victor J. Belton — 7
  • Jeffrey J. Kloha — 7
  • Yohannes A. Mengsteab — 7
  • Jamison J. Hardy — 6
  • Jason M. Braaten — 5
  • Paul A. Linnemann — 4
  • Deric A. Taylor — 4
    
    

Candidate bios

• Read biographical synopses and statements of nominees  

 

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Regional Vice-Presidents (three-year term)

 March 13, 2023

VP nominees for each of five LCMS regions

The 2023 nominations process for regional vice-presidents of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod closed on Feb. 28, 2023, with 1,826 congregations participating in Internet balloting facilitated by election contractor YesElections (formerly, Election-America) on behalf of the LCMS Office of the Secretary.

Of those receiving the highest number of nominating votes for the offices of regional vice-president (second through sixth vice-presidents, as will be ranked by the convention), the following have consented to serve if elected (ties being fully included where they occurred):

EAST-SOUTHEAST REGION VICE-PRESIDENT

• Christopher S. Esget — 121

• Jeffrey J. Kloha — 27

• Luke T. Zimmerman — 20

• Victor J. Belton — 13

• Deric A. Taylor — 12

CENTRAL REGION VICE-PRESIDENT

• Benjamin T. Ball — 239

• Jason M. Braaten — 54

• Randy K. Asburry — 8

• Lawrence R. Rast, Jr. — 6

• William R. Marler — 5

• William W. Schumacher — 5

GREAT LAKES REGION VICE-PRESIDENT

• John C. Wohlrabe, Jr. — 196

• David P. E. Maier — 64

• David P. Ramirez — 39

• Steven G. Kline — 10

• Peter C. Bender — 5

GREAT PLAINS REGION VICE-PRESIDENT

• Nabil S. Nour — 245

• David C. Mumme — 58

• Robert R. Lessing — 15

• Byrene Keith Haney — 11

• Russell L. Sommerfeld — 11

WEST-SOUTHWEST REGION VICE-PRESIDENT

• Scott R. Murray — 134

• Timothy M. Klinkenberg — 80

• Yohannes A. Mengsteab — 48

• Alfonso O. Espinosa — 36

• Jeffery T. Schrank — 36

Candidate bios

• Read biographical synopses and statements of nominees  

• Download the list of nominees for president and vice-presidents  

 

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