Malcolm Rivera
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which can be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of delegates at the General Conference. After an amendment passes at the General Conference, it is presented to annual conferences for ratification. The annual conference delegates, comprising both clergy and lay members, vote on whether to ratify the amendment, with the results sent to the Council of Bishops. For an amendment to be ratified, it must receive a two-thirds majority of the aggregate votes across all annual conferences. This process ensures that all annual conference members vote independently, without being influenced by previous conference results. The Council of Bishops then announces when an amendment has met the required majority, and it officially becomes church law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose an amendment? | Anyone within The UMC |
| Who votes on the amendment? | General Conference delegates |
| What is the required majority for the amendment to pass? | 2/3 majority of the delegates |
| What happens after the amendment passes? | It goes before annual conferences for ratification |
| Who votes for ratification? | Annual conference delegates (both clergy and lay) |
| What is the required majority for ratification? | 2/3 of the aggregate number of members |
| Who announces the results? | The Council of Bishops |
| When do the results get announced? | After the Council of Bishops certifies them |
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What You'll Learn
The amendment is voted on by all delegates present
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which is universally binding to all conferences and entities worldwide. The process of amending this constitution begins with a proposal, which can come from anyone within the UMC. This may be drafted and submitted by bodies or institutions within the denomination, or they may originate from the grassroots level.
Once a proposal has been made, it is put to a vote at the General Conference, where it requires a two-thirds majority to pass. If it passes this stage, it is then voted on by all of the delegates present at the annual conferences. Unlike other ballots, the results of these votes are not announced immediately. Instead, each annual conference sends its results to the Council of Bishops, who tally and announce the results at their fall meeting.
The votes are counted globally, not within individual annual conferences, and a two-thirds majority must be reached across all votes cast by delegates worldwide. This means that even if a majority of conferences vote in favour, the amendment will not pass without the support of two-thirds of the total number of votes.
The Council of Bishops will announce when an amendment has met the necessary two-thirds majority, at which point it officially becomes church law.
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A two-thirds majority is required for the amendment to pass
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which outlines how the denomination is to be organized and defines the powers of the General Conference, the episcopacy, and the Judicial Council. The Constitution is universally binding to all United Methodist conferences and entities worldwide.
A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority of the delegates to pass, unlike other proposed changes to the Book of Discipline, which only require a simple majority. This means that a substantial proportion of delegates must be in favour of the amendment for it to move forward in the ratification process.
The process of amending the United Methodist Constitution typically begins with a proposal or petition from within the UMC. This can come from various levels of the organization, including general agencies, annual conferences, or even grassroots initiatives. Once an amendment is proposed, it is voted on by the General Conference, which is comprised of delegates from across the denomination.
If an amendment receives the required two-thirds majority vote at the General Conference, it will then move on to the next stage of the ratification process. This involves presenting the amendment to the annual conferences, which are geographic bodies consisting of multiple churches and ministries. The annual conference delegates, including both clergy and lay members, will then vote on whether to ratify the amendment.
It is important to note that while the annual conferences can debate the amendment, they are not allowed to make any changes to it. The delegates must vote on the amendment as it was proposed and passed by the General Conference. The results of the votes from each annual conference are sent to the Council of Bishops, who tally and announce the aggregate results.
In summary, the two-thirds majority requirement for an amendment to pass at the General Conference is a crucial step in the process of amending the United Methodist Constitution. It ensures that any changes to the Constitution have significant support from the delegates and helps to maintain the integrity and stability of the denomination's governing document.
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The amendment is then presented to annual conferences for ratification
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which is universally binding to all United Methodist conferences. The constitution outlines how the denomination is to be organized while also defining the powers of the General Conference, the episcopacy, and the Judicial Council.
The process of amending the United Methodist Constitution involves several steps. First, a constitutional amendment can be proposed by anyone within The UMC. Petitions may be drafted and submitted by bodies or institutions within the denomination, such as general agencies or annual conferences, or they may originate from the grassroots level. Once an amendment is proposed, it is voted on by the General Conference. A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote of the delegates present to pass, unlike other proposed changes to the Book of Discipline, which only require a simple majority.
If an amendment passes with the necessary two-thirds vote, it is then presented to the annual conferences for ratification. The annual conference delegates, consisting of both clergy and lay members, will vote on whether to ratify the amendment. It is important to note that while the annual conferences can debate the amendment, they are not allowed to make any changes to it. The number of yes and no votes are recorded and sent to the Council of Bishops, who keep track of all the recorded votes from each conference.
For an amendment to be fully ratified, it must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote from the aggregate number of members across all the annual conferences. This means that even if a majority of individual annual conferences vote in favour of the amendment, it will not become church law unless it receives the support of two-thirds of the total votes cast. The Council of Bishops will announce when an amendment has met the necessary threshold, at which point it officially becomes church law.
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Annual conference delegates debate the amendment
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which is universally binding to all United Methodist conferences. The constitution outlines how the denomination is to be organized and defines the powers of the General Conference, the episcopacy, and the Judicial Council. The General Conference is a legislative session of the United Methodist Church, and its delegates vote on proposed amendments to the constitution.
After the General Conference, the annual conference delegates debate and vote on the amendment. The annual conference delegates, both clergy and lay, will vote on whether to ratify the amendment according to the same rules as the General Conference. However, they are not allowed to make any changes to the amendment. The number of yes and no votes are recorded and sent to the Council of Bishops, who keep track of all the recorded votes from each conference.
To be ratified, a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority of the delegates, unlike other proposed changes to the Book of Discipline, which only require a simple majority. This means that at least two-thirds of all the delegates who have voted across the different annual conferences must affirm the amendment. Even if a majority of the annual conferences vote in favour of the amendment, it will not become church law if it fails to receive the support of two-thirds of the total votes.
In 2024, the General Conference delegates voted in favour of four amendments to the United Methodist Constitution, which will be voted on by the annual conference delegates in 2025. These amendments include changes related to regionalization, inclusiveness, delegate and bishop elections, and standing against racism and colonialism.
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The Council of Bishops announces when an amendment has passed
The United Methodist Church is governed by a written constitution, which is universally binding. The constitution outlines how the denomination is to be organised and defines the powers of the General Conference, the episcopacy, and the Judicial Council.
The process of amending the United Methodist Constitution begins with a proposal, which can come from anyone within the UMC. The proposal is then voted on by the General Conference. If it passes with a two-thirds majority, it moves on to the annual conferences for ratification. The annual conference delegates, both clergy and lay, will then vote on whether to ratify the amendment. The number of yes and no votes are recorded and sent to the Council of Bishops, who keep track of all the recorded votes from each conference.
The Council of Bishops will announce when an amendment has met the necessary two-thirds majority of votes across all the annual conferences, at which point it officially becomes church law. This announcement is made after all the annual conferences have completed voting, and the Council has certified the results. The results of the ratification votes are not available immediately, and the process may take some time to ensure accuracy.
In 2024, the General Conference voted in favour of four amendments to the United Methodist Constitution. These amendments were then presented to the annual conferences in 2025, with the results expected to be announced in November of that year. The amendments included changes to address matters of gender equality, inclusiveness in membership, delegate and bishop elections, and bishop accountability.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional amendment must have a two-thirds affirmative vote of the aggregate number of members. This means that 2/3 of all the delegates across the different annual conferences must vote 'YES' for the amendment to pass.
The Council of Bishops announces when an amendment has met the necessary 2/3 majority of votes, at which point it officially becomes church law.
If an amendment fails to garner a 2/3 majority, it will not become church law.
After the General Conference gathers and votes on an amendment, annual conference delegates will vote on the amendment in the following months or years.
