Report from the Elections

By Rev. Justin Nick, Assistant News Editor

On Monday, August 26, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., the order of the day for the 52^nd session of the General Conference. The room was filled with delegates, alternates, observers, and candidates’ family members as all waited in anticipation of the outcome of the elections. Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Senior Bishop, assumed the chair to announce that he was supposed to preside over the elections but yielded to Bishop Frederick Wright, 20^th Episcopal District. 

Judicial Council

The officers to be elected were the judicial council. Two clergy offices were available, with three candidates. The election results were Edwardo Curry with 1273 votes, Jimmie Williams III with 1184 votes, and Clementine Warren with 707 votes. Bishop Wright declared Curry and Williams the winners of the election. Derek Anderson, Starr Battle, Sandra Champ, and Tania Wright were declared as judicial council lay in accordance with the rules of the election on a unanimous ballot.  Finally, Rev. Dr. Angela Bess,  Rev. Shawn Drains, US Navy Chaplain Lieutenant Netitia Walker were elected as Judicial Council Clergy Alternates and Ms. LaTrellis Dent was elected Judicial Council Lay Alternate. 

General Officers

Rev. Dr. Roderick Belin, President/Publisher AME Sunday School Union; Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder; Rev. Garland F. Pierce, Executive Director of the Christian Education Department; Rev. Dr. John F. Green, Sr., Executive Director of the Department of Global Witness and Ministry; and Rev. Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, Executive Director of the Department of Church Growth and Development were declared winners according to the rules of the election on a unanimous ballot. 

• Treasurer/CFO 

The election for church treasurer was a faceoff between incumbent Marcus Henderson and N. Cajetta Stephens. Marcus Henderson received 1234 votes, and N. Cajetta Stephens received 441 votes. Bishop Wright declared Henderson the winner. 

• Executive Director of the Department of Retirement Services

The election for the director of the Department of Retirement Services had two candidates, Brian Blackwell and Clinton Brown. Blackwell received 1342 votes, and Brown received 301. Bishop Wright Declared Blackwell the winner. 

• General Secretary/CIO

The office of the CIO had three candidates: Tyronda Burgess, Kenneth Golphin, and Jarret Washington. The first ballot was not counted because neither of the candidates reached the 835-vote threshold needed to win. Washington received 773 votes, Burgess received 756 votes, and Golphin received 138 votes. Golphin rose to thank those who supported him and to yield his support to Burgess. Burgess received 934 votes on the second ballot, and Washington received 734 votes. Bishop Wright declared Burgess the winner. 

• Executive Director, Department of Research and Scholarship/Historiographer 

Mark Tyler and Cynthia McDonald were the candidates announced for the office. Tyler received 1140 and McDonald received 518 votes. Bishop Wright declared Tyler the winner. 

Bishops of the Church 

The elections for bishops began with 30 candidates running for six openings. The candidates were Henry A. Belin, III; Michael Bell; Albert Biwa; Spencer Booker; Michael Bouie; William Burger; Vernon Byrd; Barbara Chisolm; Ronnie Clark; Jeffery B. Cooper, Sr.; Joseph Cousin; Erika D. Crawford; Gregory V. Eason; Dimpho A. Gaobepe; Jerome Gordon; Keith Lawrence; G. Dianne Lewis; Willie E. Marshall; Elmer Martin; Julius H. McAllister, Jr.; Orlando McCauley; Paul Mugala; Mark Pierson; M Charmaine Ragin-Merrick; Barrington Ross; Samuel D. Seibo; Mosses Simms; Terri L. Strong; Timothy Tyler; and Darryl Williams. 

The first ballot required 848 votes to be declared the winner. The results of the first ballot were as follows: Crawford, 1019; McAllister, 988; Byrd, 756; Cooper, 676; Eason, 644; Cousin, 505; Simms, 477; Bell, 428; Tyler, 367; Williams, 339; Clark, 314; McCauley, 248; Seibo, 219; Marshall 214; Booker, 209; Lawrence, 207; Biwa, 195; Chisolm, 180; Gaobepe, 163; Gordon, 128; Ragin-Merrick, 108; Martin, 91; Ross, 72; Pierson, 57; Strong, 40; Bouie, 37; Burger, 23; and Mugala, 13. Crawford and McAlister were declared winners. 

The second ballot required 835 votes to be declared the winner. No candidate received enough votes to be declared a winner.  The results were Byrd, 799; Belin, 696; Cousin 689; Cooper, 684; Eason, 614; Simms, 383; Bell, 292; Tyler, 251; McCauley, 180; Williams, 144; Lewis, 143; Biwa, 110; Lawrence, 90; Seibo, 87; Marshall, 84; Booker, 78; Chisolm, 73; Ragin-Merrick, 45; Gordon 41; Martin, 29; Burger, 22; Strong, 19: Ross, 14; Mugala, 13; Bouie, 7. Several candidates mounted the dais to announce their resignations, thank those who supported them, and request their support to go to other candidates. Crawford and McAlister made their acceptance speeches and also made requests for candidates to receive their support before proceeding to the third ballot. 

The third Ballot required 834 votes to be declared the winner. The results were Byrd, 1085; Belin, 1057; Cooper, 957; Eason, 949; Cousin, 876; McCauley, 387; and Strong, 128. Byrd, Belin, Cooper, and Eason were declared winners. 

 In a historic election, Crawford was the first woman to lead a class and win with a significant majority. In our Zion, to be elected on the first ballot is a high honor, as it is a bode of confidence the church has placed in Crawford and McAllister. With the ballot dwindling fast and resigning candidates lifting the names of Byrd, Belin, Cooper, and Cousin before the generation of the second ballot, Eason began to approach the dais. Eason approached, intending to announce his resignation from the race, but as he came, the conference erupted with disapproval. The voices of the delegations were so overwhelming that he could not ascend the dais to announce a good thing he was not. “Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow. You may succeed with another blow…”  became the election mantra of the class of 2024. In triumphant celebrations, Crawford, McAllister, Byrd, Belin, Cooper, and Eason will be the 143^rd, 144^th, 145^th, 146^th, 147^th, and 148^th bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.