ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 21, 2009

ELCA Assembly Picks Three Finalists for Vice President
09-CWA-33-MS

     MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Voting members at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly narrowed the field to three candidates in its balloting for vice president. Voting a third ballot Aug. 21, voting members chose from a remaining field of eight candidates, selecting incumbent Carlos Peña, Galveston, Texas, Ryan M. Schwarz, McLean, Virginia, and Norma Hirsch, Des Moines, Iowa.
     Prior to voting, the eight nominees spoke to the assembly, answering questions about their view of the office.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is “God’s work. Our hands.”
     On the third ballot, Peña led the field with 371 votes, followed by Schwarz with 221 and Hirsch with 123. A two-thirds majority was required for election. With 1,043 votes cast, all three fell short of the 696 needed for election on this ballot.
    Others who received votes on this ballot were Nannette Dahlke, 109 votes; Yau Chiu, Youngstown, Ohio, 76 votes; Thomas Taylor, Springfield, Ohio, 54 votes; Robert Benne, Salem, Va., 48 votes; and Jim Martin, Defiance, Ohio, 13 votes.
    The fourth ballot for vice president will be taken Saturday, Aug 22.  If needed, a fifth and final ballot will follow.
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     Information about the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.elca.org/assembly/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
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