The Rev. Stacie Fidlar of Rock Island, IL, was elected June 18 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly which met online on June 5 and 12 and then in person at Augustana College in Rock Island on June 17-18.
Electing a bishop is one of the most important responsibilities in the life of a synod in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a key responsibility of the Synod Assembly. As an election, it is a process governed by the constitution, bylaws, and continuing resolutions of the synod; however, it is also a call process. As such, it involves discernment, from the perspective both of individual potential nominees and of the synod as a whole. Thus, engaging in prayerful reflection and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit are indispensable aspects of the process of nomination and election, regardless of the particular provisions in the synod’s governing documents.
Timeline of Balloting
- First Ballot - Sunday, June 5, 2022, during the 6:30 pm Plenary Session I (on Zoom)
- If no nominee receives the required 75% of the vote on this first ballot, those who received a nominating vote on the ballot will be notified by the end of day June 5. RESULTS of Ecclesiastical Ballot.
- Second Ballot - Sunday, June 12, 2022, during the 6:30 pm Plenary Session II (on Zoom)
- If no nominee receives the required 75% of the vote on this second ballot, the top seven nominees (plus ties) will go forward to the third ballot.
RESULTS of Second Ballot and Biographical Information
- If no nominee receives the required 75% of the vote on this second ballot, the top seven nominees (plus ties) will go forward to the third ballot.
- Third Ballot - Friday, June 17, 2022, during the 7:00 pm Plenary Session III (at Augustana College)
- Two-thirds of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the third ballot. If no nominee receives 2/3 of the votes, the top three nominees (plus ties) in terms of votes received will go on to the fourth ballot.
RESULTS of Third Ballot
- Two-thirds of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the third ballot. If no nominee receives 2/3 of the votes, the top three nominees (plus ties) in terms of votes received will go on to the fourth ballot.
- Fourth Ballot - (if necessary) - Saturday, June 18, 2022, during the 8:30 am Plenary Session IV (at Augustana College)
- Sixty percent of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the fourth ballot. If no nominee receives 60% of the vote, the top two nominees (plus ties) in terms of votes received will go on to the fifth ballot.
RESULTS of Fourth Ballot
- Sixty percent of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the fourth ballot. If no nominee receives 60% of the vote, the top two nominees (plus ties) in terms of votes received will go on to the fifth ballot.
- Fifth Ballot - (if necessary) - Saturday, June 18, 2022, during the 8:30 am Plenary Session IV (at Augustana College)
- Fifty percent plus one of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the fifth ballot. If there is no tie, the nominee with 50%-plus-one of the votes cast is declared elected.
RESULTS of Fifth Ballot
- Fifty percent plus one of the votes cast are needed to elect a bishop on the fifth ballot. If there is no tie, the nominee with 50%-plus-one of the votes cast is declared elected.
Please note: for voting members to be eligible to vote in each of the above ballots, they must be checked in and credentialed into the meeting (Zoom or in-person) before the starting time listed.
Other Important Dates for Bishop Election
Monday, June 6, 2022, NOON - All Ministers of Word and Sacrament nominated for bishop must go to the Bishop Election page on the synod website to accept or decline their nomination. These links will not be available until after the results of the First Ballot are announced at Plenary I on Sunday, June 5.
- Only those that accept the nomination will receive a link to authorize a background check and to fill out a biographical information form.
- Those who neither accept nor decline by the deadline will be placed on the 2nd ballot with no bio and a note that a background check has not been authorized.*
- After this deadline, no nominee for Bishop may withdraw from consideration.
Tuesday, June 7, NOON - All Ministers of Word and Sacrament that accepted the nomination must submit their biographical information form online and background check authorization as directed in the instructions.
Thursday, June 9, 2022, NOON- The official ballot for Bishop with the names of nominees who have accepted their nomination is placed on the website along with the candidates’ biographies and confirmation that a background check has been authorized (*exception: see starred note above). Voting members are asked to read through the biographies, and conferences are encouraged to meet, in order to prepare to vote on the 2nd ballot for synod bishop.
Thursday, June 16, 2022, 6:30 pm - A nominee forum with the final seven (plus ties) nominees for bishop, from the second ballot will be livestreamed. The synod council vice president will host the event and ask each candidate a series of predetermined questions. The order of questioning will be determined by lot.
