by Marilyn O'Connor

You allowed your name to be nominated for this position and, lo and behold, you got elected! Do you know what you have gotten yourself into? Being a delegate is a serious commitment that should not be taken lightly: The Triennial Convention is the highest legislative authority of Women of the ELCA.

Actions taken in convention will shape the future of the organization, set a budget for 2009, and elect the board that will lead the organization between conventions.

As a delegate, you represent women in your region, synodical women’s organization, and units. You carry their voice with you, and you will cast votes on their behalf. This is a great responsibility!

You are expected to attend the orientation for delegates immediately prior to the start of the convention. There you will receive valuable information to help you carry out your duties. You are expected to be present at all convention business meetings, where you will:

• hear and participate in discussion on issues that require a vote. You will be better equipped to vote if you have been attentive to the deliberations regarding these issues.

• be called upon to elect the executive board and officers who will carry on the business of the organization between conventions.

• hear committee reports and vote on committee recommendations.

• have an opportunity to make your voice and, through you, the voices of those whom you represent, heard.

Well before the convention, you will receive the Convention Program and Reports (CPR). This book contains most of the business that will come before the convention, including proposed constitutional changes, the proposed budget for 2009, memorials submitted by synodical conventions, and the recommendations of the memorials committee. It is your duty to read through all the material in the CPR and come to Salt Lake City prepared to thoughtfully vote on the issues.

The book also contains photographs and brief biographies of nominees for executive board and officers. Women who are nominated from the floor will have their pictures and biographies handed out on the convention floor.

The first ballots for president and vice president are considered nominating ballots. This means that you do not choose from a pre-existing nominations list. You may vote (by write-in ballot) for any woman you choose, provided she is an active member of a congregational, intercongregational, or special unit. (You are not limited to the women listed in the CPR.) If there is no election on the first ballot, all the names submitted will appear on the second ballot.

If asked to serve on a convention committee, please say yes. While this is an added responsibility, working on a committee allows you to see how the convention operates behind the scenes. You also get to know the other women on the committee, women you might not meet otherwise.

What will make you the best delegate you can be?
Take the time to become familiar with all the materials you will receive. Read and think about the issues you are voting on. Ask questions. Be familiar with the concerns and wishes of women in your area. Remember that your synodical president is a good source to tap when you need clarification about something. Most of all, you need to be present at all business meetings and you need to be an active participant.

This article first appeared in the January 2005 issue of Interchange, the newsletter of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.