2019 Lay Election General Information

The Conference Board of Laity (CBOL) establishes the rules for the election of lay delegates to General and Jurisdiction Conferences as well as the process through which persons will register with the Lay Election Committee of the CBOL to become an official lay candidate. 

This committee is appointed by the CBOL and has specific responsibilities:

1. sets forth the principles of the lay election process and oversees the implementation of the principles and guidelines,
2. serves as the recipient for the official lay candidate applications,
3. oversees the production and distribution of the Lay Election Handbook,
4. chairs the two candidate forums, and
5. works with the Election and Balloting committees to facilitate a smooth and efficient election.

The CBOL and Lay Election committees provide advanced notification to persons interested in becoming a lay candidate for election to the 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conferences, including the requirement as outlined in Paragraph 36 of the 2016 Book of Discipline and the proper procedures for registering as a candidate.  

A lay election page on the NGA Conference site will provide specific instructions for declaring one’s candidacy, a format for candidate information and will include the option of registering online or sending the required information by U.S. Mail. 

The Candidate’s Registration Form and the necessary additional information required (300-word information sheet, and photograph) are to be submitted between January 1st and not later than March 31, 2019 to the Lay Election Committee.

Lay applicants submitting all required candidate information will be identified as the official registered candidates for the 2019 Lay Election. Official registered candidates’ information will be posted on the Board of Laity page of the conference web site.  ONLY those officially registered candidates will have their candidate information appear in the 2019 Lay Candidate Handbook and be invited to participate in the two forums sponsored by the Conference Board of Laity (prior to the 2019 Annual Conference). 

The initial Candidate Forum will be held April 13 at St. James UMC Atlanta and the second Candidate Forum will be held during the 2019 Annual Conference Lay Orientation Session on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 in Athens. The official candidates are the only names that will appear on the first ballot of the 2019 Lay Election.

Celeste Bush

2019 CBOL Lay Election Committee